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 Marv Knox Compassion and concern, faith and fear, respect and resolve crackled across the country as pastors who comprise Fellowship Southwest’s ministry to asylum seekers talked on the phone March 25. They spent almost two hours telling each other about their work with refugees on the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as their concerns for … Continue reading
By Marv Knox NUEVO LAREDO, MEXICO—Lorenzo Ortiz, a Texas pastor who operates three immigrant shelters in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, stayed behind when the U.S. and Mexican governments closed the border to all “nonessential” travel at midnight Saturday, March 21. Mutual concern about the transmission of COVID-19 led U.S. and Mexican policymakers to shut down border … Continue reading
By Marv Knox An intriguing and disconcerting message popped up on my telephone screen late last week. “I just got out from the meeting in Juarez … talking about the MPP changes,” wrote Rosalio Sosa, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Tierra de Oro in El Paso and leader of Fellowship Southwest’s efforts to minister to asylum … Continue reading
By Fellowship Southwest Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Advocacy, CBF Global Missions and Fellowship Southwest are collaborating to place Elket Rodríguez, an attorney with extensive experience in immigration law, on their team on the U.S.-Mexico border. Rodríguez, a native of Puerto Rico who lives and practices law in Harlingen, Texas, will become CBF’s immigrant and refugee specialist … Continue reading
By Marv Knox BROWNSVILLE, Texas—Construction of an immigrant respite center at Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville is moving forward, thanks to a Christmas miracle of generosity. IB West Brownsville ministers to refugees who pass through Matamoros, Mexico, as they seek asylum in the United States. The U.S. immigration policy requires asylum seekers to “wait in place” … Continue reading
By Marv Knox Joy and gladness radiated from the desert about 100 miles west of Juarez, Mexico, Feb. 3. A shelter for refugees opened in Palomas, Chihuahua—thanks to a coalition that includes the village of Palomas, the state of Chihuahua, Red de Albergues Migrantes (the Migrant Shelter Network), regional nonprofits and Fellowship Southwest. Although Palomas … Continue reading
By Marv Knox As winter’s frigid blast buffeted the U.S.-Mexico border this week, pastors pleaded for blankets to comfort immigrants seeking asylum in the United States. “Very cold today; 37 degrees,” Carlos Navarro, pastor of Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville wrote in a text on Tuesday. Later, in a phone call, he said churches that provide … Continue reading
By Blake Tommey When thousands of Central American migrants flooded into Tijuana in November 2018, a team of leaders from across Fellowship Southwest hit the ground with them, including Jorge Zapata, associate coordinator of Missions and Hispanic Ministries for CBF Texas. Zapata and his team—Marv Knox, coordinator of Fellowship Southwest; Rubén Ortiz, CBF Latino field … Continue reading