Discussion Guide for Enrique’s Journey
Below are some questions to generate conversation about the book Enrique’s Journey and to spark some conversation, questions, and reflection on the current unaccompanied children issue. These are not meant to be a complete list of questions, nor are they meant to necessarily all be used. These questions are a jumping off point to fertilize the conversation. It is our hope that you might follow the organic flow of the group.
The questions below are broken up into questions for a secular reading environment and a religious environment. Certainly questions from either list could be asked in either setting, but the religiously based questions do relate to people’s faith and are written from a Christian perspective (i.e. use and relate to God, Jesus, and the Bible). The secular reading questions have been parsed off in case the church may want to sponsor a discussion group in the wider community as a way to educated and involve the community in this important issue.
Please note that this is just one book that can be used. There is an appendix with other resources which may be used to spark further conversation or used to educate.
Secular reading environment
It is recommended that you begin with a brief conversation that sets parameters about how to listen and respond in a respectful way even if opinions do not converge. Introductions using question #1 may be a good place to start.
1. What made you want to read this book and be a part of this book discussion?
2. What do you think causes parents to separate from their children? What did you think of Carmen coming to the United States and leaving her four children behind? Is wanting a better life for your children at the cost of being separated a fair trade? Why or why not?
3. In what ways do you think the United States sends conflicting messages about immigration (legal & illegal)?
4. What needs di you identify when reading this story?
5. Discuss the pros and cons of an immigration policy which gives weight to people who are highly educated vs. people who are in need. How does that help or harm our country? How does that help or harm our world?
6. Many times people who immigrate to the US illegally are labelled with negative stereotypes. After having read this story, what words might you use to counteract the negative labels? (You could do this by having people write “labels” and have them post the positive words on the board.)
7. If you are a parent or caretaker, what dreams have you held for your children? What would you / have you sacrificed to have them realized? If you don’t have your own children, did your parents or caretakers make sacrifices for you?
8. What was the most surprising thing you learned in this book?
9. Did the story shift your view on immigration? If so, how?
10. What issues have you seen raised in this story which may contribute to people wishing / trying to cross the border? (As someone names an issue, roll / throw a yarn ball from each person who answers having the person throwing continue to hold on to a string from the yarn so that it unravels with each person as they answer and begins to create a web.
11. One of the concerns about unaccompanied children coming across the border is that some of the children have troubled pasts like Enrique (drugs, fights, gangs). Can you find spaces in Enrique’s story to have compassion for this behavior? Give an example.
12. What care might you imagine that Enrique or others like him might need when they arrive in the US?
13. What does it mean to be a humanitarian?
14. Is or has there been a cause so worthy to you that you would or have stood up to the authorities like many of the Mexican people in this story?
15. What continuing questions do you have on this issue? What are you going to do to find these answers?
Church reading group
It is highly suggested that you start the discussion with a prayer and perhaps a conversation which reminds people about respectful listening and communicating.
1. What made you want to read this book and be a part of this book discussion?
2. What needs di you identify when reading this story? Is there a place / way that your church might help? Brainstorm some ideas.
3. Discuss the pros and cons of an immigration policy which gives weight to people who are highly educated vs. people who are in need. How does that help or harm our country? How does that help or harm our world?
- What connections can you make between caring for all and an open communion table?
4. People may have very different views of this issue, even this particular story. What Biblical story helped you to come to your current position?
5. Enrique views his mother as his salvation. Why is it problematice to find salvation in another human being? What might the salvation in Christ have offered him if he had taken it?
6. What similarities might there be between how Enrique and Belky felt when their mother left and how the disciples felt after Jesus’ crucifixion (but before the resurrection)?
7. How do you suppose Lourdes can hold onto her faith given all that she has endured?
8. How might people who are persecuted or oppressed identify with Jesus’ life?
9. What characters in this book exemplify the Christian values which we espouse? Who? What value? How?
10. Where do you see the divergence between what people believe about the unaccompanied children and what you have read? How can you or your church better educate the community about this issue?
11. “Chiapas, he (the priest from the migrant shelter) says, ‘is a cemetery with no crosses, where people die without even getting a prayer (page 68).’” What does it mean to die without a prayer?
12. At the Shelter of Jesus the Good Shepherd (pg 91) , Olga Sanchez Martinez tells that those that have limbs amputated by the train that God must have spared them for something greater. What do you think of this assurance? Olga tells her own transformative story. What is your story? When has God used bad for good in your life (Genesis 50:20)?
13. On page 102, we hear that immigrants often carry Bibles with them in plastic bags to bring them strength for the journey. We hear that “some pages are particularly worn,” like the 23rd Psalm. What verse might you offer for strength?
14. One of the reasons people give for not wanting to help the unaccompanied children or other immigrants is because of a fear that they are a drain on our resources. Refer to the story on page 105 about the towns which do provide food in Mexico. How might we help people to believe as one of the throwers said, “If I have one tortilla, I give half away, I know God will bring me more.” When have you experienced a miracle like this of God’s generosity?
15. One of the other complaints about helping migrants from other countries is that we are not helping “our own”. Discuss what / who is “our own”. What can you find in scripture that may point to Jesus’ perspective of “our own”?
16. Consider what local issue you may be overlooking. Is there metaphorically a way your church could bring meals to the train going through your community? Who is going unserved in your community?
17. How can the church be a sanctuary? What might you do if you operated a church along the route to the US? What about once the people are in this country? What is our responsibility as a Christian?
18. Padre Leo, pg 173, reminds us that Joseph was a migrant and that in fact there are many other stories of migrants in the Bible. What stories can you recall? Why do you think stories of migrants are so prominent in the Bible?
19. “Priests, they say, should stick to doing Mass, weddings, and baptisms (pg 176).” What do you think the role of clergy should be? What do you think the role of the church is? What story or scripture supports your belief?
20. What continuing questions do you have on this issue? What are you going to do to find the answers?
End with a prayer . . . Encourage everyone to be ready to add a sentence of hope and love.
As we get ready to close with a prayer, let’s hold Enrique, Lourdes, Belky, and the rest of the family in our hearts along with all the other families which contemplate this journey, have taken it, or are atop the train tonight.
Let us speak words of love, safety, and comfort to guide them and hold them in the presence of God so that they know they are not alone. They are never alone . . .
(people can add as they wish)
Resource list:
Movies:
Under the Same Moon - trailer – PG-13, 1hr 49 min
The Visitor – trailer –
Documentaries and movies recommended by Enrique’s Journey:
§ Assaulted Dreams(Documentary)
§ Maria in No Man’s Land(Documentary, In Spanish, English subtitles)
§ A Better Life
§ Sin Nombre
§ Under the Same Moon
§ Which Way Home(Documentary)
§ Wetback: The Undocumented Documentary
§ De Nadie(Documentary)
§ Crossing Arizona(Documentary)
§ The Wall(Documentary)
§ Morristown(Documentary)
§ A Recycled Life(Documentary)
§ Los Que Se Quedan(Documentary)
§ Last Train Home(Documentary)
§ The Beast(Documentary)
§ Frozen River
§ Farmingville(Documentary)
§ Welcome to Shelbyville(Documentary)
Books:
Outsiders United by Warren St. John – Study Guide - http://outcastsunited.com/sites/default/files/Study%20Guide%20for%20Outcasts%20United%20OBOS.pdf
The Devil's Highway - study guide - http://www.ucc.org/justice/immigration/pdfs/UCC-Study-Guide-Mike-Devil-Hwy.pdf
Website:
www.enriquesjourney.com
http://outcastsunited.com/
http://www.pewresearch.org/topics/immigration/
http://www.ucc.org/justice/immigration/unaccompanied-children.html
Come to the First Congregational Church of Anytown
123 Main St., Anytown, MA
on
Day, Month XX
at
0:00 pm
Are you concerned about the issues surrounding the unaccompanied children crossing into the US? Do you wonder why children are crossing our borders? Do you hear the cries of 57,000+ children who have been detained at the US border thus far this year?
Join us for a book and current event discussion.
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