by Leisa Parsons, Area Media Specialist
A car load of blankets and warm clothing, donated by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the San Antonio area, along with donations from other faiths is headed to the border. The donation will hopefully help those seeking amnesty stay warm in the freezing temperatures. One load from area faiths arrived Thursday, with the load from the Church of Jesus Christ heading out shortly.
Trey Hermann, a member of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, has been working with the ranger staff and border patrol at Big Bend National Park. The acting Deputy Superintendent of the park, Rick Gupman, said that they are seeing an increase in amnesty seekers and refugees arriving in the park. With the expiration of Title 42, the border agents and park rangers are concerned with the anticipated increase in amnesty seekers arriving at the park’s border crossing from Boquillas. The problem comes with the dramatic shift in the weather hitting Texas this weekend. The freezing temperatures are very dangerous with the people that are crossing the river. They arrive soaking wet and very cold, seeking asylum.
The Church has been actively helping those seeking asylum as they travel through the San Antonio area. Don Larson, Communications Director in the area said, “The majority of our support is to ease the suffering of our brothers and sisters as they make their way to their final destination.” Larson, who works with the Interfaith Coalition in San Antonio suggested members could help ahead of the freezing temperatures to gather donations.
Melinda Preator, Communications Director from the San Antonio North Stake, drove a car load of donations out to Fredericksburg to deliver them to Trey Hermann, who will get them to the rangers at Big Bend.
San Antonio’s Faith Based Initiative sent out an “Action Alert” ahead of the plummeting temperatures they have suggestions and opportunities to help locally on their Urgent Alert page.