Casa de Maria y Marta in San Antonio, Texas, serves refugees seeking asylum.

The Immigration Resource Team of Ohio Conference is aware of many immigrants seeking asylum at our southern border. We ask: “How can we here in Ohio show them God’s welcoming love?”   

We remember the amazing way a dozen or so Ohio Conference churches came together to assemble 175 immigration welcome kits in the fall of 2019.  Covid-19 precautions prevent this kind of outpouring at the present time, so we propose another option.

San Antonio Mennonite Church has been in the hospitality ministry for many years, through a refugee house, Casa de María y Marta.  Casa de María y Marta provides many services to recent arrivals — temporary lodging, food, clothing, spiritual support — as they travel to be united with family members throughout the country. 

We can help!   Pastor John Garland recommends: 

–  Cards… with a greeting (in Spanish, French and English, below) with your personal signature.   

–  $50 gifts… to be given as cash to guests at the refugee house so they can buy what they need at a local thrift store. 1) Send checks (in $50 increments) made out to San Antonio Mennonite Church and card(s) to: 1443 S. St Mary’s St., San  Antonio, TX  78210. 2) Visit the church’s website at https://www.sanantoniomennonite.org/donate for other payment options.  Designate donations to “SAMC General Fund – La Casa.

This is a great way for us to support the creative ministry of our sisters and brothers in Christ in San Antonio as they “welcome the strangers” seeking safety in our land.

 

Here’s a sample wording shared in three languages:

(Spanish)

Estimado amigo/a, 

    ¡Bienvenido a los Estados Unidos!   Es posible que haya  

experimentado muchas dificultades en su viaje, pero

oramos para que las cosas le vayan bien aquí.

     En el amor de Dios,

       _________________

 

(French)

Cher ami,

     Bienvenue aux États-Unis!   Vous avez peut-être  

rencontré de nombreuses difficultés au cours de votre

voyage, mais nous prions pour que les choses se

passent bien pour vous ici.

     Dans l’amour de Dieu,

       _________________

(English)

Dear friend,

     Welcome to the United States!   You may have  

experienced many difficulties on your journey, but

we pray that things will go well for you here.

     In God’s love,