Casa de Paz: Contributing to Peace
by the Strangers as Neighbors Team
Love your neighbor as yourself – Luke 10:27b
Casa de Paz began in 2012 as a small, one-bedroom Aurora apartment offering hospitality to families separated by immigrant detention. Since their doors were opened, they’ve hosted over 2,300 immigrants from 30 countries. The need for love, compassion, shampoo, a backpack and a place to sleep never ends.
The work of Casa de Paz (Spanish for “House of Peace”) is to host families whose loved ones are being detained and individuals who have been recently released from the Aurora Detention Center. Their vision is to contribute to the peace and stability of immigrants in the United States.
Detention is a difficult time that tears families apart and creates a financial burden, so their services are free. Casa de Paz and its volunteers provide visits and emotional support, shelter and meals, access to phones, WiFi, computers and transportation to the folks being detained by the US Federal Government in the privately-run detention center in Aurora.
This past spring, the founder of Casa de Paz visited Mountain View to speak at a Sunday School session and a UMW event. Sarah Jackson is around 30-years-old, and she has already made a difference in the lives of thousands of people. She began her journey on a church mission trip to the US/Mexican border and spoke with people to learn about their reasons for migrating and the dangers they face in doing so. She saw families being separated first-hand. When she returned to Colorado, Sarah decided to do open Casa de Paz because she believes families should be together.
Downstairs at Casa de Paz, there are two guest bedrooms – one for men and one for women – with brightly colored quilts on top of bunk beds. Upstairs there’s a room for families. On each of the 12 beds is a handwritten welcome note from a Casa volunteer, as well as a bag of travel-sized toiletries, a backpack and a towel. Guests can stay for up to three days although most leave sooner, eager to meet up with family or friends elsewhere in the United States.
If the vision and services of Casa de Paz touch your heart, reach out to them at casadepazcolorado.org/donate or casadepazcolorado.org/volunteer-opportunities. If you are interested in being a volunteer, the next Volunteer Training session is September 7 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm @ Highlands Church (Then October 5 and November 2). Contact Casa de Paz to sign up.
The Word of God is clear on this issue. We serve the Prince of Peace. We are to help our neighbor, the foreigner, the stranger, the immigrant, the “other.” Supporting Casa de Paz might be the way that you can make a difference in an immigrant family’s life and bring someone to Christ.