Immigration + Refugee Ministries travels to Brownsville
This past week, Flor Saldivar, Director of Immigration + Refugee Ministries and Melanie Jakubisin, Immigration + Refugee Ministries Coordinator traveled to Brownsville to connect with the Rev. Rose Ann Felty from St. Paul's, Brownsville. The team learned more about St. Paul’s outstanding presence and ministry in the Brownsville community and discussed ways in which we might work together in the future. Thank you for a night of wonderful food and fellowship. We look forward to our next visit!
On day two of their trip to Brownsville, Immigration + Refugee Ministries connected with Andrea Rudnik and Kathy Harrington from Team Brownsville and Pastor Abraham from One Mission Ministries. After unloading boxes of donated hygiene supplies and Bibles from the diocesan van, we crossed into Mexico.Pastor Abraham and Team Brownsville work closely with “Albergue Temporal Pumarejo”, a temporary shelter for immigrants in Matamoros. Many staying there are stranded after their CBPOne appointments were canceled and are unable to return to their home country. As locals deeply involved in this work, Pastor Abraham and Team Brownsville guided Flor and Melanie through the shelter, sharing both its history and current needs.
While there, they witnessed a remarkable community effort: members of Pastor Abraham’s church, Elvira and Lourdes, served a homemade breakfast; Padre Flavio and the Jesuit community offered an optional Mass; the Mexican public health service IMMS provided flu vaccines; Doctors Without Borders and the International Rescue Committee offered medical care and support.
One moment that especially stayed with them was meeting a man who had gone blind due to two detached retinas. Thanks to the generosity and faithfulness of Pastor Abraham and his congregation, they raised the funds for him to have surgery. Team Brownsville also supported the gentleman by providing travel assistance. We were grateful for the opportunity to pray with him and ask that you join us in keeping him and his family in your prayers as he begins a long journey toward healing.
Our deep thanks to Team Brownsville and Pastor Abraham for sharing their time, space, and stories with us. Please keep them in your prayers and visit their pages for more information about how to support them. The work they are doing is vital, faithful, and rooted in love.
