‘I let them know that God is with them and
that whatever happens, angels are with them protecting them.’
angel that appears on the volunteers’ T-shirts. “T e kids are familiar with that image and it comforts them because many Latino families have these images in their homes,” Paiva said. “Whenever I give it to them, they hold it to their heart. I let them know that God is with them and that whatever happens, angels are with them protecting them.” T e Guardian Angel shirts
help identify the volunteers to the children and to the judge. “T e T-shirts help let the judges know that we are there to help these kids who are coming from bad situations in their countries,” Paiva said. “We want them to know who we are and that we are taking notes and paying attention so they cannot take advan- tage of the children’s situations.”
Standing up, showing love Anyone can be a Guardian Angel. T e only prerequisite is to be will- ing to give your time and voice to the children facing immigration proceedings. “I was initially interested because I used to be a teacher and have a pas- sion for children—and then it was also a way for me to make a diff er- ence,” said volunteer Dixie Hanson, a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, T ousand Oaks, Calif. Paiva and Salvatierra say they
have witnessed the impact the pro- gram has had in the courtroom and also with the children with whom
Author bio: Brandsrud lives in Chicago and is the program interpre- ter for Lutheran Disaster Response. This article first appeared at www.
livinglutheran.com in April.
they interact. “We truly believe that by helping families connect with resources and by having a presence in the courtrooms that we are saving lives,” Salvatierra said. Salvatierra and Paiva hope other
synods where children are being released will implement a Guardian Angels program. “We have seen miracles in terms
of how judges and lawyers and people at the courts change their attitudes when they see and hear the children tell their stories,” Paiva said. “T ese children are giſt s. We’ve
been blessed by God in wonderful ways, and we can do nothing but show this love to people who need compassion and justice.”
Invest in what matters
Praxis Mutual Funds and Thrivent Financial
Make a significant impact on the world when you integrate your faith and values with investments from Praxis Mutual Funds, now available through your Thrivent Financial Representative.
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You should consider the fund’s investment objectives, risks and charges and expenses carefully before you invest. The fund’s prospectus or summary prospectus contains this and other information. Call (800) 977-2947 or visit
praxismutualfunds.com for a prospectus or summary prospectus, which you should read carefully before you invest. Praxis Mutual Funds are advised by Everence Capital Management and distributed through FINRA member BHIL Distributors Inc. Investment products offered are not FDIC insured, may lose value, and have no bank guarantee.
Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Thrivent Investment Manage- ment Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415, a FINRA and SIPC member and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representa- tives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. For additional important information, visit
Thrivent.com/disclosures. Everence and Thrivent Financial, and their subsidiaries, are not affiliated companies.
July 2015 29
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