Vive clients arrive from countries all over the world. How asylum seekers get to Buffalo really depends on what sort of situation they’re running from. While there are those fleeing persecution that can take a plane, the path to hope can be very dangerous. This is Brunette’s story.
We are all together as like one family, like we are from father, one mom.
Brunette and her daughter Besma, age two, lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It was a season of election and there was a problem with the place where Brunette and her daughter were living. Describing her life in DRC as “very intentional”, Brunette and her daughter had to run from the DRC quickly. “I had no choice. I wanted to stay in my country, but I couldn’t,” said Brunette.
Fearing for their lives, Brunette and her daughter flew from DRC to Ecuador. From there, their path to hope continued by bus and on foot. The long journey traversed Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and finally to Buffalo. Describing her journey, Brunette said, “The journey was very dangerous, but God was with us.” A lawyer in Texas told her about Vive and paid for her ticket to Buffalo.
An asylum seeker is a person who fears persecution and can no longer stay in their country. They arrive in the United States asking for help. Our laws protect people asking for help and there are processes for them to have their cases heard—at Vive this is the first priority.
“I call Vive like it’s a family house,” shared Brunette. “We are all together as like one family, like we are from father, one mom.” Nearly all of Vive’s residents have one thing in common. They are fleeing dire conditions in their home countries due to violence, war, political persecution, or other kinds of danger. This danger is not merely hypothetical. Over 75% of those seeking asylum have endured torture.
Finally finding safety, Brunette made the decision to stay in Buffalo. “Brunette describes Buffalo as welcoming, quiet town and good for education. Her dreams for the future are focused on beginning a new life where Besma can have a better life than herself. Brunette is grateful to have made it to her new life. She said, “I will make sure to help those who follow so they can have good things too.”
