Daniel Morales* was 5 years old when he was abandoned by his parents, and he survived living on the streets. Even at that young age, gangs tried to intimidate him to join.
As a teen, Daniel escaped the pressure, and traveled on top of trains through Mexico to the United States—a journey many deem as too risky. “But he was relentlessly positive,” said Hannah Eash-Gates, his legal representative and an alumna of Mennonite Voluntary Service.
The two met at the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) in San Antonio. Eash-Gates served at RAICES during her time with MVS and continued there for seven years after her service term ended.
In the two years it took for Eash-Gates to help Morales achieve legal permanent residency status, he enrolled in high school, made the honor roll, and learned two languages! Both of their lives were changed through knowing one another.
Eash-Gates graduated from Goshen College with a double major in Spanish and Peace Justice Conflict Studies. MVS gave her the opportunity to put her double major into action. “I had absolutely zero interest in the law or legal work, but it sounded interesting to work with Spanish-speaking refugees,” Eash-Gates said. Eventually, her passion outgrew her ability and she decided to go to law school. Eash-Gates is in her second year of law school at Northeastern University in Boston.
“MVS and my subsequent employment at RAICES not only gave me experience that helped me get a full scholarship, but it also made me a better student because I know why I’m there.”
*A pseudonym was used to protect his privacy.
6 things that can be learned during service
An excerpt from Susannah Epp’s blogpost, “Living in Jackson, I’ve learned many things”
- Find the sacred in small spaces: “… a church is still a church if there are only 15 people in it.”
- Challenge the norm: “… a lot of the time, stereotypes are ridiculously, entirely wrong.”
- Shift in perception: “I’ve learned what it feels like to be a minority, noticed everywhere you go.”
- Witness the power of encouragement: “… if you applaud one kid for something, 20 other kids will fall over themselves trying to earn your approval for the same thing.”
- Uncover new skills: “I’ve learned to overcome my shyness and hold my own in a conversation with a group of people I just met.”
- Goodness: “Most importantly, I’ve learned that goodness can be found everywhere, in anyone, if you look for it the right way.” To read more, visit MennoniteMission.net/blog.