A New Beginning

Operation Family Freedom received a request to assist Familia Velasquez, from Venezuela, who was stranded in Arizona and trying to get to Utah. Familia Velasquez had presented at the border and requested asylum. For those who are not familiar with the immigration process, requesting asylum is a legal way to enter, work, and remain in the country. Given the crisis in Venezuela, and the personal history/circumstances of the family, they were allowed to continue in the process and were issued a court date for later this year to complete the asylum process. Asylum is a form of protection granted to individuals who can demonstrate that they are unable to return to their country because of persecution on the account of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion. Arriving in Arizona, they were presented with the final leg of a long journey, and they had exhausted all resources. Familia Velasquez had taken 6 flights, crossed multiple countries, and taken nearly 30 days to arrive at the port of entry. They arrived with the clothes on their backs, no money, and a few Facebook connections.

Familia Velasquez are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and, through the use of Facebook, they were able to get ahold of an old Mission friend that offered to help the family travel from Arizona to Utah. After staying a night or two with the Buck family in Arazona, they traveled to Utah where they will stay with some other friends until they can get their feet under them. Operation Family Freedom put out a request for assistance and the cry for help did not go unanswered. We were able to collect over 9 bags of clothes, and a monetary donation to help them get started. A special thanks to those donors that contributed specifically to Familia Velasquez. 

Familia Velasquez expressed their gratitude for all the help that they had received. Several board members and their families were able to gather with Familia Velasquez and hear of their journey and some of the living conditions they have endured over the past several years. They are grateful for the opportunity to be in the United States of America, and to be allowed this chance to experience the freedoms so many Americans take for granted.

We wish Familia Velasquez the best as they pursue a life in the United States where they are safe from many of the persecutions, hunger, and desperation that they faced in Venezuela. We are excited to see what the future holds for them.