Algonquin UCC travels to Postville and Decorah, Iowa

“I went on the trip to Postville and Decorah with my mind pretty much made up about the illegal immigrant. However after hearing about the immigration raid on the meat processing plant in Postville and seeing the awesome commitment of the folk in both places my mind and heart was changed. What an awesome experience!”
The above quote from one of the five participants in our trip to Postville and Decorah comes as a result of the wonderful job Mike Mulberry did in setting up the agenda for us and taking us to meet some very committed and exciting folk who have been involved in the drama of the raid and the aftermath.
Our decision to make this trip came as a result of a seven week study of the immigration issues during Lent of this year during which we looked at where we or our ancestors came from, the Bible as the Immigration handbook, DVDs on the subject, NAFTA, immigration laws over the past 100 years +, and what is happening now in immigration reform.
We were deeply moved by the way people and churches faced the challenge of the immigration raid on the Kosher meat processing plant in Postville late last year. Their efforts to help the women and children left behind and suffering from the harassment and their work with the nine witnesses from Guatemala who have been detained for five months and now await the trial and are deeply in debt. The emotional cooperation between the churches and with in the community was very inspiring.
We urge others to learn about these people and the undocumented workers and work for immigration reform just as we intend to do.

If you are interested in taking a two to three day delegation yourself, please contact Rev. Mike Mulberry, mmulberry@gmail.com or call him at 815-234-8777.