border sunset

border sunset
Originally uploaded by ChrissyBarany.

What a difference a fence makes.

Snap

I went out to Nogales two days ago to be part of our classes group portrait. We wanted to take a portrait next to the fence between Mexico and the US so we were walking up to the fence when we saw two people jump over. The man jumped back over the fence as soon as he saw us. The woman however was slumped over on the ground. When Ricardo and David ran over to see if she was ok and help her up she tried to stand up and her leg was broken at the ankle. They carried her to a neighboring house and waited for the ambulance that the neighbors had called. Border patrol also showed up at the same time the EMTs did. I learned something of value to anyone wanting to cross the border. Call the EMTs not border patrol when you are injured crossing the border because the border patrol doesn't want the cost of attending to you medically if the EMTs take the responsibility they'll take you to the emergency room fix you up and then set you free. The hospital doesn't ask questions as to your country of origin. Its all about money and politics out here.

quick draw

Yesterday Brian Dave and I drove out along the border farther than I'd ever gone before. We drove along the fence for about 2 miles before it abruptly stopped. Its so strange that there is two miles of jagged steel fencing and then suddently it gives way to where there used to be a bit of barbed wire that is now rusting in pieces scattered along the ground. There were fresh tire tracks and a road coming in from Mexico and we new this was a popular drug run. We decided to come back and see if there was any action that night. Dave drove us in his truck a out to the spot and we saw a helicopter buzzing the area with search lights and 3 border patrol trucks and about 5 unmarked everyday trucks driving through the desert searching. We assumed these unmarked trucks were vigilantes because the drivers weren't dressed in uniform. We thought finally we'll get a picture of vigilantes capturing immagrants. Suddently every single truck in the vicinity raced toward the whole in the fence we'd discovered earlier that day. Dave gunned it and we followed them until we saw one of the vigilante cars on the side of the road about 200 yards from where all the action was happening. We figured its probably safer to pull over next to him and wait and see what goes down farther down the road. So as we pulled off the road the other driver was reaching for his gun. He was about to aim it at us when he shined a mag light in our faces and realized who we were. Turns out he was the same undercover cop I'd photographed at the Marijuana bust a few days before. He'd pulled off the road to fix a flat and was scared out his mind because Daves truck looked just like he drug runners truck. Soon another of his undercover buddies came back to help but before the guy with the flat could see the what truck it was he had already pulled an machine gun from out of his truck and had it aimed at the oncoming headlights. Soon we were surronded by about 5 undercover trucks and 6 cops all wearing bullet proof vests.Trying to change his tire as quickly as possible and get out of there. Dave went to go talk to them and they asked him what the heck we were doing out there. He told us how they get shot at all the time out there. People will just try to pick them off from behind the wall. Suddenly bullet proof vests seemed like a good idea. So we waited for them to change the flat and the police escorted us out of there. The adrenaline was fun but I can't believe how stupid we were not to realize that we look like a target out there. I have now realized that I am not cut out for war photography. Put me in a situation where I might get shot at and I'm out of there!

MaryJane1

MaryJane1
Originally uploaded by ChrissyBarany.

Ever seen more than a thousand lbs of marijuana? Well I have! There's all kinds of illegal stuff crossing the border in Douglas.

On The Road Again

Well my car works again thankfully. Its funny the key has a computer chip in it as a security function but its the thing that wouldn't let me start my car. Driving down here yesterday I had a lot of time to think. I got to thinking about how much pain I must cause God when I ignore him. I'm sure it hurts him when I sin too but before the fall of man God and Adam used to walk together in the garden. I know he still longs for me to love him like that. To spend time walking with him. I've heard this before but this time I really hear him calling me back to that relationship again.