This is what FAITH looks like

A growing team of Good Shepherd parishioners is bearing witness at peaceful protests at the ICE building in Burlington. This unsigned building at 1000 District Ave, behind the Burlington Mall, is the primary Field Office for New England which means it is the center for Removal and Enforcement Operations.

At 7:00 AM on Tuesday, September 16, a group from Good Shepherd joined hundreds of others from across the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts in support of Blanca, a Honduran refugee and Salem parishioner. Blanca was ordered to the ICE office for the second time in a month where she faced the risk of being detained on the spot or given a 2-week notice to self-deport. She is one of thousands of rule-following immigrants who have been kidnapped by ICE or are at risk of detention and deportation.

The rally for Blanca was organized by Episcopal City Missions along with other human rights organizations. It was in addition to the Wednesday rallies that have been going on for more than 20 consecutive weeks and have grown to 600 people. By peacefully rallying we were able to accompany Blanca, demonstrate moral and political solidarity, and make it much harder for federal agents to detain or deport her without cause.

This video, taken by Rev. Ellie, documents Blanca walking on crutches into her hearing surrounded by Bishop Julia, her rector, her attorney, as well as political and community leaders. In a powerful embrace of emotional support, the crowd sang and prayed her into the building, and rejoiced when she came out later with good news: Blanca may remain in the US for a year and can resume her path to permanent citizenship.

It matters when we show up in the name of faith.

Massachusetts Episcopalians rally behind immigrant church member before ICE appointment

El Ocotillo celebrates our sister relationship

On Saturday, July 12th, 2025, a day we expected to be in the village, the community of El Ocotillo gathered for an Acción de Gracias por Hermanamiento which means Thanksgiving for our Sister Relationship. Many people were in attendance, including our scholarship students. The village sent a letter to us which is translated here:

Dear sister community of the Good Shepherd in solidarity,

Please receive a fraternal and warm greeting from the Leadership committee and the scholarship students of Ocotillo. With much affection, we wish to express to you how profoundly sorry we are that you have not been able to visit us as previously envisioned. We understand that current circumstances, in the United States with the deportations as well as in El Salvador with the current regime, are not favorable for your visit. 

       Nevertheless, we remain firm in the hope that a time when we can be together will come again soon. With faith in God, we believe that there will be better times ahead. He gives us the strength to forge ahead, even in the midst of difficulties, and we trust that his will, will reunite us again soon. 

       In the meantime, we want you to know that we hold you present in our prayers and in our hearts. We close with the living hope that you will soon return to Ocotillo. Here we await you with open arms and hearts, full of joy for that day, that with the help of God, will come soon.

With affection and hope, 

The leadership committee and scholarship students of Ocotillo

To view pictures of the gathering click here.

To read about why our trip this summer was cancelled, click here.

Our Rise Against Hunger meals have shipped!

The 10,000 meals we packaged on May 4th are headed to The Democratic Republic of Congo. Located in the center of Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)  is the second largest country in Africa, with the fourth largest population. Despite its many natural resources, corruption and weak institutions have delayed the country’s development. Child malnutrition is widespread, and most of the population lives in conditions of moderate to serious food insecurity. The Global Hunger Index,  which assesses food insecurity based on indicators that measure undernourishment and undernutrition, categorizes the DRC as having an “alarming” level of hunger.
To read more about how RAH meets the standards of the United Nations sustainable development goals, click here.

Increased repression in El Salvador puts our scholarship program at risk

On May 11, 2025 Rafael Pupo and Barb Magee from the El Salvador Committee had a lengthy Zoom meeting with the Fundahmer staff in San Salvador, Wendy, José, and the Executive Director, Javier, at their request. They needed to make us aware of the deteriorating situation in El Salvador and the effect it could have on our scholarship program with the youth of El Ocotillo.

In the month of May there was a serious ratcheting up of abuses of power and repressive legislation intended to silence any dissent against the Bukele government.

Continued and accelerated repression of the free press.

Seven journalists working for the now exiled news organization El Faro had to flee the country recently when they learned arrest warrants had been issued against them. Their “crimes” have been to document and expose the secret agreements Bukele made with the gangs to ensure his rise to absolute power. Despite the very real danger, many of these journalists have continued to report on the abuses of power justified under the “state of exception,” the Salvadoran version of Marshall Law. Declared in 2022 to fight gangs, it has now been extended to include anyone who questions government policy.

Jailing of human rights and judicial aid advocates

Internationally recognized civil rights attorney, Ruth Lopez, has been arrested and charged with embezzlement dating back 10 years and with no details provided. Ruth was currently serving as Director of Anti-Corruption and Justice at Cristosal, an organization we know well and have supported for years. Ruth is the most well-known of several human rights workers who have been arrested.

Redistribution of farmlands

According to this excellent explanation in The Guardian: Following the 12 year civil war, in the early 90s, “land redistribution was promised as a key step toward peace and social justice, a process that led to the formation of hundreds of rural cooperatives.” Recently, “megaprojects, extractivism, real estate and tourism developments, and agribusiness are all driving a new wave of dispossession. About 11,000 families are in extreme vulnerability.” These families often face legal uncertainty and sudden eviction notices, backed by the presence of police or private security.

When the farmers being evicted organized a peaceful protest to appeal to President Bukele, they were met by violent police action and the arrest of their leaders including their pastor and a civil rights attorney. So far, the area around El Ocotillo has not been impacted.

Foreign Agents Law

This is the greatest threat to our long-standing scholarship program and the reason that Fundahmer urgently reached out to us. The new Foreign Agents Law goes into effect in less than 90 days. It requires any organization (e.g. Fundahmer, Cristosal) receiving funds from outside the country to re-register with the interior ministry and pay a 30% tax on all such donations. The authorities can impose fines and revoke legal status of non-compliant organizations. This is another page out of the totalitarian playbook. Similar measures have been used in Putin’s Russia, Nicaragua and other authoritarian regimes. Bukele will use this to pressure, control, or remove any NGO which dares to speak against his policies. The legislative language is purposely vague, giving the government more power to easily weaponize it.

Our friends at Fundahmer are courageous and determined to move forward as long as they can despite any personal risks they and their families may face. They have explained that the 30% tax on donations will not go into effect until September 7, so the balance of this year’s scholarship funds, which we always send in June or July, should not be affected. Fundahmer will try to use a provision of the legislation to submit a letter requesting exemption from this regulation, but the outcome of that will be completely in the hands of the government.

For now, they ask for our prayers, and they expressed how much our solidarity means to them and to our brothers and sisters in El Ocotillo.

Groundbreaking for Esperanza Academy's new school

On Thursday, May 29 th Carolyn and Andy Platt represented Good Shepherd at the groundbreaking for Esperanza Academy’s new school which is due to open in the Fall 2026. The new building will allow the academy to expand from a middle school for girls to a K-8 school and to move from an old crowded building to a beautiful 21st century school.

In the presentations at the ground breaking ceremony several speakers mentioned the positive impact the new building will have on revitalization of downtown Lawrence. The mayor and many council members were there along with families and other supporters.

The new Esperanza Academy will be the only girls K-8, tuition-free school in the country!

Read about how this new building will reflect the school’s vision to educate and support girls from Lawrence’s low-income communities.

We did it!

10,000 meals and an abundance of enthusiasm!

Fifty-one pairs of hands did God's work on Sunday packaging 10,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger. Children brought their grandparents; and grandparents brought their grandchildren. Some joined for the first time and other "experts" took their favorite stations for the third year in a row. A hearty crew helped set up, arriving at eight in the morning and more generous souls stayed to clean the parish hall and load the truck. Thank you to all and to the many generous donors! 

Ken's quote from St. Francis says it all: "Preach the Gospel always. When necessary, use words." No words were needed on Sunday.

It's almost here!!!

Our 2025 Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event is Sunday, May 4 12:00-2:00. Once again we will package 10,000 meals to send to a part of the world where food is scarce. This year, with the dismantling of USAID, it is more important than ever! Check out this video of last year’s good work.

We will need 65-75 volunteers to set up, fill the bags, and clean up; and $4100 to fund the ingredients and the shipping costs.

 Sign up to volunteer here. Send donations to our RAH webpage or to the donation page on the church’s website. (Click “Add Gift to another fund.”)  Or, you can write a check to Church of the Good Shepherd with RAH in the memo line. Funds are needed by May 4th.

 It feeds our souls and it’s FUN!

Joint Service with El Ocotillo

Highlights of our joint service with El Ocotillo.

Greetings from El Ocotillo

The students from our sister community El Ocotillo participating in the church’s scholarship program share personal greetings with Good Shepherd. Two experienced chefs share tips on making perfect Salvadoran pupusas.