Latino Lutherans from 17 countries discuss caring for migrants

NEW YORK — Christopher Vergara, 35, is a costume designer currently in London working on the film, “Prince of Egypt” - the biblical story about how Moses was left in a basket in Egypt’s Nile River by his Hebrew mother so that he would not perish and have a chance for a better life. Later in life, Moses tries to free the people that his mother made him flee from.  

Prairie Rose Seminole, Director of American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Photo by Jorge Enrique Diaz.

Vergara says that “he’s come full circle,” because he is also an immigrant to New York City, and he now volunteers to help migrant minors in detention centers who were forced to flee their home countries due to chronic violence, famine, and/or lack of opportunities. Young people from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala account for 85 percent of the unaccompanied children. With immigration authorities apprehending a record-setting 76,020 unaccompanied minors in 2019, an increase of 52 percent from 2018, he saw a void that needed to be filled. 

As the chair of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America’s (ELCA) Metropolitan New York Synod’s Sanctuary/AMMPARO Ministry (which he helped establish in March of 2019), Vergara coordinates pastoral care to minors in immigration detention centers, as well as monthly recreational outings for them. 

“The number of minors in detention fluctuates, and no one is keeping track,” says Vergara. “We also work to have migrant minors released from detention. We pay for lawyer fees, accompany them, try to get them guardians, and try to develop community for them.”

However, besides providing these basic resources, Vergara says one of his biggest concerns is the mental health of the youth.

“These kids are going through severe trauma. I don’t think enough people are talking about that,” says Vergara. This is a big issue.”

The topic of immigration was one of the most critical topics discussed at the first Inter-American Lutheran Conference in Bogotá, Colombia, Feb. 5-9. During the four days, 120 representatives from the Lutheran Church in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Cuba, Colombia, and the U.S.

The ELCA, which is one of the largest Lutheran denominations, represents nearly 3.5 million Christians. It voted in August of 2019 to become the country's first "sanctuary church body," according to church officials.  

Roberto Lara, Assistant to the Bishop for Communications and Development, was in attendance representing the Metropolitan New York Synod, which serves almost 200 congregations in the NY-metro area. 

“I think every [Latin American] country is having this exodus of people,” explains Lara in a phone interview from Bogotá. “How many Venezuelans are moving out, and the new immigration policies in Mexico which are very strong now. We have a lot of policies that are just not humane for immigrants. We are discussing how we are helping immigrants, and how are we helping migrant minors, and if there are opportunities where we can share resources?” 

Roberto Lara, Metro NY Synod’s Assistant to the Bishop, speaks during the Immigration Panel. Photo by Jennifer de León.

Serving in his role for more than two years, Lara says part of the duty of an Evangelical Lutheran is to provide needed services to the community. 

Bishop and President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela Gerardo Hands says, in his native Spanish, that he is most concerned about the health and nutrition of his Venezuelan community. 

Hands heads four congregations located in Valencia, about a two hour drive west from the capitol, Caracas. He says he’s seen his membership fluctuate constantly due to immigration. It has recently decreased from 1,200 to 900, and some of his congregants only make the equivalent of $3 per month. 

“It’s a critical situation,” says Hands, who is grateful for the conference in order to create a support network and not feel alone. “Before today, I never knew of such a large representation. A network and resources are very important - as is learning from each other.”

Angela Trejo Haager, pastor of the Mexican Lutheran Church in Mexico City, says that immigration was also the biggest concern for her congregation of 70. She dedicates much of her ministry to women struggling with violence at home, as well as those who have tried or need to migrate. 

“A woman who migrates knows that all she has is her body,” says Trejo Haager. “They know that they are going to be raped by the same men who help them cross the border. Little girls already take contraceptives because they also know they will be raped.”

As far as what was discussed at the conference, she says she finds relief in the fact that the AMMPARO ministry already has an Inter-American plan and that they are all now connected.

“It has been a great experience to get to know each other, not feel alone, and make goals,” she adds.

Lara says they are only “doing what the gospel tells them to do.” 

“When we are helping immigrants, we feel we are doing our mission,” adds Lara, who converted to the Evangelical Lutheran faith from his native Catholic seven years ago. “I really love all the inclusivity of the Lutheran church. Most of our members come from the Catholic tradition...The welcoming and inclusive message of the grace of God is what is attractive to Latinos.”

For Vergara, his duty is to recommend an activity for the unaccompanied minors in NY and then the detention center brings them to the discussed location.

“You can just tell some of the kids who are on the trips are profoundly sad and miss their parents. It doesn’t matter if you take them to the zoo or circus, they just want to see their mom and dad,” he reflects. “We took 150 kids from one detention center to the circus, and some as young as 18-months old are taken in strollers. They’ll never be able to identify their parents... We try to have a good day. I think God calls us to have the kingdom of God now...Just a respite from the trauma they are dealing with.”

Vergara strongly believes first-generation Christians, like himself, “can’t be silent right now.” 

“We just have the privilege to have been born here,” he says. “There is no legitimate reason that these kids go through this, and I didn’t.”

Kristina Puga is founding editor of Wiserwithage.com, which honors individuals age 60 and over who are actively pursuing their careers and life’s purpose, and have no plans of stopping. She’s a contributor to NBCNews.com and graduated from The Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.