Bishop opens Mattapan church to Haitian refugees
MATTAPAN - The war-torn streets of Haiti are difficult to watch on television, and even harder to see when those streets were once called home. Nicolas Homicil is a bishop at the Voice of the Gospel Tabernacle Church in Mattapan. He still has friends and family in Haiti, and people from the country seeking refuge in his church.
"Sometimes I am not in the office, and I get a call, there is a family with children sitting on the sidewalk of the church," said Homicil. "Some people are crossing eight borders before they get to Texas or Mexico."
Gangs have taken over much of the capital city of Port-Au-Prince, and they are attacking prisons and airports.
"I would love to go to my native country, but if I go, I may not return," said Homicil. "We see people with beautiful homes, and they had to flee their lives to save their lives. The gangs took over their house."
These gang leaders joined forces in an effort to push out Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
"The worst part of it is the prime minister who is there was not legitimately elected," said Homicil of Henry.
On March 12, Henry said he would step down if a transitional president was put in place. Homicil wishes the United States stepped in sooner and allowed the country to hold its own election.
"The U.S. government put all of this effort into Ukraine that is so far away. Haiti is right at your nose," said Homicil. "If they wanted to help Haiti, the situation would never be like that. Establish the peace in Haiti, and people from Haiti would be glad to remain in the country."
An estimated 15,000 people have since fled with some reaching Massachusetts. One of the refugees living in his church crossed 12 borders to get here, and sometimes was on foot. He is now staying in a makeshift room set up in the church, while others sleep in beds and eat from the church pantries.
"Even though it isn't comfortable, it is better than staying in the street," said Homicil.
It's better than being home.