Starting in August, the local missions team has been hosting monthly birthday parties at Posada Esperanza, a shelter for immigrant women and children right here in our east Austin neighborhood.  More than just providing a fun celebration of each month’s cumpeaneros, these parties are a bridge between the Vox community and families staying at Posada.  We believe in a relational God and as a church we always talk about engaging with the community, which extends far beyond those who show up at liturgy on Sundays.

A group of moms at Vox responded to this new bridge between Vox and Posada by starting a relationship with a family in need.  Earlier this summer, there was a prayer request during liturgy for a family that had no food stamps or source of income that was also struggling with homelessness, disability, and fear of the violence going on all around their family members in a border town in Mexico where they are from.  This group of moms immediately asked if there was anything they could do to help, and that is how they began delivering a gallon of milk and a dozen eggs to the family every week.  Though it might seem like a small thing to give, it has been a huge support to the family, and a weekly reminder that there are people who care about them — even before meeting them!

The family — mom, two middle schoolers, and grandma — has now moved out of the shelter and into a beautiful house with the help of Green Doors, but they continue to receive a delivery of milk and eggs every week that the moms can, with the help of Care Calendar to coordinate who will make the delivery each week.  This is just one example of the many ways that being in contact with our neighbors can provide opportunities to serve that fit with what we have to offer.

For more information about how to get involved with the Posada birthday parties, email [email protected]

[written by Catie Johnston]