Oblate Voices is a JPIC blog that follows stories of hope and is about how Oblates and associates live and experience mission work in the spirit of the Oblate founder, St Eugene De Mazenod of responding to the needs of poor and most abandoned around the world.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Planting Seeds: 30 Years Later,Oblate donation to a Refugee Aid Center in San Antonio, a Success.

This is what we are about: We plant seeds that one-day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.      
- Oscar Romero (1917-1980), Archbishop of San Salvador


Thirty years ago, the Missionary Oblates in San Antonio Texas (formerly Southern US Province) responded to the challenges of the time when refugees and asylum seekers from Central Americans arrived into Texas after fleeing the civil wars in Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala.

The Missionary Oblates became founding members of the Refugee Aid Project, which began to assist Central American refugees and asylum seekers. The Refugee Aid Project provided food, clothing, language classes, housing, medical and legal referrals to these migrants. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate donated a building to the Refugee Aid project, which is now called RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services).

Today, RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) still located in San Antonio is doing remarkable work; assisting vulnerable members of the community especially refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied migrant children and women, and immigrants in detention. More information about services and programs of RAICES, visit www.raicestexas.org  

Commenting on the recent article published in Subpoena Magazine- the monthly magazine of the San Antonio Bar Association about RAICE - Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, Fr. Rufus Whitley OMI wrote, “It is nice to see something that started over 30 years ago is still flourishing and the Oblate part is still remembered.” 

Reflecting on the Oblate contribution to the migrant center, U.S Provincial Fr. Bill Antone OMI said, “Planting seeds comes to my mind and it is nice to see that we (Oblates) are remembered for our part in this.”

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