Church welcomes first migrant workers

In January, some of our agricultural migrant workers, in particular the ones that work in greenhouses, arrived in Canada from Mexico. To welcome them, St. Saviour, Orono held a very special bilingual Sunday service. Indeed, one can say that it feels like a family reunion, since we have known quite a few of them for many years, and their presence in our worship community brings extra joy to our services.

In preparation for their arrival, we assembled welcome bags containing hygiene products and snacks. Last year, we distributed around 500 welcome bags, and this year we expect to distribute many more. Many of the workers, especially those who have been coming for years, are surprised to see how inflation has increased the costs of everyday items. In addition, some have also shared that their wages are impacted by the low Canadian dollar. With tariffs looming, there is the potential for life to get even more difficult.

In their own words, we hear how impactful the Migrant Worker Ministry has been:

“My name is Cortés Ayala and I work at Algoma Orchards, which is dedicated to everything related to apples. We thank Father Augusto and all the people who support us with the pantry items, winter clothes, shoes, backpacks and everything else. Thank you and God bless you” – Alejandro Cortés Ayala, Algoma Orchards

“My name is Oscar and I am from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Thanks to the parish, Father Ted (McCollum) and Father Augusto for the church services that we are invited to attend when possible. In the services, we thank God for protecting us at work and for taking care of our families. Thank you very much for all the attention and support you give us.” – Oscar Sanchez, Good Year Farm

“My name is Ricardo Johnson and I am from the Watson Farm. Pastor and team, you do wonderful, good work! God bless you and your team, and I hope and trust in the Lord that He will continue to bless you and your team, to guide you, to protect you, to lead you, and to direct! God bless you, sir.” – Ricardo Johnson, Watson Farm

There is no doubt that these workers are a vulnerable population that our Church and community are reaching out to, thanks to our diocesan focus on mission and outreach. This reflects our shared responsibility to care for all individuals in our parishes and diocese, as well as to extend our outreach beyond our church buildings.

We are delighted to welcome our migrant worker brothers and friends as they return to Canada. The Migrant Worker Ministry gladly welcomes in-kind donations and financial support through your FaithWorks contributions.