SafeHarbors

Our Vision:      That all migrants seeking refuge and asylum in the US, but lacking family sponsors, receive respectful and migrant-centered support from communities of faith.

Our Mission: To provide a ministry of welcome, accompaniment and support to a family/families seeking refuge in the US through the legal process of asylum and referred to us through AMMPARO[1] ELCA[2] and its partners.

Objectives/Goals:

+ live into biblical mandates to love our neighbors as expressed in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures (i.e. Leviticus 19:33 “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.  The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God”, and Mt.25:35 “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”)

+ minimize the time a family spends in detention or on the streets without support structures

+ help a family survive, heal, thrive, until their day in Immigration Court and through their asylum-seeking journey

[1]AMMPARO stands for Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection Advocacy Representation and Opportunity. It is a national project of the ELCA supporting immigrants and refugees. St. Peter’s congregation became part of this effort in 2020, and encourages congregations to sponsor and support migrant families seeking asylum.

Safe Harbors: our Ministry of Welcome, supported a migrant family from November 2021 (when they arrived in Del Rio, Texas after a three-month journey) until they received work authorization and permanent, affordable housing in SE Massachusetts (2023). Over the course of the program, we have trained more than 20 volunteers from St. Peter’s and other nearby faith communities to provide accompaniment, advocacy, transportation, ESL tutoring and service coordination and support. Generous donations allowed us to fund housing and all living and legal expenses for the family through Spring 2023.

The Safe Harbors Ministry team is now entering a period of evaluation, prayer, and discernment to review and renew our Mission Statement. In view of the recent pastoral transition, national election outcomes, and uncertainty regarding future national immigration policy, follow up has been delayed until later in 2026. Please check back in the Fall for new directions with Safe Harbors.