When we hear about immigrants nowadays, we immediately jump to negative conclusions and stereotypes as Nicole stated in the previous post. But do we really understand the lengths and struggles these immigrants faced in order to reach this “land of opportunity”. The group of immigrants that takes the most risks is usually affiliated with Mexicans due to the close proximity of the country and land access. Many immigrants risk their lives and the lives of their families in hopes of rebuilding a new life that will make them happier, even if it means claiming the identity of “legally non-existent”.
What struck me the most in this chapter was the fact that the Guadalupan devotion of the Mexican immigrants grew stronger after relocating into the United States. Galvez pointed out that many of the immigrants were not as religiously devoted in their home country as they are in America, which I found to be really interesting. The author discusses the reasoning behind this phenomenon by explaining how the experience of migrating can be seen as a rite of passage and a conversion experience. Also, the reason that the faith resignified in the new country was due to the difference in the practice of devotion between the new environment and the original environment. It was striking to learn that Mexican teenagers understood after completing eighth grade, they are bound to began their journey northward. The fact that migration became a rite of passage allowed these teenagers to willingly sacrifice their own comfort, safety, and home for the future well being of their families and themselves. Just imagine being thirteen again and having to face the struggles of being smuggled into a new territory with fear constantly vibrating through your veins because you’re scared of being caught.
Because of the difficulties of the migration journey, when immigrants arrive safely in the new land, they appreciate Lady Guadalupe’s protection over them. Therefore, their Guadalupan faith becomes extremely strong as immigrants in America.
“Religion itself as a mode of community formation is novel for many immigrants. […] For the church in the United States to present itself as a site for devotion, social interaction, and political activism is astonishing to many immigrants.” (89)
