Wed., Feb. 19, 2025, meet @ 8 am; hearing @ 8:30 am
San Francisco Immigration Court, 100 Montgomery Street, 4th floor, San Francisco, CA 94104
UPDATE: Our friend Melissa’s asylum hearing is scheduled for Wed., Feb. 19 at 8:30 am at the San Francisco Immigration Court (100 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, 4th floor). Let’s meet at 8 am on the sidewalk for prayer before we go inside to witness the hearing. Carolyn Ash will be the point person on site. There’s no parking structure nearby. If taking BART, exit Montgomery Street Station; the walk is only 1 block to the court. The more people who attend, the better the chances of a favorable outcome, so we are planning to pack the courthouse!
Our church first met Melissa several years ago through Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI). She and her children had just settled in the Bay Area after fleeing unsafe situations in Honduras and Texas, and her sister Any arrived soon after with her young daughter.
First Church provided much-needed support and stability throughout the family’s first year, including childcare and temporary housing (in members’ homes and at the church); generous donations of cash, food, clothing, furniture and supplies; arranging COVID tests and shots (it was the height of the pandemic!); enrolling the girls in school (and driving them daily!); celebrating birthdays; and much more. The experience was formative for many members of the Accompaniment Team, who developed close relationships with the family and each other. You may remember the wonderful Honduran food Melissa and Any prepared for us as a fundraiser to support their family and their asylum claims.
With time, Melissa and Any became more self-sufficient by building their own community and finding work, and they moved on from needing our regular support. Now, at this critical juncture, we have an opportunity to be of service to them once again. Please consider joining the crowd at the courthouse!