The Heart of the Mission

Sister Elaine Hollis is currently working with the Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas to assist the daily surge of immigrants seeking legal asylum in the U.S. Sister Elaine has been assigned to Casa del Refugiado which is a hospitality center run by Annunciation House. The shelters provide basic needs for the migrants such as food and clothing. Volunteers also communicate with legal family members residing in the U.S. to help coordinate travel arrangements.

Here is a reflection from Sister Elaine's first few days at the border.

Greetings from El Paso. I just said my goodbyes to the last refugee family we were housing at Casa Del Refugiado. For the first time since it opened in April there is no one staying overnight. Today was only the third time in five years that no refugees were sent to Annunciation House! Times, they are a changing!

There is still plenty to do here, as laundry needs to be done and donated clothes sorted, but the heart of the mission is the people and they are not here. Our government is causing incredible suffering as people trying to escape unsafe and violent conditions in their home countries are forced to flee and then meet all kinds of walls when they get to the border.

This mural depicts some of the people who have fled the violence of Central America as well as the couple who were killed there for whom Casa Vides was named 

From those who have made it this far, I wish you could hear stories of the beautiful lands they left where volcanoes guarded over them. I wish you could hear their heartbreaking stories of being kidnapped, robbed and injured on their way to this country. I wish you could see the sparkle in the eyes of the children and enjoy having a second grader read to you about the elephant with a bird’s nest on its head. I wish you could see the families taking off to someplace new with their strength and resilience and not much more than the clothes on their backs and a bag with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, blankets, snacks and some children’s toys for the long journey ahead of them.

It is a privilege to be here and to see the dedication of the couple who, as long term volunteers, manage this shelter. They are from Rochester and Miguel worked at the SSJ ministry, St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center before coming here. He quoted his favorite maxim to the group of volunteers getting oriented for their two week stay - most of whom are SSJs or connected to SSJs! His wife, Catherine, took us on a tour this afternoon to the other facilities run by Annunciation House which do have refugees staying with them.

Sister Bea and Sister Caroline who are long term volunteers at Casa Vides

For 42 years Annunciation House has welcomed guests in need of a place to stay until they could be reunited with family and friends already in this country or persons willing to sponsor them. Please keep this mission in your prayers. There are so many beautiful people who want to gift us with the riches they bring if we could just open our hearts to receive what they have to offer.