Tapachula, Mexico, September 06, 2017 – From August 26 to September 3, 2017, members of the CLAMOR network met in Tapachula, southern Mexico, on the border with Guatemala, for a meeting to gain experience in the field of migration. Under the title “Working Experience with Migrants,” the event provided a greater learning and contact with the local and border reality of migration.

The meeting was attended by representatives of several religious congregations, pastoral of human mobility of several dioceses, Caritas representatives of some countries, representatives of some houses for migrants of Mexico and CELAM.

The objective was to get in touch with the different migration realities of this border. This was achieved by visiting some centers for migrants that go from victims of abuse, migrant shelters, detention centers for both children and adults, and up to a garbage dump where Guatemalan migrants live.

During the week, there was a second meeting where the bishops of the southern border and northern triangle met. The meeting was its fourth edition, and its motto was “Let’s Walk with Migrant Christ in the World”. Casa del Migrante Belém in Tapachula and Casa del Migrante in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, which are members of the Scalabrini International Migration Network, were visited. These were strong moments for the participants, as they learned about the services provided to migrants and the theme of social and labor insertion.

Representing SIMN, Fr. Mário José Zambiasi was present. “It was a strong moment of ecclesial communion in Latin America. The foundations for the creation of the CLAMOR network were created, which aims to unify and promote a single voice of all and with all the ecclesial realities in action in the field of human mobility in Latin America.”