Catholic Virginian Article about The First Refugees St. Elizabeth Catholic Church Sponsored - March 1981 ~ Article provided by Berhane Desta

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St. Elizabeth's, Richmond

 Small Parish Aids Ethiopian Refugees

by Steve Neill

Of the Catholic Virginian

Admitting they were at first leery about serving as refugee sponsors because of the time and money involved, parishioners of St. Elizabeth's of Richmond have found their efforts to be a community-building experience.

The small parish, whose church is in a predominantly black neighborhood, helped Berhane and Anna Desta and their two-month-old daughter, Susie, get settled in an apartment and found a job for Berhane three days after he arrived in Richmond. The Destas are refugees from Ethiopia.

St. Elizabeth's first considered being a refugee sponsor last fall when Mrs. Loretta O'Donnell, of the diocesan Office of Refugee Resettlement, talked to the parish's social ministry committee.  The committee felt it wanted to sponsor a refugee family, but wanted the whole parish involved.

"We knew there's no way we could do this unless we raised about $500, because we knew we were a poor parish and it wouldn't be fair to use parish funds, even though we would later be reimbursed," Mary Ann Allen, who chairs the social ministry committee, said.  She pointed out that a deposit had to be made on an apartment and food must be purchased for the incoming family before it arrives.  This money is later reimbursed up to $300 per person when receipts for expenses are submitted to the diocesan office.

After a committee was formed to help raise money toward helping a refugee family, St. Elizabeth's received a grant of $250 from St. Edward's parish, Bon Air, with which it has a covenant.  The parish school also became involved and raised $100.  That and money raised through a parish fasting meal brought St. Elizabeth's close enough to $500 that the parish felt it could agree to take on a refugee family, but still it told the resettlement office it could not do so before April 1.

"We distributed a questionnaire on Sundays saying: 'Here's what we need.  Please check what you are able to help with,'" Mrs. Allen said.  Paper products, cleaning supplies, linens and food all were contributed in separate Sunday collections by parishioners.

"Furniture and clothing also came from our people," Mrs. Allen said.  "They found it."

What she called an emergency situation arose in late March and St. Elizabeth's was asked to accept their refugees earlier than anticipated.  "We had to ask ourselves were we ready to take on an emergency case?"  Mrs. Allen said.  Two men from the parish, Chris Malone and Jasper Wilson, quickly found an apartment not far from the church.

The Destas arrived on a Friday night and about eight people from St. Elizabeth's were at the airport to greet them.  An interpreter was not necessary since Berhane spoke English.  "They couldn't believe the reception they got from us," Mrs. Allen said.

An interview with the Resettlement Office's job developer was arranged for Monday and Berhane was sent on a job interview Tuesday.  "The next day he started working," Mrs. Allen said.

"We see ourselves as the church helping them only as long as it's necessary," Mrs. Allen said.  "The Destas want to be independent and we're both working toward that.

"There are a lot of things involved in being a sponsor," she continued.  "We were very leery about it at first.  But people in the parish have been great.  They've really reached out to them and invited them to their homes."

 ~ Photo and article from The Catholic Virginian