You provided 2,250 meals in Nuevo Laredo

Thanks to your generosity, Fellowship Southwest provided more than 500 meals per week—2,250 breakfasts, lunches and dinners—to asylum seekers in Nuevo Laredo the past month.

Pastor Lorenzo Ortiz operates three refugee shelters in the Mexican city, just across the Rio Grande from his home in Laredo. Most of the immigrants come from Central America, but some are natives of Cuba, South America and elsewhere. 

Fellowship Southwest has supported Lorenzo since well before the U.S. immigration policy began forcing asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. Originally, immigrants crossed into the United States, where they were allowed to stay as they progressed through the asylum process. 

So, Lorenzo and his small congregation found the refugees waiting, almost literally, on their doorstep. They launched a feeding/shelter program in their church building. When members grew weary and wanted to quit, Lorenzo and his family said they could not. They felt called to serve some of the most vulnerable people in North America. The church fired Lorenzo, but the Ortiz family—Lorenzo; his wife, Oralia; and their daughter Ruth—persisted. They fed 3,000 people from their home over a three-month period.

Once the U.S. government implemented its Migrant Protection Protocols—also known as “wait in Mexico”—the refugees became stranded in Nuevo Laredo. Because of cartel activity, it’s known as the most dangerous city on the border for asylum seekers. Besides providing food and a place to sleep, Lorenzo keeps the refugees off Nuevo Laredo’s streets and safe inside shelters.

“We thank God for the courage and compassion of Lorenzo and his family,” FSW Coordinator Marv Knox said. “They are the hands and feet of Jesus for some of the most at-risk and vulnerable people anywhere. And although Lorenzo is well-networked, the support provided by Fellowship Southwest’s friends is vital to this good work in a hard, hard place.”

FSW’s monthly allocation provides beans, rice, cooking oil, salt, water and other basic ingredients for each of the three refugee centers, Ruth Ortiz reported. A small portion of our support also helped transport migrant families. 

“We thank the Lord for the support” Fellowship Southwest and its CBF partners have provided, she said.

Christian Century published an article about the Ortizes' ministry today. Read that here.

If you would like to donate to Fellowship Southwest’s Immigrant Relief Fund, click here.