Mariachi San Pablo’s visit to the El Paso Immigration Detention Center on the Saturday before Christmas was a moment of profound beauty. The barracks area, usually filled with the sounds of people walking, talking, or playing basketball, was strikingly quiet that day. Often, someone might be tapping out rhythms on a djembe drum, but not on this day. The silence was almost tangible, filled with an air of anticipation for something amazing to take place. Against the crisp blue sky and the squared-off buildings, the gated spaces seemed to hold a promise of something touching about to unfold.
Mariachi San Pablo, part of Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care’s (YLM) Adelante Ministries, set up inside the mess hall, tuning their instruments while the group’s director coordinated with Vicar Alex Escarciga, who would lead the service and share the Christmas message. Their quiet preparations added to the sense of expectancy that filled the air as the lead guard radioed to invitation to the separate male units.
Soon, the men began arriving—first in small groups of five or ten, then more and more until over eighty had gathered. The large room, typically used for meals, filled with men seated according to the color of their uniforms—a visual sea of blue, orange, and red separated, with faces full of expectation as they observed the musicians before them.
The moment Mariachi San Pablo began to play, the quiet tension in the room transformed. Excitement lit up the faces of those gathered, and the music seemed to bridge a gap between hearts. Throughout the 45-minute service, their engagement was undeniable. They sang along with gusto, clapped enthusiastically, and some attempted to hide their tears when Mariachi San Pablo played “Silent Night.”
For the women’s service, with over 100 attending, the excitement was palpable from the moment they entered the mess hall. They greeted the Lutheran Prison Ministry team members accompanying the mariachi, their smiles bright as they clapped along to the songs. For one particular song, a favorite of theirs, the women ended up drowning out the mariachi’s singer, their voices joyful.
In that space, amidst the echoes of song and the shimmer of shared emotions, barriers seemed to fade into a deeply moving experience. The music wasn’t just a performance; it was a gift—a reminder of hope, belonging, and the enduring love of God, found in His Son, Jesus Christ.
