When a family comes to Lumpkin to say goodbye, El Refugio is there

The  students arrived at the hospitality house not knowing what to expect, and JoAnn, longtime El Refugio house coordinator, didn’t either. It had been a while since she had hosted a group of volunteer visitors in Lumpkin. 

“I had forgotten the feeling of anticipation and curiosity of the students,” JoAnn said, “and the feeling of pride and excitement I felt in our organization when they all walked in.” 

The students were from the Presbyterian Student Center of UGA, led by the Rev. Haley Lerner. JoAnn took everyone on a tour of the house and shared its history from slavery days, to its purchase and renovation, to its role as a place of welcome and rest for loved ones of people detained at Stewart Detention Center (SDC).

That same morning, Marta arrived with her three grandchildren. Her son was at SDC, and would soon be deported. She was very upset, and JoAnn spent some time talking with her. The children belonged to her daughter, Sandra, who was at SDC visiting her brother one last time. 

The children played in the playroom and outside on the playground. When Sandra came to the house after her visit, she got a snack and something to drink, and JoAnn made sure the family had plenty of snacks and a gas card for the trip back home.  

That afternoon, JoAnn took some of the students to SDC to visit people detained there, while Connie, a longtime volunteer, led the other students in sorting donated clothes for deportation bags. When the group returned from doing visits, they had the opportunity to share their experience with the others before going back to UGA. JoAnn and Connie stayed the night, and after making a visit to SDC on Sunday morning, they too headed home. 

We don’t always have overnight guests, but our hospitality house continues to be alive with meaningful activity as we continue to be present for people detained at SDC and their loved ones. 

A volunteer plays a game with a boy staying at El Refugio’s hospitality house.