Charities help immigrants at the Texas-Mexico border

[goldent]

A great testament to what Churches can do:

At a makeshift shelter in the parish hall of Sacred Heart Church an army of volunteers helps weary Central Americans just released by the Border Patrol.

"In some miraculous way everybody has reached out and helped," said Sister Norma Pimentel, director of Catholic Charities in the Rio Grande Valley.

Catholic Charities is leading the humanitarian effort with aid from others as communities and charities try to respond to the mass migration from Central America.

Catholic Charities get some government funding, but have the advantage of being able to provide aid very quickly, and with a human touch, without worrying about politics.

More at http://www.kvue.com/story/news/state/2014/07/06/charities-help-immigrants-at-the-border/12277493/

A quote from a mother that to me was bittersweet:

She said the church shelter was the first and only place she had been treated with any kindness since leaving home.

I am a long way from the border but our parish is working on ways to help. The views expressed by Pope Francis about immigrants and the poor are definitely having an effect on my parish and others.

(edit to fix quoting)

[okasha]

1. In my border city

Catholic Charities, a parochial school and the Methodist Church were the first to step up. Local government totally MIA.