|
Franciscans in Action
April 2008 e-newsletter
Franciscans Lend Refugees
a Helping Hand at Vive, Inc.
Vive, Inc., Buffalo, New York
The life of a refugee is precarious at best. Refugees often leave their homelands in a fright, threatened by violence, with only a few possessions if any with them. They do not look back because it is likely that they will never return home. Their future is also uncertain. They land in nations that look at them with suspicion. They do not understand the local language or culture. Will they be able to stay and make a good life for themselves in this new place? Or will they be forced onto a plane back to a home that may prove to be their end?
Refugees often face a precarious future
Buffalo, New York's Vive, Inc. tries its best to alleviate the constant pressure refugees arriving in the city feel. Located in the La Casa Building on Wyoming Avenue, Vive, Inc. is an interfaith organization where members of several Franciscan orders play a significant role in making the city's refugees welcome. Anglican, United, and Catholic clergy as well as laypeople bring many different talents and perspectives to Vive, Inc., putting aside any differences they may have, to assist those whose need for help is immediate.
Vive, Inc. exists to create a semblance of normalcy and order in the often topsy-turvy lives of refugees. With 108 beds, wholesome food, clothing and legal services for status claims in the United States and Canada, Vive, Inc. allows the troubled peoples of the world to maintain hope for a better tomorrow.
We encourage you our readers to send in stories where you see the spirit of St. Francis shine. Email your stories to Peter Rajchert at peter@franciscans.org.
|
