Mexican Border Crisis

Facebook post by the Rev. Laura Merrill 
(D.S. for McAllen District, SW Texas Conference)

Friends, thank you for your concern and prayers regarding the refugee crisis unfolding along the Texas-Mexico border and even increasingly north of the border. We are working hard to put information out into the pipeline, but I know it's a challenge to get the word to everyone. So here's a quick digest of information and places you can look for daily updates. Please share as appropriate with your people.

1. To make monetary donations to the effort along the border, from Laredo to Brownsville, you can send checks to any of the following places: SWTX Conference - marked "Texas Border Crisis"
16400 Huebner Road, San Antonio TX 78248-1693

McAllen District - marked "Immigrant Relief"
1909 W. Harrison, Harlingen TX 78550

Holding Institute (to be used in Laredo)
1220 McClelland, Laredo TX 78040

2. In Laredo, look for posts from the Revs. Paul E Harris and Andrew Fiser, and check out the Laredo Humanitarian Relief Team FB page. They are doing super work at the UM facility Holding Institute and invite your participation.

3. In McAllen, items for the welcome center for refugee families at Sacred Heart Church are being warehoused at the Rio Grande Valley Food Bank in Pharr. Their list of needed items is updated daily at http://www.foodbankrgv.com.

4. In Brownsville, the welcome center is at Immaculate Conception Cathedral, and many of the same items are needed as on the McAllen list. Check the FB page for First United Methodist Church Brownsville, Texas, as that church is fully involved at the welcome center.

The sites above are working with families who have been released by the Border Patrol to appear in courts in other places across the country. The crisis among unaccompanied children is harder to respond to, as it is very difficult to gain access to the facilities where they are being held. Please pray for these children and for those trying to reach and help them.

More to come--apparently families are beginning to be released in San Antonio and perhaps Harlingen as well. Susan Hellums, District Mission Coordinator in the RGV, will be on the job as we assemble a coordinating team here.

Thanks again to all of you!
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Learn more at these links:

UMCOR Responds to Immigration Crisis

United Methodist Women Supports Humanitarian Relief for Child Immigrants

United Methodists tending to immigrant minors