It has been so long since I wrote on here that I know nothing about how it works.  And, as far as I can tell, everything that makes it simpler actually makes it more complicated and less user friendly for older people like me.  

For some perhaps obscure reason and most likely fully transparent reason, I agreed to return to part-time employment shortly before my 80th Birthday.  Now I know to many 80 is still young, but to me it seems to be a very significant mile stone.  For one thing, it is the decade in which I have a very good chance of dying.  The Social Security Actuarial Tables give me 9.83 years.  And I assume they know something of which they speak.  Now that all sounds morbid, but it is also very motivating!  If there is something I want to do I need to get off my duff and get it done.  

I have tried the Swedish Death Cleaning, have not gotten too far on it, will leave a mess for my kids to clean up after me, but I am sure they will have no trouble throwing out the pieces of paper that have become so valuable to me simply by reason of their having survived earlier purges.  And the things I can not throw away because they were in my parent's or grandparent's houses--they will offer them up on e-bay and when that fails put them in the collection plate somewhere.  So that is all taken care of--which gets us to the really important questions.

How many dimensions are there, and which one do we go to when we die?  Do we just decompose into the few dollars worth of chemicals that make up our physical bodies and occupy some other corner of our three dimensions in a time that was not, is not, our own?  Or do we pass on into one of the other dimensions of String Theory or make a Quantum Leap into another time dimension of our same old three dimensions?  Or maybe become a part of a parallel universe in a different time dimension?

If you know how to redirect my questions into something meaningful, or know the meaning hidden in them as expressed, please let me know.  There is not a enough time left to formulate a 10 year plan, and not a lot of time to get going on a final 5 year plan.  

Looking forward to hearing from someone.

Peace and blessings and please pray for peace in our hearts, in our homes, in our neighborhoods and in the world.

I am doing this because I did not use an email or anything and it sys post. 

Thoughts on NPR commentary by Colin Dwyer on Cruise Missile attack on Syria, April 6, 2017....

Thoughts on an NPR commentary by Colin Dwyer on Cruise Missile attack on Syria, April 6, 2017....

How is The Rest of the World Reacting to US Strike on Syria?
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/07/523001065/how-is-the-rest-of-the-world-reacting-to-the-u-s-strike-on-syria

If NPR did their homework and are not just trying to be sure their funds do not get cut....it would seem that we should be thinking about reinstating the draft and raising taxes--because this is just the beginning!!!

The world is behind our military strikes and for us to end the war in Syria that has been going on since 2011 that is 5 years going on 6 at the very least.

Experts, and experience, tells us that it is going to take a sizable ground force to bring "peace" or what looks like peace to Syria.  We have tried building up this one or that one of the militias in the area.  Russia tried building up the government military--but none of this has worked.

And we are not talking about 80 innocent civilians dying here.  We are talking about 400,000 and counting--lots of beautiful babies in there.  Dying from bombs, bullets, or chemicals is all dying and they did not all die instant peaceful deaths.  And that does not even count the ones with scars and disabilities that managed to survive.

And none of the above includes the problem of what to do with all of the displaced people to add to those displaced by the fighting and wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, can not even begin to name them all--but lets just concentrate on Syria for the moment--because when we send in enough troops and materials and backup to end that war, rebuild the country maybe they can just move over and "take care" of the other problems too.  And there will not be any displaced people any more and no refugee camps---- solves everything!!!  So, who wants to go for it?

I'm too old to sign up, and my kids are pretty much past their military prime, but I have 6 grandkids to put in the mix--two of them prime age, 2 more coming up fast.  With any luck we could be through the first stages before they need all of them.  Sure would hate to loose all my grandkids--but if it brings peace to the world--who am I to stop progress.

Anyone who knows me, knows I don't want that.  BUT, WHAT I DO WANT, is to know what is going on.  I hear with my ears one thing, but I see with my eyes something else.  Which do we heed?  The words we hear?  Or, the actions we see with our eyes?  And don't start telling me "Oh, we just don't know everything".  Of course we don't.  But we know plenty if we just don't try to hide from what we know.

So far, from what we all know, a civil war started in Syria at the time of the "Arab Spring".  From very early on, it took a different turn than the other "popular" uprisings.  Then different sides started backing various militias for different reasons.  Arms, money, ammunition poured into the area and prosperous, thriving cities are now rubble heaps of refugees hanging on by their finger tips.  How Damascus has fared, in general, as far as quality of life for the average person I do not know--but think they must have experienced some shortages and inconveniences but are still pretty much intact.

And the only thing that makes any sense out of this is that for some reason the "big powers" around the edges want this war to go on and on and on.  So everybody outside backs somebody in the ring, and when one side or another looks like it is getting an edge over on the others, someone sends in some reinforcement so the playing field gets evened again.  And, to show that we are really concerned about the humanitarian suffering, there are a few lines we draw in the sand--NO SARIN GAS!!!!!  We told you that already--now you will have to pay for that we are taking out a runway--oh, yeah, and to get rid of some of the glut in the world's oil supply, we will blow up a couple of fuel storage tanks.  So we will be there at X minus Y hours, so get your soldiers out of the way.  And they did.

Well no one is going to read this anyway so I will not go into the "new" rules of engagement--and I do not mean the ones that we say "Oh, Trump has changed the rules of engagement, he is not a pussy cat like Obama was!!!"  I mean, the overarching rules of engagement of modern day warfare--they are pretty obvious also--we know what they are, but sure do not want to discuss them because of some of the humanitarian implications.  We all know that it is only lip service when it suits the parties involved that we give to the Geneva Convention these days.  And that WE is a global WE.  But that is the subject of another rant.

Grace…

Amazing Grace… John Newton  

What’s So Amazing About Grace?...Philip Yancey

Indeed!  What is so amazing about grace?  Before I went to seminary, I thought the problem with the Lutheran Church was too much grace.  What we needed was a little more fire and brimstone—a little more hellfire would whip us all into shape—fill the pews AND the Sunday School classes and cure all that ails this tired old world.  All this talk about love and mercy and compassion was turning us into soft fuzzy feel good Christians and we had lost our edge and will for fighting the good fight and defeating evil in all of its forms out there in the world.

Oh, I know,  and I knew then too…

              For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing;

             it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

             For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

             which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.                                                                                                                                            Ephesians 2:8-10

But, why shouldn’t that way of life include a passage very near the end of Ephesians?

             Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the

             hole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of

             the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but

             against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this

             present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

             Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to

             withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

                                                                                 Ephesians 6:10-14

Oh, yes!  Onward Christian Soldiers—here we come.  Watch out world because we are marching as to war!!  I think I had visions more of Joan of Arc, D-Day, Eisenhower, Churchill, Roosevelt, F-100s and B-52s leading the way than I did the cross of Jesus going on before.  We had turned the Church into a bomb shelter or some kind of a USO dance.  The time for R&R was over, we needed to get into the fray.  Onward Christian Soldiers marching as to war—and don’t forget—the cross of Jesus going on before—we might need that for something.

I had read the rest of the passage…

          Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the

          breastplate of righteousness.  As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make

          you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of

          faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

         Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

                                                                                    Ephesians 6:15-17 

…mostly though I saw breastplate, shield—oh, yeah, we were going to need those where we were going.  And, flaming arrows, yeah we could use a few of those where we were going, you know to throw back at the evil one.  And, a helmet and a sword, yes, those looked like good ideas too.   Shoes for proclaiming peace?  I was not so sure about that.  Where I was going combat boots seemed more appropriate—so I kinda skipped over that part. 

I was armored up and ready to go and fight the good fight.  No more R&R or USO dances or hanging out in the bomb shelter for this girl.  Jonah had been spit out of the belly of the whale, Joan of Arc move over because there was a new kid on the block.  Grace, I knew all about grace.  But sometimes you just got to get out there and fight the good fight.

I thought I knew about grace, but maybe I did not really know Amazing Grace, the grace that saved a wretch like the mean, ugly, slave trading, fighting with everybody man called John Newton.  When I learned about the writer of that hymn, I agreed—it was pretty amazing that God’s grace could touch someone like him and give him a change of heart.  Yes, indeed, pretty amazing.

But you know, really, when you get right down to it, what’s so amazing about grace is that I do not have to fight the good fight—and neither do you.  The battle is already over.  Armageddon?  Jesus already fought that battle and the Lamb—the same one who was the only one worthy to open the Book of Life in John’s Revelation—the Lamb who was slain but lives has already claimed the victory

When I finally took off my combat boots, I discovered I was standing barefoot on holy ground and the bush was on fire with the glory of God and the bush is always on fire.  We just have to take off the combat boots to feel the holy ground and there’s that bush standing right there in front of us and the bush is never consumed.  When I did, I discovered that the rest of that armored I had been carrying around was truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the word of God.  I am still thinking about what I need on my feet to be able to proclaim the gospel of peace.  But I am trying out different shoes and one day I pray to have found it.

Peace and blessings

Sharon Wiggins, pastor at large

(Bible passages are NRSV)

"The time has come the Walrus said, to speak of many things..."

I'm not sure why the opening phrase from the Jabberwocky is so much in my head these days. As I recall, the Walrus was talking to the Oysters and the plan of the Walrus was to eat the unsuspecting Oysters.

But I recalled wrong, this is not the opening phrase of Jabberwocky. It is from the middle of a poem in Through the Looking Glass, which is also by Lewis Carroll. But, the gist of what was about to happen to the oysters—that I remembered. Makes me wonder, like in the Prego ads, “What other things do I recall wrong?”

            “The time has come.” The Walrus said, 

           “To talk of many things: of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—

            Of cabbages—and kings—

            And why the sea is boiling hot—

           And whether pigs have wings.”

To some this poem is a serious critique of either religion or politics in the guise of a silly children’s poem. To others, it is just that—a silly children’s poem. But, one that turns a little dark at least for the cute little oysters with their clean little shoes on their non-existent feet. And when Alice tries to make a moral distinction between the Walrus and the Carpenter , she ends up deciding, "Well! They are both very unpleasant characters."

If men and women of good-will and sound minds can have so many different opinions about the meaning of a simple little poem written to entertain children, is it any wonder that we might have differences of opinion when the time has come to speak on more serious topics?

Now, was that Prego or Ragu and was it memories that were wrong or poor decisions that might have been made? And does it matter? Probably not! At least not in the cosmic scheme of things or even in most living rooms across this great country, but to some it would be a matter of great importance.

But as the Walrus said, “The time has come.” The Walrus said, “To talk of many things: of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—Of cabbages—and kings—And why the sea is boiling hot—And whether pigs have wings.”

May we speak of many things, and think on many things, and hear many sides of many things. May we speak, think and hear with our minds, and our hearts as well as our eyes and our ears.

And, in the nature of our better angels,
     may our knowledge grow,
     may our insights deepen,
     may our wisdom mature,
as our compassion, sense of justice and mercy, and love of live for ourselves and all people overcomes the fear, anxiety and despair that clouds so many lives today. 

Pentecost Sunday--May 15, 2016

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of each and every heart be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!  Hallelujah!

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

Ever since 9/11/2001, when I read about the tower of Babel that fateful day when the twin towers of the World Trade Center fell comes to mind. 

Analogies are always limited and have their flaws.  As with any analogy, we could spend the rest of our time together or even the next three weeks—picking this analogy apart, finding similarities and differences, assigning blame, debating the best path forward, how to correct the damage and set everything right again. 

But for now, let’s just look at the broad picture—a structure that was a monument to human achievement, with tremendous promise for future development—the Tower of Babel fell and people were divided and could not communicate with each other—their opportunity, their ability to achieve greatness through working together, through cooperation and collaboration was lost.

Whether they mourned this loss or not we really do not know—that was not considered important in the telling of the story.  What is considered important is the limiting of their ability to achieve great things through working together.

“look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them”  The Lord saw the city and the tower and it fell and they were scattered and they left off building.

Now, when the twin towers of the World Trade Center fell, we know how people reacted—the whole world was stunned!!   Maybe not every individual reacted the same, but words of shock, dismay and condolence came to us from every nation in the world.   We watched as the scene was played and re-played on our TV’s and we were told over and over and over how nothing would ever be the same—that the world as we knew it had ended when those twin towers imploded in a cloud of dust. 

And in the 15 years since then we have seen our world change in ways we could never have imagined—to the point that it seems like we have been divided, or divided ourselves, into groups that are completely incapable of speaking to each other in even a civil or polite manner—we can forget about understanding anything the other group is trying to say—even when we are supposedly speaking the same language.

We had built better bricks and stronger mortar than the people back in Genesis could possible have dreamt about in their wildest dreams when they were working on their own tower of Babel.

All we have to do is look around us and we can see that we have really made some impressive progress since then.  Technology is advancing so fast today that incredible gadgets become obsolete before we even have a chance to buy them.

And remember when open heart surgery and state of the art by-pass techniques added years to your life but it took 6 months to recover from the surgery.  Now they add those same years with a roto-rooter and a couple of stints.  You are home in two days, or less, better than new in 3 or 4 days.  Knee replacement?  It can be day surgery.  And, if you can hold off a little while, it will take you longer to find a parking place than it does to have the heart surgery.

But, all of this, all of our accomplishments, no matter how fantastic, no matter how tall we can build that tower up to heaven, it has not united us with our brothers and sisters; and peace continues to elude us.

Do you realize that in just the few minutes we have been here this morning some of your phones have become hopelessly obsolete?

And forget about the roto-rooter and heart stints.  By this time next week they will probably be able to clone you a new heart.  The people who cloned the sheep, Dolly, a few years back—they have just come up with a new gene modification called CRISPR—and it is not actually gene modification, it is genome editing and makes gene modification look like Mendelsohn cross pollinating his sweet peas or Jacob with his sheep breeding program—tricking  his father in law, way back there in Exodus.  Will anything be impossible for them?  For us?

But, by this time next year, your phones will never become obsolete again.  Because we will all communicate through mental telepathy using a little implant at the base of the brain.   (Remember, you herd it first right here!) Think we will understand each other better than?  Get along better?  Or, will some things still be impossible for us?

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled  --and do not let them be afraid.

In the past I have told the story of how a rock throwing incident in Okinawa turned into a flower exchanging incident and Pastor Gary Goodson visited out on the porch of the Christian Center and told us about his time in Mosul and the day he saw the peace of God in the midst of unusually heavy casualties. When things had quieted down a little, Pastor Gary looked into the triage room and saw a visiting Jewish Rabbi beside the bed of a young, dying Iraqi girl.  The Rabbi was reading to her in Arabic from the Koran.

There are so many more stores like that we could share it might take us 3 months to tell them and by then the political arena would have really heated up and we might all be ready to join the Marines to find a little peace and quiet.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

On the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord, Jesus, washed his disciples’ feet, gave them the commandment to love one another, and he said to them:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.  This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  You know him, because he abides with you and he will be in you.”

When the Holy Spirit descended with a loud sound like the wind and rested on the heads of the disciples like tongues of fire, they spoke of God’s truth and love.  And, everyone understood.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!  Hallelujah!

It did not matter if they spoke Russian, or Spanish, or English, or French, or Swahili at home.  It did not matter if they spoke like people from New England or if they spoke like people from California.  They could understand what the disciples were saying.  They could understand the language of God’s truth and love.

Oh, there were some differences of opinion as to what was happening there that day of Pentecost.  Some people wanted to think the disciples were just drunk, that they did not know what they were saying.

And, even today, not everyone will want to hear when we speak the universal language of God’s truth, but that is not really our concern.  We just keep right on speaking it.

We will continue to have disagreements.  But remember, Luther told us to “sin boldly “  So, when the sin is loving your neighbor----HEY, eyes up there we’re not talking King David here,----- when the sin is loving your neighbor-- sin boldly and love the lord more boldly!

Differences of opinion, over goals or how to achieve goals we agree on will always come up and be potentially divisive.  That’s part of life.  Sometimes we may have to simply agree to disagree.

One Lutheran scholar suggest that disagreeing well has at least three Characteristics:  fairness, intellectual integrity and humility

.

1  Fairness—being able to state the position of the other person  clearly enough that that other person recognizes their own position.

2.  intellectual integrity.  –being able to state the strongest, most compelling argument against your own position.  In other words, recognizing and acknowledging your weakest points and where the other person makes valid points.  

3.  Honest humility.   acknowledging that, no matter how well thought out your position is and how strongly you believe it is correct, it could be wrong.

As has been said  in may places, We will make mistakes, we will offend, but when we have the humility to acknowledge our actions, there is growth. 

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou.

And we know where to look for that better way---and it is not in building a new and improved tower of babel!

In the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, God united us all into one people who can speak and can understand the universal language of his love.

In our baptism, we have been united into the body of our resurrected Lord.  When we feed of God’s love and join together at the table of Holy Communion, we are strengthen in our union—To speak God’s righteousness, God’s justice, God’s love:

Whatever language the world tries to teach us, --the language of philosophy and reason, the language of science and discovery, the language of self-interest and pleasure, the language of the market place, the language of power and fear.  Whatever language the world tries to teach us—we have in us the spirit of truth.

We have within us the capacity to speak the language of God’s truth.   ….to find a way to heal and not to hurt.  Even in a post 9/11 world.  Even in a time of war.  Even in a time of great political divides.

We have within us the power, the ability, to speak the universal language of God’s love.   …to lay down the stone before we throw it.  To comfort a dying child in the words her forefathers used to describe God.

After he had washed their feet, and before he left them, Jesus said to his disciples and that is us, Jesus said…

The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you

That better way, is ours---- for the listening.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you,

Bless the Lord, O my soul!  Hallelujah!

Let us pray, may the peace of God that passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Walls, Bridges and Lunches: When Lunch Becomes Something Else.

This year at the Assembly of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the ELCA, the Peace Not Walls Task Force decided to branch out beyond the usual display table and host a luncheon.  The display featured the wall between Israel and the West Bank as well as the wall along the Texas-Mexico border.  The theme was Tearing Down Walls and Building Bridges.  At the luncheon two people who had recently returned from serving with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel would say a few words and the Lutheran pastor from Eagle Pass would speak about his experiences.  The display was fine, but the luncheon did not turn out at all as envisioned.

PEACE NOT WALLS LUNCHEON AT SYNOD ASSEMBLY

            For centuries people have said, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”  The Peace Not Walls Task Force listened to this time honored advice and said, “We want to win hearts and minds, so, let’s have a lunch time presentation at Synod Assembly.”  We pictured a group of people around tables with white clothes enjoying wonderful food.  With their hearts won, their minds would be open to the important information we had to share.  We would win hearts and minds to the cause of justice in the Holy Land and along the Texas-Mexico border.

            But God had another plan and he works in mysterious ways his purpose to accomplish.  Instead of a serene lunch in the middle of a busy day at the Assembly, we got to experience what it is like for Palestinians going through Checkpoint 300 in Bethlehem to their jobs in Jerusalem.

Life at Bethlehem Check point 300 (aka Gilo Checkpoint)

            When I monitored Checkpoint 300, one could call the “Humanitarian Hotline” and a very polite Israeli soldier would say, “I will check on it.”  I called many times over the 3 months I was there and maybe something happened, maybe not.  It was very hard to tell.

            When the men were going to work and the first turnstile would not be opened on time, the line would grow, and tensions would rise.  Then suddenly men would be allowed to go through and they would run across the parking lot to the second turnstile.  Not so much to get ahead of anyone as to feel free for a moment until they were stopped at the metal detectors that were opened and closed for no apparent reason.  Frustration and anxiety would again mount as men looked at their watches and wondered, “Will I get through in time to work today?” 

            Most days they did, but it was not unusual for some men to have to return home because they did not get through in time to get to work.  By 3:30am there were already 200 men in the line—sitting and standing, leaning on the metal bars of the entrance ramp to be sure they did not miss work that day.  Some were sleeping, some were drinking coffee and tea from the vendor who walked up and down and passed the cups through the bars.  Each man had a small, black, plastic bag for his lunch and to put his belt and change in to go through the metal detectors.  Sometimes people waited patiently, sometimes impatiently; but, more than one person told me, “Everyday we die a little.”

Peace Not Walls Task Force Lunch Event

            At the restaurant, instead of the "Humanitarian Hotline", there was “the Manager”.  Getting us moved out of the sun and into the shade was easy (even at check points sometimes some thing is easy).  As time went by with no food, the calls to our “Humanitarian Hotline” were less successful and anxiety rose.

            Then suddenly, when it was too late to enjoy it, the food began arriving (in batches—like the men being allowed through the checkpoint)  Some got to eat, some got to gobble down a little and run, a few had to leave without food.

Reflection

            For us the frustration of realizing things were not going as we expected and having no control over it was mostly a temporary inconvenience or discomfort.  For some it was more urgent.  For a few it really didn’t matter.  But can you imagine everyday trying to get to work being like trying to get something to eat before it was too late to get back to the Assembly on time?  And wondering why you had been invited to this thing (to a lunch or to a job) and they did this to you?

            It is much more complicated for the Palestinian workers to get a work permit, than it was to RSVP a luncheon, but in either case once you have your invitation to eat or to work one expects smooth sailing.

            The PNW Task Force thanks you for attending our function and humbly apologizes for giving you an unexpected Check Point experience.  While the PNW Task Force has learned a lot and you can expect a more gracious and humane experience at any future events, the Palestinian workers at the Checkpoint do not have this assurance.

Let us pray for peace and justice in the Holy Land and in our communities, in our families and in our own hearts, that we may see more clearly what we can do to help.  In Jesus name we pray.  Amen.

Pastor Sharon Wiggins

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT:

 International Humanitarian Law and how it applies to Occupation go to:

            Diakonia-International Humanitarian Law

                   http://www.diakonia.se/sa/node.asp?node=827

            International Committee of the Red Cross

                   http://www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/other/what_is_ihl.pdf

Bethlehem Checkpoint and conditions go to:

            CBS 60 Minutes:  Christians in the Holy Land aired April 22, 2012 go to:

                                                                                                                        www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7406228n

                        Includes interviews with Pastor Mitri Rehab of Christmas Lutheran Church in

                        Bethlehem and the Israeli Ambassador to US.  Extremely valuable resource. 

             Two excellent youTube videos are: 

                        Daily life in Palestine; Checkpoint Bethlehem  and

                        Gilo Checkpoint-Bethlehem-Palestine.  

                        Checkpoint videos are found by searching “checkpoints in Palestine” on youTube.

Lutheran Ministries in Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras;

            A PBS Religion & Ethics Newsweekly transcript produced during the construction of

                        the wall in Eagle Pass:                                                                                                      

                    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1136/feature.html

            A Texas Monthly article from last August about youth and drugs in Eagle Pass: 

                    http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2011-08-01/letterfromeaglepass