Choose your Path
Accompany
Would you like to be part of a team that accompanies an individual or family seeking asylum? Support circles meet regularly (online during COVID) and assign tasks that the circle’s guests have identified as helpful for them in their journey. Circles search for legal or medical assistance, support families in enrolling their children in school, identify work or housing opportunities, and provide emotional and spiritual support. Support circles need immigrant members who can act as guides from their own experience as well as members with resources and expertise in dealing with US systems. Bilingual, bicultural Puentes help to bridge between immigrant and non-immigrant volunteers, speaking up at support circle meetings and connecting in a special way with the migrants. Circles often include a host who gives the asylum seeker an initial place to live for a set period of time, but some circles support an individual or family without hosting them. Circles raise funds and contribute gift cards as needed.
advocate
In Southern California, there is a broad network of congregations and organizations that care about improving immigration policies and systems. We let our networks know about opportunities to raise our voices for justice for immigrants. If you are interested in advocacy - visiting legislators, attending press events or participating in public actions, we can put you on the list to be contacted or you can join the planning team.
Learn
We offer various opportunities to learn and be trained. El Diplomado en la Respuesta de la Iglesia a la Crisis Migratoria/The Certificate in the Church’s Respond to the Immigration Crisis is a bilingual six month online comprehensive training program in collaboration with the Centro Latino at Fuller Theological Seminary in biblical, pastoral, legal and practical ways that local churches and ministries can help immigrants and work for immigrant justice. We also offer workshops for churches or schools and we organize gatherings with training components several times a year.
If you are a bilingual, bicultural millennial Latinx Christian leader, you may be interested in our Puentes network. Puentes support one another in small group series and retreats for trauma healing, discernment and leadership development. They also volunteer to use the gift of their identity in M25 activities to make a difference for immigrants.
Get in touch.
We hope you will find value in journeying with us. We look forward to speaking with you!