By Elket Rodríguez The voice speaking through my phone carried me to the side of a brother in the faith. He is Cuban, black and seeking U.S. citizenship. He called to ask a sad question that reflects our times: “How can I protect myself from police intervention?” His question provoked tears as I reflected on … Continue reading
By Chris Hughes For Rev. Mark Mofield, it was a pregnant moment full of possibilities for faith and politics to collide right in the middle of his church, and for things to get messy. As senior pastor of Temple Baptist Church, a CBF-affiliated congregation in Durham, N.C., he and the church’s deacon team had just … Continue reading
By Elket Rodríguez The pastors on the front lines of Fellowship Southwest’s Immigrant Relief Ministry do not labor alone. Their strongest allies—their spouses—support, encourage and fortify them as they fight hunger, deprivation, exploitation, injustice and vulnerability all along the U.S.-Mexico border. These women’s tenacity, commitment and passion is unparalleled. They willingly sacrifice most of their … Continue reading
By Elket Rodríguez COVID-19 has transformed Fellowship Southwest’s immigrant relief ministries all along the U.S.-Mexico border. Among the pastors who guide the effort, some are reinventing their ministries, others have identified new service opportunities, and still others have suffered losses and obstacles that put their work at risk. Yet they demonstrate resiliency only achieved through … Continue reading
By Elket Rodríguez A crisis among global immigrants who hope—or who once hoped—to obtain asylum in the United States is playing out in desperation and hunger hundreds of miles from the U.S-Mexico border. Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state, is one of the world’s most important migration corridors. Races, nationalities, hopes and frustrations clash in Chiapas. Northbound … Continue reading
By Elket Rodríguez People of faith are helping provide a buffer of protection between the coronavirus and thousands of immigrants along the United States border, a government leader in north central Mexico reported. “The best (protective) efforts have been working side-by-side with organizations of faith, specifically the evangelical churches,” Enrique Valenzuela said of the government’s efforts to contain … Continue reading
By Elket Rodríguez Care packages brightened the day for 90 refugees living at Albergue Juventud 2000, a youth shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, early this week. Pastor Juvenal González handed out the little boxes containing high-demand hygiene products that are hard to get in Mexican immigrant shelters. “We gave them boxes with shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, wet wipes, … Continue reading
By John Mark Boes Allow me to say something that should go unsaid: The COVID-19 pandemic that is currently gripping our country is scary. We are at the hands of a silent, invisible plague that seems unshakable. Where is the Gospel hope we so boldly proclaim in the most challenging of times? Now, imagine you … Continue reading
By Elket Rodríguez Have you ever been in one of those situations where you know that someone is talking to you, but is not doing it directly to you. I’m talking about that annoying moment when you feel like the transmitter of the message is not trusting your emotional ability to receive the message directly. For example, when … Continue reading
By Greg Smith Out of the blue I received a call from a true neighbor. “I know that immigrants are losing their jobs from the coronavirus [COVID-19] and many won’t be receiving government help.” Sadly, I had to agree. “So I want to help. I want to send a contribution to your ministry so you … Continue reading