We left Al Otro Lado Border Rights project yesterday. It was nearly a week, though it felt like a month, intense and exhausting. We welcomed asylum seekers into AOL  where they found legal consultations and medical care, and we provided play time for all children with them, and some food, mostly peanut butter sandwiches.  I was stationed at the front door welcoming the very people who are abstractions in the daily news reports, and here were the real people, who came through arduous journeys, who experienced inhumane treatment and humiliation, these were the people that I welcomed at the door.  In the afternoon, I was assigned playtime, more about that soon, and sandwich making, and shopping for bread, and whatever else was needed.  I was not part of the intake process, as were my travel companions Allison and Kris, My Spanish is limited, though enough to welcome and register newcomers, and so I was not privy first hand to the heart wrenching stories. I heard about many later at the end of each day.  Rather, I greeted tired hopeful people carrying their stories forward hoping for asylum.  Certainly not all would be "qualified” and many were given that straightforward sad news.  Each day was filled with real lows, and real highs as well.  More later, if I can wrap my head around writing my blog after a day or two of R&R in San Diego.