A retired Presbyterian pastor, Jean and other people including John Fife, helped to start the Sanctuary Movement that helped take in Guatemalan and El Salvadoran refugees fleeing from the horrific civil wars that were ripping their homelands apart. Those who were caught and deported were usually murdered by the death squads immediately after return.
The Sanctuary Movement, unlike No More Deaths, openly broke US immigration law by providing shelter and haven to the refugees. They would find people, feed them, clothe them, take them in, and pass them on to churches that offered them sanctuary and hiding places. Pastors Jean and John got their congregations involved in helping the refugees and soon linked up with other churches in the same action. Jean, John and several other pastors and priests and nuns were taken to court and risked sentences of 15 to 20 years in prison. Jean shared the story of a sister who openly told the judge that if she were given probation, the minute she left court she would be out in the desert again helping the refugees. The trial lasted 6 months, but after a lot of public outcry, no charges were laid.
Eventually, Jean and John moved on to help found No More Deaths.
This man is an absolute hero and a great example of what it means to be faithful to the Gospel. He came out with us to the desert after the Dodge broke down to give people rides to our patrol destinations.
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