Chelo came from an extremely impoverished village in Nicaragua. In 2018, Chelo left her home country due to the dangerous political upheaval that has swept her nation. Militia members killed other peaceful activists and pursued her and her husband. Chelo and her husband Juan traveled for several months before arriving at the Southern border.
After several months at the Matamoros Camp, Chelo became pregnant, but quickly developed an infection that endangered her pregnancy. She was taken to a Mexican hospital that saved her baby. A few months later, as she began to go into labor, Chelo and her husband decided to cross the Rio Grande River.
As soon as they were getting out of the Rio Grande River, Chelo and her husband were surrounded by border patrol vehicles that seized them for deportation. Due to the stress, Chelo went into early labor and nearly lost her baby. Though CBP took her to a hospital in McAllen to save her baby, they separated her husband and deported him back to the camp in the process. They were not even able to say goodbye.
By God’s providence, Chelo was released to Catholic Charities in McAllen, where Alma Ruth went to pray for her and calm her down, as she was severely distressed by her border-crossing ordeal. Chelo knew only one person in the United States, an asylum-seeker herself, and she was able to receive her in Central Texas. Practice Mercy staff were able to buy her a bus ticket, walk her to the bus station, and wait with her until her bus left for its destination.
Chelo arrived in Texas and gave birth a few weeks later. Practice Mercy has since connected her to a compassionate church that now cares for her and her new baby. The women in the congregation have rallied together to gather donations for her baby and find the legal help. Because of Practice Mercy’s efforts, Chelo and her baby are finally in good hands. Practice Mercy continues to make efforts to secure legal status for her husband in the Matamoros camp.
https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2020/12/15/birth-next-rio-grande-shows-risks-border/3912549001/
