At the end of January 2020, at the height of the pandemic and at the height of the emigration of Venezuelan citizens, the bishops in the border area had gathered in Cúcuta to review how both phenomena were evolving in their border ecclesiastical jurisdictions and, above all, among Venezuelan migrants, who were suffering terribly due to the closure of the Colombian-Venezuelan border in the official passage, the Simón Bolívar International Bridge between San Cristóbal and Cúcuta.
This second experience offered days of encounter and reflection, but, above all, of listening and direct contact with suffering migrants and with the action of fraternal solidarity that the Dioceses of San Cristóbal and Cúcuta jointly carried out.
In the statement sent to ANS the bishops state:
"Three years have passed and it was necessary to find ourselves in a climate of synodality to listen to each other, speak freely, discern in the Spirit and decide. And this is what we have been doing these days:
MEETING ONE ANOTHER: Convened and coordinated by the Dicastery for Integral Human Service, representatives of all border jurisdictions, Bishops, priests and laity met.
SPEAKING FREELY AND LISTENING TO EACH OTHER: These were long and intense days in which we felt enriched by the testimonies and experiences shared as an expression of Border Charity.
DISCERNING: The Eucharistic celebrations have allowed us to be grateful for all the good we are doing, since the Spirit is the driving force of our mission, it is the Spirit that moves us to do good.
The leadership that came from the DSSUI helped us to discover the presence of God in our action, but, above all, in the face and life of the migrant and the exploited, the excluded and the needy. How difficult it is to make the act of faith before Jesus in those who suffer (cf. Mt 25:40)! But there is no other way to do it than by touching the wounds of those who suffer, wiping the face of those who are tired and the tears of their suffering mother, offering a glass of water, understanding the threatened woman, donating a blanket for the cold, offering a temporary roof, smiles and an outstretched hand, facilitating the documentation of the migrant, consoling children who cry and want to understand...
DECIDING: Before saying goodbye and returning to our homes, we spent a few hours making commitments in areas such as:
– Communication: internal, with the creation of a group on WhatsApp; frequent sharing of experiences, management of difficulties, requests or aid agencies, the database of each jurisdiction...
– Spiritual accompaniment of pastoral workers and migrants: we are not just an NGO. And without spiritual support the suffering is greater.
– Formation of pastoral workers: Social Doctrine of the Church; political dimension of Charity, Human Rights, Integral Ecology...
– Private meetings, two or three per year, between neighbouring or neighbouring jurisdictions, to monitor commitments and/or share experiences.
– Attention to the peace process in Colombia and specific attention to indigenous communities.
– Aim to create a Common Fund of experiences and capital for entrepreneurial initiatives.
All we have to do is thank God for the experience. In the same way, mutual gratitude among the participants is right, since we have all given the best of ourselves (...) We can all be happy because we renew trust in the Lord's words: ‘Trust, I have overcome the world’ (Jn 16:33). The real presence of the Risen One animates our hearts and encourages our frontier work."
