Unidos

On a rainy Thursday afternoon, about 20 people gathered around UD’s peace pole to pray for all those affected by immigration and to be “mindful of families who have suffered,” Amy Anderson, associate provost for global and intercultural affairs, said to those in attendance.

As she spoke, she reminded participants of the global context for the current U.S. immigration news: 25 million refugees have fled their home countries, and 40 million refugees have been displaced within their home countries.

As a guitarist led the song “Unidos,” participants sang lyrics about being “united in the Lord” and that “though many, we are one.” Another campus member then read a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, which portrayed the Holy Family as refugees.

This month’s Prayers of the Heart service also included a litany of prayers for immigrant families, “here and abroad.” After each prayer, the group responded, “God, hear our prayer and move us to action.”

The ceremony concluded with each participant placing a small blue flag with the symbol for peace into the ground and offering each other a handshake or a hug as a sign of peace.