When a mother of father is detained for deportation, the family experiences emotional, financial, and operational crisis. Often the deportee is the only person making money. Often the parent not deported has more limited English because they are not out in the work world.

The buddy or co-buddies help the family navigate various systems–social services (available if children are citizens), legal assistance, finances (e.g. getting access to a bank account if it was in detainee’s name only), decisions about whether to stay in the home or move, etc. There are people in the Community Support for Families in Crisis Due to Detention or Deportation (CSFDD) who have extensive experience with all these things and wil assist buddies. The Interfaith Sanctuary Coalition of NEGA is the group our congregation has members and ministers active in and who our primary forms of engagement and advocacy have begun through. This step into the buddy minstry will represent our first congregation-wide engagment to help provide love and support to the stranger among us, as we’re commanded multiple places in scripture.

FBC is now actively recruiting volunteers to be buddies or co-buddies for families experiencing these detentions or deportations. Our hope is to release a training date asap and once we are trained, we can begin putting our beliefs and convictions into action.

To sign up, simply put your name, email, phone number, and spanish ability down below, as well as signifying your preference for being a buddy along (or with your family) or being co-buddies with someone else.

You may always contact our Minister of Missions, Brandon Pendry for more information or with questions.