lost when the guesthouse is used for charity rather than paying guests. But it’s worth it, Drege insisted. Seafarers’ board knew those seeking asylum were an overlooked group. So when Sojourners from The Riverside Church, a program for detained immigrants, asked if SIH could house some of its participants, the board took the request to heart. “We were saddened by the need and what little had been done for the asylum-seekers in the New York area,” said Mary Heller, chair of the hospitality committee. Drege added, “The board’s vision was to be a place of sacred hospital- ity for the distressed, displaced and disadvantaged.” SIH also reaches out to women surviving domestic abuse and people who need a place to stay while seeking medical care in the city.
“Asylum-seekers are the forgot- ten stepchild of the whole immigra- tion issue,” he said. “[There are few programs for asylum-seekers] like Annelouise and Mahmoud, [who] have nothing—no money for food … a subway ticket to get around … no phone, and not enough command of English to even get by. Right now we can cobble together some sort of subsistence living for them and help get them started. “The ocean is so big and our boat is so small. The need is so immense and government and agencies are washing their hands of this issue. … [But] we can provide bridge hous- ing for people between the detention center and more long-term housing.” Hammami is often called upon to counsel those who turn to SIH for help. She listens as they express frustration with the paperwork of the immigration system, the difficulty of speaking English, and their fears of the unknown. “Most people who flee from
their countries have been through so June 2013 33
much already,” she said. “The delays and red tape can be very dishearten- ing. It can be really ugly for some- one with a thick accent coming to this country. That’s where Seafarers & International House can help.” Many of the people SIH has helped are from Africa, India and
Sri Lanka. Drege sums it up best: “There’s room at the inn for asylum- seekers at SIH in New York City.”
Editor’s note: Names of asylum- seekers were changed in this article for their protection.
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