Eileen's Story - A Portrait of Life at the Border
Welcome to
“A Portrait of Life at the Border”, a blog series that brings you first-hand stories of the courageous, resilient people we serve.
When we first saw Eileen, she was standing by the side of the road in front of an unfinished building, pounding a stick into a bucket. It looked like she was mixing cement. Intrigued, we stopped to talk with her. It turns out she was washing her clothes in a 5-gallon bucket using a broom handle with a plastic 2-litre coke bottle attached to it. This was the only way she could do her laundry while keeping an eye on the building behind her, which she was being paid to make sure was not vandalized.
Like many others, she had come to the U.S. border in search of a better future for her family. She was living in a tiny cement building close by with her parents and 2-year-old son. At only 26 years old, she is the primary caregiver for her family and a contributor to the family income.
Inside Eileen’s Little Home on The Border
We got a first-hand glimpse into Eileen’s living conditions when she invited us into her home. The building is made of cement and there is one window (that has no glass and is always open) and a door that does not close well or lock. At night, they tie a string around the door handle. It is not the safest, but someone is always home most of the time to guard their belongings. Homeless people frequently come stop by the window to ask for things. On occasion, people will take pity on Eileen’s family and drop off food and clothing.
They all sleep on one bed, parents beside each other and Eileen across the bottom end with her son. Often times they alternate, parents sleeping during the night and Eileen during the day. There is a tiny room to the side with a toilet, but there is no running water in the “building”.
Jean, Eileen, and her son outside the family’s home
An inside view of the home
In this tiny building is their entire life. Beside the bed is some construction equipment, including a dirty wheelbarrow. At the foot of the bed (about 3’ at most from the bed) is where you can find the “kitchen”. There is a hot plate with a pot (while we were there tomatoes and other foods were simmering) surrounded by fresh produce. There is a 5-gallon jug for their water and a small soft cooler where they keep food.
View of Eileen’s kitchen
We were amazed at how clean and well-kept the place was despite the temporary living situation. We were even more amazed at Eileen’s makeshift kitchen – it was organized, clean, and full of fresh produce. This woman was clearly doing her best to keep herself and her family healthy!
They are there to watch over a construction project so nobody steals the supplies, which is something that happens often. If they were not there, there is also a risk that the property would be destroyed (if perceived empty). So this is where they make their home, in a tiny, debris-filled building situated just steps away from a busy road.
It is very difficult to keep a 2-year-old occupied in such a small space, where everything outside poses a danger. Even when Eileen is at “work”, she cannot let her boy wander off. The surrounding area is unsafe – there is a pile of wooden boards nearby with nails sticking out. Just a few feet away is the same busy road that never sleeps. To keep her toddler close by, she ties a strap around his wrist so that he doesn’t wander off. Occasionally, he tries to help with the laundry too!
A pile of construction debris and trash poses a constant danger to a 2-year-old.
Eileen’s Story - Fleeing Southern Mexico
Eileen and her family come from Guerrero in Southern Mexico. Back home, Eileen’s mother supported the family by cooking food and running a business that sold goods. A few years ago, the cartel started charging them a fee. Soon the fee became too high for them to keep paying it, so they left their home in fear of the cartel and all the violence that they were experiencing there.
Eileen and her family thought they could open a small restaurant in San Luis RC but shortly after they arrived, the pandemic hit. Soon, all their money was gone and they struggled to find work. Eileen’s mother picked asparagus during the day while her father would spend the entire day walking around collecting cans. Between the various jobs, they are able to earn about $90 per week. They can just about survive but it is not healthy living—nor is it a safe environment for a 2-year-old.
Eileen tells co-founder Jean Sicurella about her family’s journey from Southern Mexico and their current life at the border.
Many necessary expenses eat away at what little money they have. Eileen’s mother is diabetic and her medicines cost about $10 a week. Diapers are about $6 per week and formula is $16. Before they can even consider food or other necessities, they are down to $68 for the week. The family has no medical insurance, so when her toddler gets sick, they need to bring him to the doctor and pay out of pocket.
Despite the challenges she has faced, we could see Eileen’s resilience. She was friendly and talkative and shared of many dreams that she had for her future. She wants the best for her son and is determined to do everything she can to provide it. She knows how hard it is for her son to live in this situation - there is no space for him to play and she cannot give him toys. She cannot even bring him into the supermarket because of the pandemic, so her father does the shopping for the family.
What is Eileen’s future?
Eileen and her parents hope for a better future to raise Eileen’s son.
Unlike many migrants at the border, Eileen has no intention of entering the US to seek asylum. She is simply seeking a better life for her family in a different part of Mexico. Things are difficult, yet they are able to make twice the earnings here at the border compared to where they came from. They also feel safer because they are farther away from the gangs that used to harass them.
Due to the increasing violence and insecurity in Southern Mexico, it is unlikely that Eileen and her family will return home anytime soon. In the state of Guerrero where Eileen is from, abductions and murders are commonplace as a result of drug and human trafficking cartels which control the area. Local enforcement is known to be corrupt and powerless to protect citizens.
Co-founder of Misión de Caridad Francisco Ortega talks with Eileen to better understand her needs and hopes for the future.
For now, Eileen and her family have fled as far as they can go without leaving the country. Here, they are rebuilding their lives with what little resources they have, waiting for the chance to once again run their own food business.
Misión de Caridad has helped them with food and supplying their basic needs. We also hope to incorporate Eileen into our pilot work program so that she can finally gain the financial independence to build a better future.
References:
International Crisis Group (ICG), Building Peace in Mexico: Dilemmas Facing the López Obrador Government, October 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5bc9d2954.html [accessed 2 July 2021]
Reporters Without Borders, Mexico's tragic record on missing journalists, 29 August 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5bc6ef19a.html [accessed 30 June 2021]
UN News Service, Mexico: UN report points to torture, cover-ups in probe into disappearance of 43 students, 15 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b83c542a.html [accessed 30 June 2021]
Want more? Stay tuned for our upcoming blog post, “Why are people fleeing Southern Mexico?”
Wondering what our team has been doing on the ground? Check out our recent Smiles + Screening event and our weekly Feed-A-Family program
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Eunice Wong is the manager of blog content at Misión de Caridad. Her love for telling refugee stories began while working for UNHCR, Christian Aid, & PichaEats. When not dreaming up new story ideas, she can usually be found singing or enjoying a cup of coffee.