Morning rush following the beautiful sun rise on the second day of our service trip, we embraced what the day had in store for us. Today, John and Sharon, Gannon alumni, led us to a tour of the Nogales border patrol station, about an hour away. We explored the city of Tucson a bit more and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

We started the day with a quick prayer, inviting God in our daily plans and asking for his guidance and protection. As we arrived at the border patrol station, we spent the morning touring and learning about the service of border patrol officers and the struggles faced by people crossing illegally. After seeing the officers’ patrol horses—who were so friendly! —and walking the station grounds, we got to see the wall that was built during the trump administration. We gained a new perspective on how migration affects communities and saw firsthand how officers balance their duties and a call to protect human lives.

For a quick lunch, we stopped at the Tumacácori Mission, enjoying the sunshine and fresh breeze. From there, we walked across the road to a spice shop which had a cactus candy (an interesting item to buy here indeed) and free samples of hot sauce to try.

On our way back from lunch, we stopped at the Tubac A plaza, where art and history meet. We visited different local gift shops which had many beautiful items. All the souvenirs were too pretty and had significant historical meanings! We also tried iconic gelato flavors including Blueberry Lavender (our favorite) and Vanilla Mocha.

We ended our day at the San Xavier Mission where we did some semi-hiking while enjoying the long-lasting sunshine.

For dinner, we planned on keeping it simple, grilling burgers at the air B&B. We quickly realized that the house came with a grill but supplied no propane, so we sent Dr. Iwanenko to the Circle K down the street to buy some. After the delicious meal, we had a reflection activity and shared the takeaways from the learning experiences we had for the day. Be sure to check in tomorrow for more adventures.

By: Carine Munezero and Genevieve Preston

The Boder Patrol Station at Nogales