Luis Alberto Moreira, 42, went to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for assist when he first arrived within the US from Ecuador and returned to assist others.
Paul Martinka
Migrants who've been within the US for just a few months returned the generosity they got upon coming into the nation by serving meals Tuesday at a Brooklyn church to new arrivals searching for asylum.
“I didn’t wish to simply come and take. I needed to provide again,” mentioned Michael Corros, a father who fled Venezuela along with his younger household and arrived in New York two months in the past. “It makes me really feel human. I'm doing one thing for the assistance I get.”
Corros, 26, and his companion Georgina Paredes, 24, got here to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge to assist hand out scorching meals and to get garments for his or her two daughters, ages 5 and three.
The household spent three months strolling by way of Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico to get to the US after their house was destroyed by floods.
“Our home collapsed due to the floods and the economic system was dangerous,” Corros mentioned in Spanish. “We needed to transfer out of the home, the nation… search for a greater future for our youngsters.”
Paredes added that they made certain to show their daughters, Keyle and Kata, to say “thanks” since they crossed the border.
“We don’t take this without any consideration,” she mentioned as they left with baggage of garments and toys for the women. “We're coming again on Sunday!”
Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz, who has been the pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for the previous 4 years, mentioned the parish serves a useful resource middle for between 50 to 100 migrants from all 5 boroughs day by day.
New arrivals additionally come to Good Shepherd when they're unable to discover a place to remain immediately and sleep on the church.
“You've got folks being displaced and on the highway for months… they want a secure place. They arrive to a church,” Ruiz, 52, mentioned. “It provides them a way of household and group and a spot to worship of their language.”
The church gives scorching meals, take-home meals, garments, toys, toiletries and different requirements to the asylum seekers.
The reverend, who's initially from Mexico, mentioned the migrants come from many various nations in Latin America with a view to work and enhance their lives and their youngsters’s lives. Many come from Venezuela.
“They wish to assist themselves however additionally they wish to assist others,” Ruiz mentioned. “They're grateful for what's being carried out for them so that they wish to serve and provides again to the group.”
When Luis Alberto Moreira, 42, arrived in New York along with his spouse and son from Ecuador two months in the past, they got here to Good Shepherd for assist.
“After I first got here right here, I got here to the church and the priest helped me out,” he mentioned in Spanish. “He gave me and my household garments and meals.”
Moreira was handing meals out to different newly arrived migrants and group members on the Bay Ridge church Tuesday.
“I needed to provide again. I come 4 occasions per 30 days to volunteer,” he mentioned, including that it makes him really feel good.
One other household — who're nonetheless working to get on their ft themselves after arriving within the US from Peru simply over two weeks in the past — volunteered their time and cooking.
Jacky Rivera, 52, cooked stewed hen and rice and served it to different migrants whereas her husband Tulio Asmad, 50, helped unload provides from a truck and their 27-year-old son organized bookshelves within the church.
Asmad mentioned he heard about what Good Shepherd was doing from a good friend and determined to return out to assist and get away from the tiny Manhattan lodge room the place they're staying.
“I like to prepare dinner. I noticed the necessity and I jumped into motion,” Rivera mentioned in Spanish. “That is like reciprocity. I'm grateful for the chance to return right here with my household… and one of the simplest ways to provide again is to be of service.”
Moreira, the Ecuadorian migrant, mentioned he plans to volunteer his time as a lot as bodily potential.
“I'll proceed to return every time I can. If not right here, I can be within the Bronx, Queens,” he mentioned, giving a thumbs up. “I can always remember the assistance I get. I do know God will bless me within the course of.”
Post a Comment