RILA Stories
We have been continually blessed to become part of our clients’ stories. Read below for just a few stories from those we serve, discussing their experiences with immigration, family, and how RILA has made an impact on their lives.
Carlos’ story
What do you do when your child is in danger? Carlos’s town was overrun by the MS-13 gang and the drugs they trafficked. When his 14-year-old son, Nico, was followed home from school by a gang member and then assaulted for running away, Carlos didn’t know what to do: “Now that Nico had resisted MS-13, he was in imminent danger.”
Manuel’s Story
Upon graduating from high school, Manuel was pressured to join a gang, which he had grown up seeing extort money from public bus passengers. “At first I didn’t understand why they wanted me since I had never done anything bad. I had only focused on studying and going to church…I think they wanted to recruit me because I was trying to forge a future for myself.”