Page 30 - Catholic Extension Magazine Summer2020

30 INSPIRE

Cover Story

From page 29 positive for COVID-19. He shared he believes is helping others
and others to support the needs the news with his community on to set aside their fears of being
of families whose lives were shat- WhatsApp, a messaging app. judged or “tagged” and to come
tered when immigration officials Soon he learned that an out- forward to seek help. In some
arrested 700 migrants working in pouring of love and acts of care instances, entire families have
a local chicken processing plant. are often the best medicine. He been infected.
The raid was the largest in a single received messages of support The mutual support continues.
state in U.S. history. from the people of St. Anne, but A drive-thru distribution of essen-
The resilient priest recently also encountered some surprise at tials, led by Church lay leaders,
emerged from two weeks of seri- his willingness to divulge his diag- remains in place while he recu-
ous COVID-19 illness. When Cath- nosis. “I felt a responsibility to in- perates. “No me he dejado,” he
olic Extension checked in with form the community to help avoid assures them, “I have not left.”
him, the only thing more per- spreading the illness,” he said. Just like his determination to
sistent than his cough was his His sharing spurred others to forge a path forward for families
determination to share his story open up about their own expe- healing from last summer’s raids,
so others, especially migrants, will riences and offer ideas for cures. Father Odel is fighting COVID-19
come out of the shadows and not Soon, soups and other homemade by keeping the faith and imparting
be afraid to seek help should they remedies began to arrive on his positive advice to those he serves.
take ill. doorstep. “You have to believe that you can
It was late in April when Father Father Odel continues to overcome this,” he said.
Odel was feeling sick and tested share recovery updates which

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