And I was impressed also by the tremendous difference that she and her Missionaries of Charity made in the lives of hundreds of thousands of starving families during the famine in Ethiopia and Sudan in 1984 and 1985. My family and I visited the area during the Christmas season in 1984. and was deeply moved by Mother Teresas extraordinary healing presence amid that great tragedy. Since this visa category was established in 1990. over 20.000 religious workers have entered the United States to serve in our communities. These men and women have brought their skills and compassion to churches. synagogues. mosques. and other places of worship across America. They teach in our parochial schools. They serve as health care workers. cantors. and catechists. They provide religious training to youths and afterschool programs that keep young people off the streets and give them hope for a better future. I have been deeply moved by the ways in which this special visa has benefited Massachusetts. Maria Alvarez came to Boston at the invitation of the African Mission Fathers. and has devoted her life to helping city youth deal with gang violence. depression. and other problems that plague Inner cities. She has also extended her helping hand to refugees in the Boston area. helping them build new lives in our state. Sister Vitolia came to Lawrence. Massachusetts on a religious worker visa through the Society of Mary. She works with unemployed and homeless Spanish speakers there. She helps them find jobs and helps keep their families together.
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visa refugees