Sisters Kathy Neely and Yuli Oncihuay share their experience on the Border in El Paso

July 21, 2021

In the true spirit of friendship, Sisters Kathy Neely and Yuli Oncihuay began their presentation in the Motherhouse library with the song Letra A que tü sabes (Oh, you don’t know). They encouraged all present, Sisters, Associates and friends, to join in. With photos and song, and in both English and Spanish, they demonstrated the powerful impact that their month of service in El Paso, Texas, serving immigrants has had on them.

They, along with Toledo Ursuline Carol Reamer, served at the Casa del Refugiado of Annunciation House, a temporary shelter (1-3 days) for immigrants entering the country. They performed various duties, including intake, serving meals, laundry and cleaning. On Mother’s Day, Sister Yuli had the three of them craft cards for the mothers that were there. Over a hundred people a day that came through the shelter and there were 14 volunteers and support staff.

They saw and heard many heartbreaking stories; of families separated at the border, of children traumatized and the uncertainty of where they were going next. Relatives and friend were to sponsor them for the next leg of their journey, but it was often a tenuous connection.

They said that the verse Matthew 25: 37-40 served as the underpinning of their experience:
Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

President Jean Anne Zappa, OSU, expressed her gratitude to Sisters Kathy and Yuli for representing the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville in this critical area of ministry.
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Video of their presentation can be found here: