Friends,
The immigration crisis that involves people fleeing violence in Central America to find safety in the United States has reached the East Bay’s Presbyterian community.
Primera Iglesia Presbyteriana is a Spanish-Language Presbyterian congregation that worships on High Street in East Oakland. In recent months they have been joined by several Central American families in need of protection and, possibly, sanctuary. Primera Iglesia Presbyteriana is a small congregation operating on a serious shortage of funds. They need help providing care for the refugee families now worshiping with them, and they’ve reached out to several English Language churches for help, including ours.
Specifically, Primera Iglesia has asked us to enter into a covenantal relationship with the Ordoñez family–which consists of two parents, three children and a grandchild. I’ve met with the family and I’ve heard their story, and while I won’t go into details (it’s their story, after all and not mine), I will say this: I’ve been involved in working with refugees form Central America since the days when the Reagan Administration was funding the Nicaraguan Contras with ill-gotten funds. I’ve met hundreds of Central American refugees and I’ve heard dozens of stories, and this story was among the most horrific I’ve encountered. If anyone needs assistance and sanctuary, it is this family.
On Tuesday night the Session agreed to enter into a relationship with this family. We don’t yet know what that means for us–it may mean that we take up special offerings to help cover some of their legal bills; it may mean helping the family navigate and negotiate the Oakland Unified School district. Eventually, if things don’t go well with the family’s legal process, we may face the choice of extending an offer of sanctuary, but we hope that won’t be necessary.
Thankfully, this family’s case is before an immigration judge, and we hope the court will find in their favor, granting them asylum and, therefore, legal status in the United States. If that happens, our official relationship with the family will be short-lived, but I surely know our friendships with them will endure long.
Montclair Presbyterian Church has provided sanctuary for Central America Refugees in the past; during the Viet Nam war you guarded a conscientious objector. Now God is calling us to provide hospitality to a Honduran family in need. I am grateful to be part of a congregation so willing to care for God’s children.
God’s Peace,
Ben