Help the Barahona Family Secure Their Future

My name is Anna and I met the Familia Barahona as a missionary in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Even then, they were in the process of fleeing their once-idyllic home in La Mosquitia, a beautiful, forested part of eastern Honduras. Tragically, La Mosquitia has recently become a stop on the route for drug smuggling. When Roberto Barahona and his family of 5 refused to let gang members use their land, they were put in severe danger. I won't include details here, for the sake of privacy, but suffice it to say they have justifiable reason to flee the country. They are now living here in the US, as asylum seekers.

Unfortunately, applying for asylum is a difficult and expensive process. And until they file their asylum application, the family can't apply for or receive work permits. That means they've been relying on the generosity of extended family to support themselves, and can't make money to pay the legal fees necessary to receive a work permit. Asylum applications are due within one year of living within the United States, so the family has just ONE month left to submit their application.

That's where you and I come in: I've found a lawyer willing to take their case, and give them the best possible shot at receiving asylum. Unfortunately, I am a college student and don't have quite the disposable income necessary to pay for their legal work. If we can raise $1,800, that will be enough to cover the cost of the lawyer and the rush fee to get the application filed before the deadline. Anything you're willing to contribute will help, and any extra money will go towards supporting the family's basic needs until they receive work permits. Thank you so much for your support!