“Resurrecting Hope” Prayer Vigil Set for April 20: Lake Union Calls for Prayer for Immigrant Members Facing Legal Crisis
Debbie Michel
April 10, 2025In an urgent call to faith and action, the Lake Union Conference is inviting members across the union to participate in a unified prayer vigil, themed “Resurrecting Hope,” on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. EST. The virtual event aims to bring spiritual support and wider attention to immigrant members whose legal status in the United States is increasingly under threat.
The vigil, led by the union’s multicultural ministries department, comes in wake of a recent development: 532,000 individuals who legally entered the U.S. under humanitarian parole received letters from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security notifying them that their legal status is being terminated. These individuals, many from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, have been ordered to “depart the United States now,” with the warning that failure to leave by April 24, 2025, could result in “removal proceedings” or “expedited removal.”
Humanitarian parole is a temporary immigration status granted to individuals facing urgent humanitarian crises or whose entry serves a significant public interest. The sudden revocation of this status has plunged thousands, including many of our members, into legal and emotional uncertainty.
This prayer initiative is not a political statement or an endorsement of illegal immigration; it is a Christ-centered response to the pain of those in our pews who are seeking to do what is right, yearning for clarity, mercy and hope.
Rooted in the biblical call of Micah 6:8 — “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” — the “Resurrecting Hope” prayer session will focus on interceding for four groups within the church community:
Members whose humanitarian parole status is being revoked
Members whose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is currently under litigation
Adventist young people under Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protections facing legal challenges
Undocumented members worshipping without a clear legal pathway
“This isn’t just a policy issue. It’s a spiritual crisis for our church family,” said Carmelo Mercado, vice president for multicultural ministries at the Lake Union Conference and one of the event’s organizers. “Micah 6:8 reminds us that justice and mercy are not optional for believers — they’re central to who we are. This prayer meeting is a plea to God and a call to action.”
The April 20 event will feature scripture readings, personal testimonies and intercessory prayer. Members across all time zones are encouraged to join us and participate simultaneously.
“I’ll be praying for my students like me who are stressed out,” said Abriel Thuc a 26-year-old Andrews University student from South Sudan with temporary protected status. Thuc, a month away from graduating with a degree in international business administration, received news this week that the U.S. government cancelled all visas for South Sudanese over a deportation dispute. “My country is at war and most of my family there have died. This prayer conference means a lot to me—it reminds me we’re not alone.”
The Lake Union is working with local conferences to equip members with information and resources to navigate these unprecedented times.
“There are hundreds of Adventists in our conferences who are in legal limbo right now,” said Eddie Allen, vice president for multilingual ministries at the Lake Region Conference. “We’re urging everyone to join us in prayer. These are families who serve, worship and build alongside us every day.”
Noel Ojeda, multicultural ministries director for the Indiana Conference, emphasized the broader calling of the church. “We must be more than a sanctuary. We must be a voice,” he said. “This call to prayer is just the beginning. We’re committed to ensuring our immigrant members are seen, heard and spiritually supported.”
The Lake Union is inviting all members — regardless of background — to unite in prayer and spread the word using the hashtag #ResurrectHope. The event will be on the ZOOM platform. You can register here for the password information.
“In a season where so many are facing legal darkness,” said Mercado, “we believe God is calling us to be light. On April 20, at 7 a.m., we will pray — and we will resurrect hope.”
YON SEZON JÈN AK LAPRIYÈ POU IMIGRAN
Moman lapriyè “Resisite Lespwa” fikse pou 20 avril: Inyon Lake (Lake Union) mande pou n priye pou manm imigran k ap fè fas ak kriz legal yo.
Nan yon apèl ijan pou lafwa ak aksyon, Inyon Lake ap envite manm inyon an pou yo patisipe nan yon moman priyè ansanm, anba tèm: "Resisite Lespwa", dimanch 20 avril 2025 lan a 7:00 a.m. EST. Evènman anliy sa a gen pou objektif pote yon sipò espirityèl ak yon atansyon pi laj bay manm imigran Etazini ki gen estati legal yo ki deplizanpli ap sibi menas.
Moman priyè sa a, ki gen depatman ministè miltikiltirèl inyon an k ap dirije li, se akoz yon evènman ki fèk sot pase: 532,000 moun ki te antre legalman Etazini nan kad yon pwogram liberasyon kondisyonèl imanitè (Pwogram Biden) te resevwa lèt soti nan Depatman Sekirite Enteryè Ameriken an ki fè yo konnen estati legal yo ap revoke. Moun sa yo—ki gen anpil nan yo ki soti Kiba, Ayiti, Nikaragwa ak Venezyela— te jwenn lòd pou yo “kite Etazini imedyatman”, avèk avètisman si yo pa kite anvan 24 avril 2025, sa ka lakòz yon “pwosedi depòtasyon” oubyen yon “depòtasyon akselere”.
Liberasyon kondisyonèl imanitè a se yon estati imigrasyon tanporè yo bay moun k ap fè fas ak kriz imanitè ijan oubyen prezans yo sèvi yon enterè piblik enpòtan. Anilasyon britsoukou estati sa a te plonje plizyè milye—ki gen ladan anpil nan manm nou yo—nan yon ensètitid legal ak emosyonèl.
Inisyativ lapriyè sa a se pa yon deklarasyon politik oubyen yon andòsman imigrasyon ilegal; se yon repons ki santre sou Kris la kòm repons a doulè sa yo ki nan mitan nou menm k ap chèche fè sa ki dwat, anvi jwenn klète, mizèrikòd ak lespwa.
Anrasinen nan apèl biblik Miche 6:8 la — “ Aji avèk jistis, renmen mizèrikòd epi mache avèk imilite ak Bondye w la” — sesyon lapriyè “Resisite Lespwa” a ap konsantre sou entèsesyon pou kat gwoup nan kominote legliz la:
1. Manm yo anile estati liberasyon kondisyonèl imanitè yo
2. Manm ki gen Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè (TPS) kounye a ki nan yon lit.
3. Jèn Advantis yo ki anba pwoteksyon DACA (Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals) k ap fè fas ak yon seri defi legal
4. Manm san papye yo k ap adore san yon chimen legal ki klè
"Sa a se pa sèlman yon pwoblèm politik. Se yon kriz espirityèl pou fanmi legliz nou an," se sa Carmelo Mercado, vis prezidan pou ministè miltikiltirèl nan Konferans Inyon Lake la (Lake Union Conference) ak youn nan òganizatè evènman an, te fè kòm deklarasyon. "Miche 6:8 fè nou sonje jistis ak mizèrikòd pa fakiltatif pou kwayan yo – yo fè pati santral idantite nou. Reyinyon priyè sa a se yon siplikasyon n ap adrese bay Bondye ak yon apèl pou aji."
Evènman 20 avril la ap gen ladan li lekti ekriti yo, temwayaj pèsonèl ak priyè entèsesyon. Nou ankouraje manm ki nan zòn ki gen divès fizo orè yo pou yo rejwenn nou pou patisipe ansanm.
"Mwen pral priye pou etidyan menm jan ak mwen tou ki estrese," deklarasyon Abriel Thuc, yon etidyan 26 lane nan inivèsite Andrews, ki soti nan Sid Soudan, ki gen estati pwoteksyon tanporè. Thuc, ki rete sèlman yon mwa pou l resevwa diplòm li nan administrasyon biznis entènasyonal, te resevwa nouvèl devastatè sa a kote gouvènman ameriken an anile tout viza moun Sid Soudan yo apre yon dezakò sou kesyon depòtasyon.
"Peyi mwen an nan lagè e pifò nan fanmi mwen la te mouri. Priyè sa konferans lan ap fè a vle di anpil pou mwen—sa fè m sonje nou pa poukont nou."
Lake Union ap travay ak konferans lokal yo pou founi manm yo enfòmasyon ak resous pou travèse monan san presedan sa a. "Se plizyè santèn Advantis nan konferans nou yo ki nan yon vid legal kounye a," se deklarasyon Eddie Allen, vis prezidan ministè miltiling nan konferans Lake Region. "N ap ankouraje tout moun pou yo rejwenn nou nan lapriyè. Sa yo se fanmi k ap sèvi, adore ak bati ansanm ak nou chak jou."
Noel Ojeda, direktè ministè miltikiltirèl nan Konferans Indiana a, te souliye vokasyon pi laj legliz la genyen. "Nou dwe plis pase yon tanp. Nou dwe yon vwa”, li te di. "Envitasyon pou lapriyè sa a se jis kòmansman an. Nou pran angajman pou n asire nou nou wè, tande ak sipòte manm imigran nou yo espirityèlman."
Lake Union envite tout manm, kèlkeswa orijin yo, pou yo ini nan lapriyè epi gaye pawòl la. Evènman an ap sou platfòm ZOOM. Ou ka enskri (la a) pou ka jwenn enfòmasyon sou modpas la.
"Nan yon sezon kote anpil moun ap fè fas ak fènwa legal," ki se deklarasyon Mercado, "nou kwè Bondye ap fè apèl ak nou pou nou limyè. Nan dat 20 avril la, a 7 a.m., nou pral priye - epi nou pral resisite lespwa."
Debbie Michel is Lake Union Herald editor.
