You think you know the border. You're about to learn the truth. The U.S.–México border is more than a line on a map. It's a place of hardship and resilience, inequity and generosity, division and connection. In Hope on the Border , Gil Gillenwater draws on nearly four decades of firsthand experience to bring readers face-to-face with the realities of the world's most dangerous migrant corridor—and the hope that still thrives there. Through vivid storytelling and dramatic photography, Gillenwater reveals the heartache and humanity that define life on both sides of the border. His unflinching accounts expose the shared responsibilities of two nations, while his insights point to a deeper truth: Mexico's material poverty and America's spiritual poverty are intertwined. Readers will discover: Authentic border experiences free from partisan narratives and media distortion. - Stories and photography capturing resilience and humanity. - Insights into poverty on both sides of the border. - A blueprint for hope through reciprocal giving. - A challenge to reflect on personal responsibility. Hope on the Border won't just inform you—it will transform how you see division, compassion, and your own capacity for change. If you're willing to move beyond comfortable assumptions and discover what truly has the power to unite us, this book will be your guide. Join the movement. Start reading Hope on the Border today. $5 of each book's proceeds will support Rancho Feliz's life-changing work on the U.S.–México border. "Life on the border is raw... It bleeds," Gillenwater writes in this moving account of his work as president of the Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation, an organization intent on improving the lives of residents in Mexico's impoverished village of Agua Prieta—one of many refugee towns along the U.S.-Mexico border. Rancho Feliz believes neither in open borders nor welfare; instead, it encourages "reciprocal giving," a concept where those on each side of the transaction provide something as part of an exchange. Such a method aims to preserve dignity while promoting empowerment and mutual respect—basic human needs that form the foundation of Gillenwater's work. Hope on the Border is a stunning blueprint for lasting, meaningful change. To reinforce the poignancy of this transformative account, nearly every page explodes in color, bursting with photos that illustrate how improving living standards even in one small village can have far-reaching effects. Through vivid personal accounts of the families and individuals impacted by Rancho Feliz's work, Gillenwater shows the outcomes possible when the emphasis changes from enforcement to involvement: in one of the organization's programs, residents "earn" their homes with a rent-to-own agreement backed by fair lending practices, while other outreach methods include migrant search-and-rescue and connecting with deportees. "This is how we work to bring down the wall," Gillenwater writes. Gillenwater reflects on the policies that have shaped the border crisis, sharply calling out the U.S. culture of excess and privilege that contributes to "the desperation, challenges, humiliation, and lack of opportunity." He includes a touch of the spiritual as well, with his imagining of the Border Virgin—a bronze sculpture symbolizing Rancho Feliz's purpose. His scrutiny of America's "hunger for meaning" as a mirror to the material poverty in Mexican border towns is compelling. Ultimately, Gillenwater suggests that service to others is "the one form of social capital that never loses value in the marketplace of human happiness." -- Booklife Reviews " Your book Hope of the Border is beautiful and profound. You are lighting candles in a dark time along the border. " - Bruce Babbitt , United States Secretary of the Interior, 1993 - 2001, Governor of Arizona, 1978 - 1987, Attorney General of Arizona, 1975 - 1978 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In Hope on the Border , author Gil Gillenwater dismantles the misconceptions surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border with rare honesty and humanity. Drawing on nearly forty years of personal experience as founder and president of the Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation, Gillenwater offers a deeply moving exploration of what life is really like along the world's most perilous migrant corridor. The result is both a visual and emotional journey, one that enlightens as much as it inspires. This is not a book about politics; it's a book about people. Through gripping stories and stunning photography, Gillenwater captures the contradictions that define the border: suffering and joy, despair and resilience, inequity and generosity. He introduces the concept of "reciprocal giving," an approach to charity that rejects dependency and instead emphasizes empowerment and mutual respect. In the villages of Agua Prieta, where Rancho Feliz operates, residents "earn" their homes through fair rent-to-own programs and participate in community-driven initiatives that upl