Migrants who have been in the US for a few months returned the generosity they were given upon entering the country by serving food Tuesday at a Brooklyn church to new arrivals seeking asylum.
“I didn’t want to just come and take. I wanted to give back,” said Michael Corros, a father who fled Venezuela with his young family and arrived in New York two months ago. “It makes me feel human. I am doing something for the help I am getting.”
Corros, 26, and his partner Georgina Paredes, 24, came to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge to help hand out hot meals and to get clothes for their two daughters, ages 5 and 3.
The family spent three months walking through Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico to get to the US after their home was destroyed by floods.
“Our house collapsed because of the floods and the economy was bad,” Corros said in Spanish. “We had to move out of the house, the country… look for a better future for our kids.”
Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz walks with Venezuelan family, Georgina Parades, Michael Corros and their two daughters Keyle and Kata. Paul Martinka
Keyle, 5, and Kata, 3, snacked on apples at the church as their father helped hand out food. Paul Martinka
Luis Moreira, 42, arrived from Ecuador just two months ago but still helped distribute food to new migrants. Paul MartinkaParedes added that they made sure to teach their daughters, Keyle and Kata, to say “thank you” since they crossed the border.
“We don’t take this for granted,” she said as they left with bags of clothes and toys for the girls. “We are coming back on Sunday!”
Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz, who has been the pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for the past four years, said the parish serves a resource center for between 50 to 100 migrants from all five boroughs every day.
New arrivals also come to Good Shepherd when they are unable to find a place to stay right away and sleep at the church.
“You have people being displaced and on the road for months… they need a safe place. They come to a church,” Ruiz, 52, said. “It gives them a sense of family and community and a place to worship in their language.”
The church provides hot meals, take-home food, clothes, toys, toiletries and other necessities to the asylum seekers.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church serves between 50 to 100 migrants every day, according to the pastor. Paul Martinka
Asylum seekers said others whose shoes they were in just months ago felt good. Paul MartinkaThe reverend, who is originally from Mexico, said the migrants come from many different countries in Latin America in order to work and improve their lives and their children’s lives. Many come from Venezuela.
“They want to help themselves but they also want to help others,” Ruiz said. “They are grateful for what is being done for them so they want to serve and give back to the community.”
When Luis Alberto Moreira, 42, arrived in New York with his wife and son from Ecuador two months ago, they came to Good Shepherd for help.
“When I first came here, I came to the church and the priest helped me out,” he said in Spanish. “He gave me and my family clothes and food.”
Moreira was handing food out to other newly arrived migrants and community members at the Bay Ridge church Tuesday.
“I wanted to give back. I come four times per month to volunteer,” he said, adding that it makes him feel good.
Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz with Jacky Rivera of Peru, who cooked a hot meal for hungry migrants. Paul Martinka
Many of the migrants volunteering planned to come back over the weekend to help again. Paul MartinkaAnother family — who are still working to get on their feet themselves after arriving in the US from Peru just over two weeks ago — volunteered their time and cooking.
Jacky Rivera, 52, cooked stewed chicken and rice and served it to other migrants while her husband Tulio Asmad, 50, helped unload supplies from a truck and their 27-year-old son organized bookshelves in the church.
Asmad said he heard about what Good Shepherd was doing from a friend and decided to come out to help and get away from the tiny Manhattan hotel room where they are staying.
“I love to cook. I saw the need and I jumped into action,” Rivera said in Spanish. “This is like reciprocity. I am grateful for the opportunity to come here with my family… and the best way to give back is to be of service.”
Moreira, the Ecuadorian migrant, said he plans to volunteer his time as much as physically possible.
“I will continue to come whenever I can. If not here, I will be in the Bronx, Queens,” he said, giving a thumbs up. “I can never forget the help I am getting. I know God will bless me in the process.”






