There were two women and one young guy imploring for shelter that the night. Olga refused to get involved. The reason she had to have security, was that the Mexican authorities which were actually dressed in army attire, and patrolled in jeeps with shot guns at the ready, were only too eager to deport her patients to where ever they had come from. She did not want to incur more trouble than she already had.
I persuaded Olga to at least allow them get a bite to eat and quench their thirst. She agreed to that at least. They had been on the road from Nicaragua for several days, and looked worn out.
I told the women to follow me to the women’s quarters. In front of this room, there is a wall with a collage of the people that have passed through. Men and women, to whom fate had dealt a losing card. Before we went into the room, I made them stop and take a look at those pictures which covered most of the wall. I told them that there are no coincidences in life. They had come to that shelter to be forewarned of the horrible consequences of riding on "La Bestia" (the beast).
I gave them a change of clothes, new undies I had bought for myself, and toiletries before they showered.
During this time, I begged Olga to let them stay, it was so late already, and dark and dangerous outside. She finally relented, and sternly said only for one night, and they had to leave 1st thing in the morning.
When sharing the dinning hall with them, all the guys came to talk to them and attempted to dissuade them not to continue with that route. Not only did they have Mexican authorities to contend with, as well as the death train - there was a plague of “Maras,” also known as "Salvatruchas."
When sharing the dinning hall with them, all the guys came to talk to them and attempted to dissuade them not to continue with that route. Not only did they have Mexican authorities to contend with, as well as the death train - there was a plague of “Maras,” also known as "Salvatruchas."
This is organized crime, gang-lowlifes, who thrive on extorting immigrant’s from what money they carry, or else killing them on the spot if they don’t get any money. “Those Mara are pure evil, It is rumored they have made a pact with Satan himself!" they cautioned.
Before bed, I made time to talk to the younger woman, she was about 24 yrs old. The other, her aunt was in mid 50's, and had lived a good stretch of life. I asked her: " What would you do if you could do anything?" She answered that her dream would be to set up a kiosk of fast food, and bring up her three kids well with that income. I inquired how much this would entail. She figured about 1K. I looked down at my sandaled feet, shocked that for the amount a person spends in a month, to drive a gas-guzzler, new SUV, this young woman could possible leave her three small children orphaned, as she was a single mom. Just $1,000 could have changed her life, and that of her kid's!
Before bed, I made time to talk to the younger woman, she was about 24 yrs old. The other, her aunt was in mid 50's, and had lived a good stretch of life. I asked her: " What would you do if you could do anything?" She answered that her dream would be to set up a kiosk of fast food, and bring up her three kids well with that income. I inquired how much this would entail. She figured about 1K. I looked down at my sandaled feet, shocked that for the amount a person spends in a month, to drive a gas-guzzler, new SUV, this young woman could possible leave her three small children orphaned, as she was a single mom. Just $1,000 could have changed her life, and that of her kid's!
This reiterated the surreal image I absorbed of this God forsaken part of the world - that life is not worth a damn here!
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Perhaps destiny is already written, perhaps she had to follow that course. I could only send her off with a note, begging her to reconsider her ride on the death train - for the sake of her kids! I included in the envelope my telephone number, as well as enough for her to take a bus back home. Seems they had been robbed all everything in transit, money and change of clothes. In the note, I reiterated that coming north is not all it's painted to be. It is hard - very hard to cross now, as well as to live here illegally.
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What decision she made, I will not know. Hope she is OK, where ever she is.
