Aid has been pouring into areas affected by the devastating Texas floods. But those in the U.S. illegally are reluctant to seek help, fearing arrest. A church is helping them collect what they need.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
In the aftermath of the deadly floods in Texas, volunteers rushed in with bottled water and supplies, mobile kitchens, cooked meals. FEMA opened recovery centers. But immigrants in the area without legal status have been cautious about seeking help. They say they’re scared to go outside with more law enforcement around. Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vazquez of member station KUT visited a Kerrville church which is serving as a lifeline for those people.
GRETA DIAZ GONZALEZ VAZQUEZ, BYLINE: The fellowship hall at the Maranatha Christian Center is usually where kids play while services are being held next door. But for now, it’s crowded with tables piled high with donations of all kinds. Women look through organized stacks of clothes. Men carry canned food and water. They’re all here because they have been affected by the recent floods in some way. Lily Lozano is a member of the congregation. She greets people who arrive and guides them through the donations that have poured in from all over the state.
LILY LOZANO: (Speaking Spanish).
VAZQUEZ: She says, she’s thankful to God for all the blessings and help they’ve received. She says, in the midst of this tragedy, they’re lucky to be able to bless those who need even the most basic things.
LOZANO: (Speaking Spanish).
VAZQUEZ: Pastor Joel De Leon is the head of the church. He’s exhausted, but he says the work is necessary. His church is a safe haven for everyone, he says, no matter how big or small their need is or where they’re from.
JOEL DE LEON: We don’t ask them if they were victims. We don’t ask them if they had got problems. We just open the doors, let them in. And if somebody wants to share the story, you know, then I listen.
VAZQUEZ: De Leon carries with him every conversation he’s had after the flood. He remembers the man who had property by the river.
DE LEON: And he mentioned that he lost everything. You know, we just had a small conversation. I could see his heart broken and tears coming down. And I cried with him, and – excuse me (crying). We prayed together. That’s what we did. We just prayed together.
VAZQUEZ: On a recent afternoon, a woman in her mid-30s with her hair in a ponytail is there to get clothes and groceries for her family.
DELMIS: (Speaking Spanish).
VAZQUEZ: Delmis says her house wasn’t hit by the floods, but rescue teams, as well as federal police and state troopers, were suddenly everywhere. She felt it was too risky to leave her home to go to work. Delmis is from Honduras and has lived in Kerrville for two years. She’s in the U.S. without legal status, so she only gave her first name because she fears being detained and deported.
DELMIS: (Speaking Spanish).
VAZQUEZ: Delmis says she’s frightened because she sees more police officers. But she has no choice now. She has to make a living.
DELMIS: (Speaking Spanish).
VAZQUEZ: Delmis says that if officials were to stop her and ask her for her documents, she’s afraid she would be deported. Pastor De Leon understands these fears, so the church has volunteers reaching out to those who are too afraid to ask for help.
DE LEON: I mean, we’re not going to just stay within these four walls. Our heart is the community, you know? Our heart is to go out and bring some peace to the people that are out there hurting.
VAZQUEZ: Even so, De Leon feels like he’s not doing enough, but he tries to do what he knows best. He offers a shoulder to cry on.
DE LEON: Not only are we here to give, but we’re here to pray. We’re here to listen. We’re here to comfort. We’re here to love. You know, that’s what I’m called to do, and that’s what everybody here is called to do.
VAZQUEZ: Pastor De Leon says that until the community is back on its feet, the church will continue the work at Maranatha Christian Center, blessing those in need and sharing the burden of their pain.
For NPR, I’m Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vazquez in Kerr County, Texas.
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