Friends Across Borders Summer 2026
In mid-August, a small group from St. Andrew’s (Suzanne Graun along with Karin and Scott Fiore) traveled to the Douglas/Agua Prieta border to attend the second annual “Friends Across Borders” event organized by our mission partner, Frontera de Cristo, alongside other local organizations. The gathering brings people from both sides of the U.S./Mexico border together to celebrate friendship. Our hosts, Pastor Mark Adams, his wife Miriam, and the dedicated Frontera de Cristo staff, organized a truly meaningful weekend.
Frontera de Cristo kept us fully engaged from the time we arrived on Friday until we left 48 hours later.
Upon arriving in Douglas, our group grew to include Pastor Mauricio and Karen from a church in Mazatlán. Pastor Mark kicked off the gathering with a discussion on “What Borders Mean to Me/Us,” followed by biblical reflection right at the border wall. We were clearly the only group granted special permission to be there and the heavy restrictions on the U.S. side were immediately clear: the metal wall posts were newly topped with sharp concertina wire, and an array of surveillance equipment combined with a vehicle barrier kept the border access road closed to almost everyone except Border Patrol traffic.
Douglas Pres. Church
For lunch, we gathered at First Presbyterian Church with Pastors Joca and Peggy. Although their sanctuary remains damaged from a 2023 arson, the congregation has successfully renovated its fellowship hall to accommodate both community meals and worship services.
Douglas Pres. Church
The renovation was made possible with the financial support of countless individuals and organizations, including St. Andrew’s. We can see that God is continuing to walk with them through this difficult time, filling them with hope and providing needed support.
Additional highlights in Douglas included a stop at a local hilltop overlooking the border, where Pastor Mark provided valuable insight into the region’s migration history, along with visits to the historic Gadsden Hotel and the iconic Last Supper Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of Last Supper memorabilia.
To conclude the day, our group opted to walk across the border with our bags for dinner and lodging in Agua Prieta instead of waiting in a long line to enter. It was not lost on us that many migrants travel with only a single bag containing all of their possessions.
Agua Prieta
On Saturday, the Friends Across Borders event kicked off with a binational 5K run along the border. Runners on both sides eventually came together on the Agua Prieta side for breakfast and fellowship. This was followed by a yoga session along a serene stretch of the border wall, where the community of Agua Prieta has added artwork, trees, and a sidewalk, transforming it into a welcoming space. Afterwards, we visited CAME, a shelter for migrants, to listen to four speakers share unique perspectives on migration and border life.
Cafe Justo Y Mas
We later enjoyed lunch with Rosalinda and Triny at the Women’s Cooperative & Community Garden, then headed to Café Justo y Más to learn about their fair-trade co-op and take a peek at their roasting room.
Community Celebration
After resting, we spent the evening back at the linear park along the border for a community celebration, complete with tamales from four different regions of Mexico, live music, dancing, painting projects, art exhibitions, a raffle, and lively conversation among neighbors. We all agreed that Miriam makes the best chicken mole tamales!
Agua Prieta
Our weekend concluded Sunday morning with a lovely breakfast at Mark and Miriam’s home in Agua Prieta, a prayerful walk past many beautiful murals along the border wall, and worship at Lirio de los Valles (Lily of the Valley) Presbyterian Church. Pastor Mark’s sermon focused on how Jesus routinely crosses human-imposed divides to reach us, seeing all people as His beloved children. The sermon recalled how in Mark 7:24-30 Jesus crossed the sea into non-Jewish territory and extended healing and grace to a gentile woman and her child. He reminded us that we must not let human walls keep us from loving one another and spreading God’s word.
It was a great message to take back with us across the border as we returned home to Tucson.
Cafe Justo Y Mas
The collaboration among so many organizations was inspiring: from Frontera de Cristo, CAME, and Café Justo to a local running club and yoga teacher, AZ Border Alliance, the Women’s Cooperative, local churches, and countless community volunteers. A memorable statement that truly embodied the weekend was: “There may be a wall here that makes it hard for humans to cross, but the clouds and the birds in the sky cross freely as God intends.” The event allowed us to reflect on what borders mean to us and experience the region from both sides in a profound way. We are deeply grateful for the hospitality extended to us and blessed by all that was shared. We highly recommend experiencing Friends Across Borders—it is a truly unique event.