Presbyterian Disaster Assistance joins in protesting the decision by local authorities in Reynosa, Mexico to close and/or demolish the Senda de Vida shelter.
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As the Psalmists of Old, in this time of despair for the families who are finding safety and respite in the Senda de Vida Shelter, we turn to prayer:
To you, O Lord, I call;
my rock, do not refuse to hear me,
for if you are silent to me,
I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
Hear the voice of my supplication,
as I cry to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your most holy sanctuary. (Psalm 28:1-2)
We pray for the Senda de Vida Shelter, pastor Hector, all the staff and volunteers who have built this shelter, furnished it with love and compassion. We give you thanks for the shelter that it provides from the elements, COVID-19; a place of safety from gang kidnappings, trafficking, assaults, rape and murder; a place to rest for weary travelers; a sanctuary for your holy encounter.
We pray for all those who have passed through the doors of Senda de Vida, fleeing for their lives, searching for survival, waiting near the U.S. border in hopes of safety and freedom. And we pray for those who at this very moment are in search of shelter in Reynosa and those who have yet to arrive.
We pray to you, o God, to open the ears and hearts of the government authorities that they may hear the cries of the oppressed:
- Mayor Maki Ortiz Domínguez and the Reynosa city government
- National Migration Institute and the Mexican Federal Government
We pray that these government leaders will hear the cries of the migrants and their allies and reverse their notice to demolish the shelter; that they will not push these families out into the street.
As people of faith, we have heard Your call to welcome the stranger, care for the afflicted. We will not turn away from our siblings in time of need. And we put our trust in you, our one True Refuge.
Amen
Susan Krehbiel, Associate for Refugees & Asylum
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.
*Senda de Vida in English is “Path of Life”