Welcome, M! He estado practicando mi español—I’ve been practicing my Spanish—as we get ready to welcome our new guests to the WUU campus.
You’ve probably heard already, but let me share the good news again: WUU’s Journey to Asylum project is proud to be sponsoring a family from Michoacán, Mexico as they move through the process of seeking legal asylum. M and her children will be arriving on campus and moving into the Parker House this week.
You may have heard of congregations like the First UU Church of Richmond who are providing sanctuary—sheltering families from deportation. What we’re doing is a little different. M and her children are in the United States legally and will be for as long as it takes for their asylum claim to be adjudicated. In partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s (UUSC) Congregational Accompaniment Project for Asylum Seekers (CAPAS), WUU will be serving as their sponsor in this process, providing a home for them (that’s Parker House) and assisting with all their needs—financial, legal, etc.—as we accompany them along their journey. To learn more about the project, click here.
Let me take a moment to thank the Journey to Asylum team, who have moved mountains to make this happen: Jonathan Arries, Kim Barbarji, Helen Hansen, Sue Peterson, and Jessica Sapalio. They’ve already begun to get to know M, even as they have worked in the background to line up funding, secure pro bono legal aid, and fix up the Parker House. On that note, huge thanks to all the volunteers who have donated household goods, financial contributions, and countless hours of sweat equity to make Parker House a beautiful, safe, and welcoming home for M and her children.
In particular we celebrate the Parker House team: Lola and Dave Warren, Ruth and David Hopkinson, Les Solomon, Mohamad and Zach Barbarji, Jim Hall, Susan Fournier, Barbara Chowning, Jessica O’Brien, Rachel Trichler, Rio Riofrio and Paulina Carrion, Norah Peterson, BethAnne and Sean Klaver, Chris Llewellyn, Kirk Starr, Sherry Sapalio, Ariel BenYishay, and the BenYishay-Sapalio children.
We also have volunteers helping to prepare a garden plot for them to tend and enjoy. And did you hear—the family of Larry Ventis, beloved WUU member who died recently, has donated his living room and bedroom furniture to Parker House. It touched my heart so much to hear that—what a beautiful example of the generosity that lives and breathes in this congregation.
Many of you may be wondering how and when you can meet M and her children. Our Journey to Asylum team will be in conversation with M to learn more about what would feel most supportive to her and the children. We’ll be guided by her wishes. In the meantime, you are most welcome to share a card or welcoming note for the family. We’ll be happy to pass them on for you; a bin labeled “Welcome Letters” will be placed on the bench by the WUU front door and you can leave them there.
And right about now, you might be asking, how can I help? Here are the top needs identified by the Journey to Asylum team right now:
- Donate to the project by participating in our Virtual Housewarming or simply donating whatever you can afford. Your financial contributions are vital, as M is not legally permitted to work, and we have pledged to cover 100% of their basic needs.
- Volunteer by completing the Volunteer Interest Form.
- Take action to support other asylum seekers: The Trump administration has just proposed new extremely onerous regulations that would effectively end the ability for anyone to receive asylum in this country. Your voice is needed to oppose these immoral and cruel rule changes. They have shortened the typical 60 day comment period to 30 days, so your comments must be submitted by July 15, 2020. Click here for more information and a link to submit a public comment.
Thank you so much for your support of M and her family. It means the world. Muchas gracias por su apoyo a M y su familia. Significa mucho.
With love y con amor,
Rev. Laura