My Journey

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Jerry: We will support you regardless of where you post, or if you want to continue. know that your posts shine light to many a day for all of us , inbetween trips, or working.

You are an Angel, Thank you so much for all your doing, it is literally bringing tears to my eyes. Making me really glad I dont share an office...

If something changes, and we could help or support in anyway please dont be shy. Im sure a lot of us consider you family. Happy Trails & Safe Travels

 

[Riversdad]

I have started sharing this with my wife and now she's asking if it would be ok for us to go down and offer these people some help. You really are making a difference in these people's lives and shining a true spotlight on what's going on down there.

 

[longhorn1]

Jerry, I second the comments. What you are doing is very special. I have enjoyed reading every post from day one. Maybe it is our love for our dogs, Labs and retrievers. No it is way more than that. You are very special. Even though we haven't met I feel like I've known you for years. Keep doing what you are doing. Those families know how special your visits are. You can see it on their faces. ❤️❤️jd

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

PNWY.....thanks for that post..... Regarding financial help, I'm actually working with another XP member on that very issue right now but it seems as though it may be very difficult if not impossible as I really, really prefer to remain anonymous. I will update if things change.....

Riversdad.....absolutely you and your wife would be welcome to join along or do it on your own....help is really needed here. When I first came to San Luis Rio Colorado there were about 170 families on the waiting list but unfortunately that number has climbed to about 190 now. The U. S. Government is able to process on average 3 families per day at this border crossing. Only 130 families are allowed to stay along the wall so there's another 60 +/- families that are I don't know where. Once they sign in they leave the immediate area I guess.....they've got an approximate 2 month wait time until their hearing. I learn and I learn and I learn.....it's amazing how much I know about the migrants now that I've immersed myself into their lives, and also into the lives of the people that manage this crisis.....



JD.....I am far from special.....unusual might be more appropriate.....thanks.....



It finally seems as though the Arizona winter may be coming to an end and I can stop posting those early morning frigid temperatures. As I look at the extended forecast the freezing temperatures are no longer expected and the forecast actually is looking quite good for this area.....temperatures should be rising into the 80's soon enough.....



So I swore I wouldn't prepare anymore food but as I eyed my supplies I kept seeing these remaining loaves of bread that George (the Walmart manager) had bought for me so I headed back into Walmart this morning and purchased more bologna and mayonnaise and got right to work. I combined my delivery with candy, sidewalk chalk, more crayons (will it ever cease ?), coloring books, children's toothbrushes and toothpaste, and diapers for the babies (by request).....



Sidewalk chalk is yet another huge hit with the kids.....



I was hunting down my right hand man / helper when I came across his father in the barbershop with his little twin brothers.....life just seems to go on.....



I had mentioned previously that my visits here typically ended with a trip to the bakery where I'll drop an additional $20 on bags of bread. So I'm at the point now where I think I need to be a bit more careful with my money so I came up with this great money saving idea that I want to share with all of you.....



So now my plan was really quite simple.....no more big bags of bread but instead I'd invite one family each day to come along to the bakery and pick out their own little treats.....



I'm trying to figure out here, how to relay to you, how grateful this family was for their invitation. It was nothing short of amazing to see the instant joy that these kids displayed when they entered the bakery. Honestly (and I do mean honestly) you would have thought it was Disney World. First I noticed little jumps of joy, then they pushed each other so lovingly, and last I saw the children hugging one another.....I handed the cashier a $20 bill and when she handed me the change there was just no way that I could keep it. I handed it over to the mother, maybe $15 was left.....if you could only have seen their faces.....what a beautiful family they are and the children so well behaved.....



With $5 left in my pocket now, my right hand man and I headed to the park to grab a quick sandwich before I crossed the border once again. And yes, I gave him my change from our sandwich purchase too, so my money saving plan actually cost me an extra $5.....



No doubt someone (or something) was watching me saying don't get cheap buddy.....

 

[ITTOG]

Once again Jerry thanks for the information and all that you are doing for these families. I am sure you are an angel and a blessing to all of them. You have a huge heart.

I know you want to remain anonymous so I wonder if sending you a wire or making a donation to a local salvation army or other charity could then pass the funds to you as reimbursement and for additional food and supplies. I have never processed a wire so it may not be as anonymous as I am thinking. maybe if there is a large grocery store chain nearby we could send money through them?

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[OverlandNA]

Would this work for you Jerry? Gift card We would just need an email address to send it to you.

 

[Bhodie]

Jerry.. would it be a possibility to open a paypal account? People could send money vis “friends and family” which has no fees associated and the money would be deposited straight into your account.. when you move along, no obligations, just let the group know and people can “stop gifting” or they can continue to drop in a few bucks now and then to help your beautification efforts where you travel. Just a thought, and no obligations on either end.. straight human to human exchange ?

Best..

 

[Bhodie]

PS. Happy 500! Keep doing what makes you happy..

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

ITTOG.....I too have no idea how to transfer money as I've never been in this situation before. To even complicate things more, I have no idea how much longer I will stay. Everyday I think that I'll leave the next day, yet I am still here. The sad truth about all of this is that there's really not what I would call a good day or way to leave, yet I can't stay forever, nor much longer. I'm nothing more than an extremely small bandaid on a massive wound along our southern border. I do appreciate your support greatly.....

OverlandNA.....it's actually Walmart that another XP member tried using to send me money and they ran into some problems with whatever they were doing without having my name. They ultimately had the Walmart manager at a store close by their home coordinate the future delivery of a gift card to the manager (George) of the Walmart here. The two things for me that are important is to stay anonymous and to have the freedom to leave when I feel the need to go.....

**Conversation at Walmart Money Center last night**

Me....."Someone on the internet is trying to give me money using a Walmart ap".

Walmart....."Sir no one will give you money".

Me....."Oh no, this is from a blog that I have online. I've been giving money to the migrants across the border".

Walmart....."No that's not real".

Me....."No, you dont understand. The blog is mine. See here where I can click on the ap ?".

Walmart....."No I've never seen that. It's a scam".

Me....."No they're trying to give me money".

Walmart....."Be careful sir".

Me....."Oh OK thank you".


Bhodie.....I'm not sure about PayPal. I once had an account but I deleted it. I'll have a look.....And thank you on the 500th !



The following morning was like most mornings.....it's as if my life has become routine.....and that's really quite odd since my nonroutine life was something that I valued quite highly. But then I guess that's very little to give up when you see the faces of the people you've been helping.....

I opened my refrigerator in the morning and I noticed still two packages of hot dogs from the Walmart manager so reluctantly I found myself preparing more food. I packed my bags with the hot dogs (these are not well liked.....thankful they're all gone), bags of candy, sidewalk chalk, more diapers, toothpaste and toothbrushes, and of course more crayons (today I heard that every child had a box now.....I'd swear that every child has 5 boxes minimum), and instant soup (they will kill me for the soup.....they absolutely love it.....even the kids that are barely old enough to walk will yank on my pants leg for that soup).....



I love this next picture.....the cutest little girl you'll set your eyes on with chalk in hand.....her brother also with chalk in one hand and candy in the other.....and an animal solar light lying in the sunlight getting primed for another night under the tarps.....



I stuck with my plan to invite one family to the bakery to get whatever they wanted......





Now don't ever question these peoples intelligence nor their ability to network with one another. Two of these boys from other families just kind of latched onto us as we departed for the bakery. I thought it so resourceful of them.....how could I possibly say no go back.....



So today we dropped another $20 at the bakery but honestly I don't really care.....



Four families got their treats for the day.....and I think you all know by now that I got way more.....

Afterwards it was back to the park with my right hand man to eat some Mexican burritos. I should say here and now that he has been so instrumental in making this entire exercise such a success.....I doubt I'll ever forget that young man.....



The tables were all full so we shared a table and had lunch with this guy.....he was as hospitable a man as you could ever wish him to be.....short on words but no doubt born with a smile.....



As we ate we noticed this poor family sitting on a bench nearby so we grabbed them burritos and Cokes as well.....the needs here are so great.....



The dogs and I finished our day walking along the border wall as has become our daily routine. With temperatures finally rising into the 70's Tanner decided to jump into this dirty, stinky canal. It turned out to be near fatal as the walls were so steep and slimy he couldn't get himself out. I was bent over as best as I could trying to grab his collar to yank him out when I heard a splash and then saw Yukon swimming by.....and my thoughts were right then "damn you dogs".....eventually I rescued the stinking mutts.....



And lastly, today I found out that the migrants have another nickname for me.....they also call me "the white guy that speaks English".....I had at the very least wished it could have been "the white guy that speaks lousy Spanish".....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

One day I was having a conversation with some of the migrants and it went kind of like this.....I was telling them how I travel all over America and that I sleep in lots of Walmart parking lots and at most of the Walmarts that I stay at (or shop at) that there's usually people at every exit / entrance with cardboard signs asking (begging) for money. And I asked how come you people don't do this with all this traffic passing by all day long.....

The answer I got took me back just a bit......I wasn't quite prepared for the words that I would hear. One man spoke up and he said we aren't beggars.....we accept your help because we are needy now and you're a kind man. But we want to work and we want jobs and we want to feed our families, and we want to be safe.....

I learn and I learn and I learn.....

I give and I give and I give.....

And I smile a lot.....

I'm constantly trying to think outside of the box and I try to put myself into their shoes so when I saw the sunglasses in the dollar store a few days ago it made me stop and think.....and so I left the store with a bunch and it turned out to be such a huge hit that I've got plans to get plenty more.....

















In my last post I mentioned the intelligence of these people and their ability to network with one another. In the next two pictures you see several of the kids that have been working to get into my "inner circle" so to speak. There's no doubt in my mind that my right hand man has shared the good news of being one of my helpers. It seems as though I'm building a small team.....

In the first picture you see them helping to hand out the food.....



In the second picture you see them at the bakery cause that's where my "inner circle" always goes after all the food has been distributed.....



You've got to love them.....

 

[longhorn1]

 

[wolfgang92025]

Your stories sure are a lot different story than what you get from the us government.
Help up the good work.
And please keep posting.

 

[PKDreamers]

And lastly, today I found out that the migrants have another nickname for me.....they also call me "the white guy that speaks English".....I had at the very least wished it could have been "the white guy that speaks lousy Spanish".....

Mate that is gold lol.
You are doing a great job mate.
I hope more people help out these people.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

JD.....thanks.....

wolfgang.....I've also noticed that what I'm hearing and seeing here at the border wall is not what I'm hearing and seeing from the U.S. government. And isn't that really a bit scary ? I was having my coffee one morning a few days back and was listening to a politician from up north on the radio that said he was just here to see this crisis firsthand and he stated that he actually saw the crime and that he saw the fear in the faces of the residents. He was adamant that a huge wall was needed and that there is a definitely a National Emergency. Last night I walked the dogs near the border wall, pretty much pitch dark out, stopped to watch a kids soccer game (under the lights of course).....I wasn't scared.....and I don't recall seeing anyone that appeared to be scared either. I saw no crime.....as a matter of fact after one month here I've yet to see any crime. I have no skin in this border wall / National Emergency thing.....I just write what I see and experience. Thanks for your comments.....support is huge.....

PKDreamers.....regarding more people helping, I've been in contact with another member of XP and he will be here on Saturday to help me out . He's loading his car with donations, leaving his home on Friday after work and plans to be here early Saturday morning. Hopefully he will post up here as to what he sees and feels. "Mate that is gold" is gold as well. I'm guessing you're not from around here. Thanks for posting.....I love the support and encouragement.....



Often when I'm out and about in San Luis Rio Colorado with my right hand man, residents will ask him what we are doing. And the one thing I hear over and over is him telling them that he lives on "la linea" (the line). It seems to flow from his mouth so naturally, as if a wealthy New Yorker might say I live in the Hamptons. So I guess you could say that I've spent the past month walking the line. God only knows how many times I've walked up and down that line. On a guess I'd say that on each visit I'll stroll up and down the line ten times, maybe less, maybe more. So after nearly eight years of "My Journeys" I've decided to make a change.....it's a reminder to me of how fortunate I've been in life, but more importantly a reminder to me of the people who are not so fortunate.....Walking the Line.....

 

[Ace Brown]

Jerry there’s your theme song: Johny Cash’s “I Walk the Line”.


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