Update on Our Work Supporting Asylum Seekers!

 

 

Cony: Thanks to the generosity of St. Luke members as well as our coalition partners, Cony has rent secured through September. Our group is continuing to assess the needs and abilities to continue to support Cony. Cony lives in a shared home and there has been a case of Covid in the home. So prayers for continued health for Cony and her son would be greatly appreciated.
 
Our support circles for both Cony and Karen were organized through ECAS - Ecumenical Collaboration for Asylum Seekers - founded by Pastor Alexia Salvatierra a year and a half ago to respond to the crisis in immigration at our local borders. Since then, as federal policies have changed, new immigration has almost ceased at the border, and no new Asylum cases have been granted. But the need for support continues. ECAS's work of accompanying Asylum seekers through the legal process and establishing new lives in this country continues to be vital to those already in process, and especially to minors, including young mothers with children, who are “aging out” of juvenile detention centers at age 18. Hosts continue to be sought, which is complicated in these days of Covid, and legal guardianship for these 18 year olds is neccesary to shield them from being deported or sent to adult detention. 
 
Karen:  We rejoice with the Ventura support circle that Mary Anthony was awarded legal guardianship of Karen, and baby Isaac. St. Luke is invited to join with the Ventura circle - a loving group of "grandmothers" from Ascension and Holy Trinity Lutheran Churches, Thousand Oaks United Methodist, Temple Etz Chaim and others - to support Karen and Isaac-and Mary Anthony- in both prayer and financial support. We invite donations towards the $2500.00 in legal fees that Mary has incurred to seek Isaac's guardianship. Mary has made a commitment to Karen until she is 21, when it will be clearer what her legal status will be. Until then the support circles have made a commitment to Karen to help her learn English, and seek her high school degree--and move on to college! There is much support to be offered as well in helping them both navigate the health care system, and assist in child care so that Karen can go to school. Please contact Lisa Curtis, Joy Wenzel, Larry Ivanjack or Mary Anthony for more information on how to help!

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