wfn.org | Walk with Family

[BethAH <BethAH@mbm.org>]

June 20, 2001
Beth Hawn
Mennonite Board of Missions
(219) 294-7523
<NEWS@MBM.org>

June 20, 2001

MBM staff member walks with family of executed man

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (MBM)  When Juan Raul Garza on June 19 became
the second man to be executed by the U.S. federal government
since 1963, a Mennonite Board of Missions staff member was
present to comfort Garzas family members.

Dale Bauman, a consultant for MBMs department of Evangelism and
Church Development, flew to southern Indiana to act as a pastor
for the family of Juan Raul Garza, who was executed by the U.S.
government at 7:09 a.m. Tuesday, June 19.

Bauman has worked closely with Garzas in-laws for two years.
Conrado and Esther Hinojosa minister along the Texas-Mexico
border, where Conrado oversees 16 churches in the Unidad
Cristiana Iglesias Menonita district.  Conrado is an MBM urban
ministry director and serves as pastor of the Good News Mennonite
Church in San Juan, Texas.

Elizabeth Garza, Hinojosas daughter and Juans former wife, was
already in Terre Haute, Ind., when Bauman arrived Sunday evening,
June 17.  I was feeling hopeless, Bauman said.  I was
wondering, What can I do or be in this instance?  How can I
bring the presence of Jesus into this situation?  It feels good
to work for an organization that cares, though.  I was happy to
be MBMs representative and to be able to show Juans family that
the Mennonite Church is walking with them.

Bauman had made arrangements for Garzas family and the Hinojosas
near the federal penitentiary.  Although the Garza couple
divorced in 1995 because of legal concerns, Elizabeth supported
Juan with daily phone calls and periodic visits.  I do it
because I love him and because he is the father of our children,
she said.

Garza, 44, was convicted in August 1993 in Brownsville, Texas,
for killing one man and ordering two other murders during his
involvement as the leader of a ring of South Texas drug smugglers
who imported tons of marijuana into the United States between
1983 and 1993. Garza, an American citizen, admitted to the
killings.  During his incarceration, Garza became a Christian,
and repeatedly expressed remorse for his actions.

When Bauman asked Elizabeth how he could best be of service, she
suggested that he divert the children.  Bauman wasnt a stranger
to Juan Jr., 12, and Lizann (Elizabeth), 10.  They had met during
Baumans visits to Texas.  Also with them was a 6-year-old
relative, Alejandro.

The foursome went to a restaurant, then spent the rest of the
evening and Monday in malls and watching a comedy movie.  They
are wonderful, vibrant kids and I just wanted to help them kick
back and relax, Bauman said.  The day before they had gone
through the trauma of being interviewed by the TV networks.

The Hinojosas began their northward journey at 2:30 p.m. Sunday,
after Esther finished preaching a Fathers Day message.  The
24-hour trip took them 26 hours.  Exhaustion obliged the couple
to pull into a gas station to sleep for two hours early Monday
morning.

Two of Esthers brothers, David and Sam Tijerina, and another
Hinojosa daughter traveled from Archbold, Ohio.  David is the
pastor at Good Shepherd Mennonite Church in Archbold.

At about 9 p.m. Monday, Garzas lawyer announced that all appeals
had failed and the execution would take place the following
morning.

Unlike the McVeigh execution, which took place eight days
earlier, Garzas cause has been taken up by human rights groups
in the United States and abroad.  Originally scheduled for August
2000, the Garza execution was postponed twice by former President
Clinton after Justice Department studies showed significant
racial disparities in the federal death penalty system.

On Monday, however, the Supreme Court rejected without comment
two appeals from Garzas lawyers.  A petition for clemency to
President Bush also was denied.

Since Garza requested that his family not witness his execution,
Bauman took the Hinojosas and their Archbold relatives out to
breakfast on Tuesday morning.  The children slept in and
Elizabeth was at a nearby Catholic center, St. Marys of the
Woods, with Garzas daughter from his first marriage.

The Sisters of Providence, who administer the center, helped to
lead Garza to faith while he was in prison.  A priest met with
Garza shortly before the lethal injection was administered.
Afterward the priest reported to Elizabeth that Garza again
expressed remorse for the lives he had taken and that he was
ready to die.

The priests message that Juan Sr. had died peacefully comforted
Elizabeth and the rest of the family, Bauman said.  Conrado and
Esther told me that they had seen a change in Juans life since
he began walking with Jesus.

Before piling into their rented van to begin the trek back to
Texas, Elizabeth Garza and her parents thanked Bauman profusely
for being their pastor.  They asked him to convey their gratitude
to MBM and the broader Mennonite Church for the support they felt
during Garzas imprisonment and execution.

We are at peace because of so many prayers on our behalf,
Esther said.  Our tiredness is gone, and we have strength to go
on.

The funeral, scheduled for June 21 in Brownsville [Texas], is
where reality of what has happened will occur, Bauman said.
The family has been through the execution process three times
before.  They were all expecting a stay this time as well.

Bauman continued, his voice breaking with passion, Weve got to
find some way of stopping this madness.  When I was with the
kids, the words of Jesus kept ringing in my head, Forgive each
other 70 times seven.  As a church, weve got to wake up.  This
is not a way to bring peace.  This is not a way to bring justice


As a church, we have to provide options   We have to break the
cycle of violence for Lizann and Juan Jr.s sake.

Other Mennonite involvement with Garzas case has taken various
forms.  First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis provided support
to Garzas family during a previously slated execution date in
August 2000 through Indiana Citizens to Abolish Capital
Punishment.  Michelle Hershberger, a Hesston (Kan.) College Bible
professor, faxed more than 200 signatures and 33 pages of letters
to Washington Monday morning, calling on President Bush to spare
Garzas life.

* * *

MBM staff