Strangers No Longer
Building Community Together
The large number of immigrants at the Mexico-United States border is known worldwide. These people are leaving their homelands in search of a better life. What is less known is what happens to immigrants once they are within the United States. Some have relatives who will assist them once they clear the border. Many of these immigrants are undocumented and have risked their lives coming to the United States, while others travel to several different areas of the United States.
Michigan is one of the USA states which has many immigrants coming from many countries, not just from Mexico or Latin/South America. The need for farmworkers harvesting crops; daily laborers in hotels and restaurants; landscaping and gardening jobs continue to be some of the main areas where immigrants (documented and undocumented) try to earn a living. Many have settled in the Detroit, Michigan area and surrounding smaller cities.
To support and assist mostly Hispanic immigrants, in the Detroit area, is the group Strangers No Longer. The purpose of Strangers No Longer is threefold: Education, Advocacy, and Direct Support and Accompaniment. Strangers No Longer has established Circles of Support in local parishes in an effort to educate and support immigrants who are both documented and undocumented. Two SMRS belong to one of these Circles of Support in Port Huron, Michigan-Concepcion Gonzalez, and Veronica Blake. Joined by local women and men, they strive to advocate for immigrants and educate others in the plight of immigrants.
Immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants, come to the United States often not knowing English or the ways of living in the United States. Many of these immigrants have lived in the United States for years, always worrying about being deported if they are undocumented and discovered by the border patrol.
To support, especially immigrant women, Martha De La Torre, SMR (from the Mexican province, living in the United States) is a staff member of Strangers No Longer and has begun several immigrant Circles of Support for women in various local areas. These groups of women meet monthly on Zoom. Most of the women work during the day and cannot meet in person. Martha accompanies these women with listening skills, spiritual accompaniment, and encouragement with all that these women have to shoulder. Many of these women have survived the long, difficult, and sometimes violent walk from Latin American countries. Along with the women’s groups, Martha has begun a men’s Circle of Support.
Strangers No Longer, immigrant women’s Circles of Support have moved beyond the Detroit area to other locations in Michigan. The formation and education which Martha has been given both in Mexico and the United States has equipped her to be able to support these women in their daily struggles.
Our congregation has had a long tradition of supporting women. This new ministry is certainly a continuation of that tradition. As stated in our Constitutions, #36: “…wherever he is ignored or outraged in his suffering and humiliated members there we find a place for Reparation.”
Martha De La Torre, smr and Ann Kasparek, smr