Baptist News Global
Sections
  • News
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Curated
  • Storytelling
    • Faith & Justice >
      • Charleston: Metanoia with Bill Stanfield
      • Charlotte: QC Family Tree with Greg and Helms Jarrell
      • Little Rock: Judge Wendell Griffen
      • North Carolina: Conetoe
    • Welcoming the Stranger >
      • Lost Boys of Sudan: St. John’s Baptist Charlotte
      • Awakening to Immigrant Justice: Myers Park Baptist Church
      • Hospitality on the corner: Gaston Christian Center
    • Signature Ministries >
      • Jake Hall: Gospel Gothic, Music and Radio
    • Singing Our Faith >
      • Hymns for a Lifetime: Ken Wilson and Knollwood Baptist Church
      • Norfolk Street Choir
    • Resilient Rural America >
      • Alabama: Perry County
      • Texas: Hidalgo County
      • Arkansas Delta
      • Southeast Kentucky
  • More
    • Contact
    • About
    • Donate
    • Associated Baptist Press Foundation
    • Planned Giving
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Advertising
    • Ministry Jobs and More
    • Transitions
    • Subscribe
    • Submissions and Permissions
Donate Subscribe
Search Search this site

The day life changed for a legal immigrant — and his church

OpinionLauren Efird  |  January 18, 2018

When I looked out into the sanctuary this past Sunday morning, someone was missing. Gilles Bikindou was not sitting in his pew. When he’s there, he is hard to miss, with his little white hat and glasses on. He is also hard to miss because he’s always sitting on the edge of his pew, with a serious look on his face, contemplating every word of my sermon. I fear Gilles will never sit there again.

I’ve never felt so helpless as a pastor as I did on Tuesday, Jan. 9, the day Gilles was unexpectedly detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. As I received the frantic phone call from my associate pastor, Wes, I couldn’t do anything to reverse this horrible course of action. I couldn’t do anything to help a shocked and distraught Wes get back from Charlotte carrying only Gilles’ bag with him. I couldn’t do anything to stop the horrifying set of events that was about to happen that was going to change Gilles’ life.

The first phone call from Gilles was from the York County Detention Center in South Carolina. “Pastor, pastor, I can’t believe they did this to me! That man showed me another side of him, a face I hadn’t seen before.” The ICE officer handling his case had promised that Gilles wouldn’t be detained without warning as long as he continued to cooperate with the legal process. That apparently was not true.

Gilles came to the United States in 2004 from the Republic of Congo on an educational visa. Gilles had witnessed violence and murder in his home country and refused to lie about what he had seen. Because he refused to lie, his country would not pay for his education, so Gilles sought political asylum in 2007. He was denied political asylum, and after reviewing his case with an immigration lawyer in Raleigh, we don’t believe Gilles had adequate representation. Nevertheless, Gilles was living and working in the U.S. legally under an order of supervision that had been renewed every year, until late 2017, for reasons still unknown. But we have suspicions, of course.

Like so many people in our country living under temporary protected statuses, Gilles was abruptly denied something he had held for so long. What makes Gilles’ story so devastating is that he has a life-threatening illness that requires him to be treated by medicine that’s only available in the U.S. and Canada. He had delivered a stay of removal application to the Charlotte ICE office the day he was detained. The application had a note from his doctor about why he needed to stay here to survive. Sean Gallagher, the field office director at ICE in Atlanta, denied his stay of removal within a few hours of it being received. I feel sure Gallagher never read the application.

The next phone call from Gilles was the most harrowing. I had to tell him myself that the stay of removal had already been denied. He screamed in anger and fear: “Do they want me to die?” The anger I had been feeling finally gave way to sadness as I burst into tears with Gilles on the phone. I told Gilles that we would do everything that we could to fight for him. We continue to fight, to pray, to cry out to God, and to beg our government officials to change their minds. We are telling Gilles’ story, trying to make a way where there seems to be no way, trying to do the work of God’s justice in a world bent toward injustice and apathy.

While trying to find the right words for this Sunday’s sermon, I received another phone call from Gilles who had been transferred to Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Ga. He said, “Pastor, pastor, I know you are busy preparing for tomorrow, but I want to make sure that when you go to church in the morning, you tell everyone how grateful I am. I know you all are doing everything that you can to help me, and I know that God will not leave me.” Gilles reminded me to take hope, that God will not leave any of us, that God would sustain us as we try to find justice for Gilles. Gilles inspires me to keep on trying to make the kingdom of God a reality in our broken world.

The last word from Gilles was that he still hadn’t received his medicine. The days continue to go by. His car still sits empty in our church parking lot. His macroeconomics text book can be seen sitting in the back seat, a reminder of the dream he was working toward that may never be fulfilled, the dream of being a coder, of living a better life, of being able to better take care of himself. His car sits there as a reminder that our beloved Gilles — church member, faithful Sunday school participant, friend who prayed and cared for so many in our community — may never come home. His car sits there as a reminder of all the immigrants who’ve come to our country in search of a better life, who’ve been recently detained and deported, whose temporary statuses are being revoked without mercy, who may never come home.

His car sits there and challenges us to work to see that all of God’s children are treated as beloved, to work to see that God’s justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

If you’d like more information about Gilles’ case and how you can help, please visit Greenwood Forest’s Facebook Page.

Related content:

Baptist church fighting deportation of member with dire health concerns

Immigrant advocates unhappy with White House decision to end temporary residency for Salvadorans

Yes, your ancestors probably did come here legally — because ‘illegal’ immigration is less than a century old

82 rabbis, activists arrested On Capitol Hill over DACA protest

Salvadorans at risk of losing immigration status find support in churches

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

OPINION: Views expressed in Baptist News Global columns and commentaries are solely those of the authors.
Tags:immigrantstay of removaldeportationStewart Detention CenterTemporary Protected StatusdetainedLauren EfirddeportedGilles BikindouICEImmigration and Customs EnforcementYork County Detention CenterRepublic of Congopolitical asylumImmigrationTPS
More by
Lauren Efird
  • Get BNG headlines in your inbox

  • Featured

    • Angels among us

      Opinion

    • Sociologists find LGBTQ United Methodists, allies stay in UMC out of hope

      News

    • If a story is meant to evolve, then so are we

      Opinion

    • He was wrongly put on Death Row and believes you could be too

      News


    Curated

    • Israel’s Reform rabbi and legislator on judicial overhaul: ‘It doesn’t look good.’

      Israel’s Reform rabbi and legislator on judicial overhaul: ‘It doesn’t look good.’

    • Israel, Palestinians pledge moves to curb violence ahead of Ramadan

      Israel, Palestinians pledge moves to curb violence ahead of Ramadan

    • Pope promotes ‘humanitarian corridors’ for asylum-seekers

      Pope promotes ‘humanitarian corridors’ for asylum-seekers

    • Tim Keller and Beth Moore, On and Off the Stage

      Tim Keller and Beth Moore, On and Off the Stage

    Read Next:

    Karen Swallow Prior to leave Southeastern Seminary

    NewsMark Wingfield

    More Articles

    • All
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Curated
    • One-third of Northern Seminary students express no confidence in trustees

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • He was wrongly put on Death Row and believes you could be too

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • If a story is meant to evolve, then so are we

      OpinionKaitlin Curtice

    • Paula Faris makes a case for motherhood

      NewsMaina Mwaura

    • Sociologists find LGBTQ United Methodists, allies stay in UMC out of hope

      NewsCynthia Astle

    • Angels among us

      OpinionMary Alice Birdwhistell

    • Let’s stop treating the dignity of women as a secondary issue good Christians can disagree on

      OpinionRick Pidcock

    • First American woman appointed a missionary beat the system by funding herself

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • An Anglican in Babylon

      OpinionLee Enochs

    • Jimmy Carter leads by example one last time

      NewsMallory Challis

    • Listen to the voices of women

      OpinionKathy Manis Findley

    • Ministry jobs and more

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • Karen Swallow Prior to leave Southeastern Seminary

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • Acting chair of Northern Seminary board resigns in protest of board’s ‘official silence’ about Shiell

      NewsElizabeth Souder

    • This Women’s History Month, complementarianism is trending on TikTok

      AnalysisMallory Challis

    • Stranger in the Village: James Baldwin and inclusion

      OpinionGreg Garrett, Senior Columnist

    • Amid rampant antisemitism, most Americans think highly of Jews 

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • How can we say thanks? Reflections on the influence of Andrae Crouch

      OpinionDoug Haney

    • Two days after filing suit against SBC, ‘Pastor Johnny’ was preaching in Georgia

      NewsMaina Mwaura

    • ‘Pastor Johnny’ sues the SBC and Guidepost

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • Eating disorders in religious communities: The benefits, and consequences, of assigning moral value to food

      AnalysisMallory Challis

    • UMC agency asks to monitor bishop’s case as suspicion rises

      NewsCynthia Astle

    • Polling is shifting on conservatives’ attitudes on immigration

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • The SBC: ‘They are who we thought they were’

      OpinionKris Aaron

    • Denny Burk pushes back against Rick Warren’s new understanding of women in ministry

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • One-third of Northern Seminary students express no confidence in trustees

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • He was wrongly put on Death Row and believes you could be too

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Paula Faris makes a case for motherhood

      NewsMaina Mwaura

    • Sociologists find LGBTQ United Methodists, allies stay in UMC out of hope

      NewsCynthia Astle

    • First American woman appointed a missionary beat the system by funding herself

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Jimmy Carter leads by example one last time

      NewsMallory Challis

    • Ministry jobs and more

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • Karen Swallow Prior to leave Southeastern Seminary

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • Acting chair of Northern Seminary board resigns in protest of board’s ‘official silence’ about Shiell

      NewsElizabeth Souder

    • Amid rampant antisemitism, most Americans think highly of Jews 

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Two days after filing suit against SBC, ‘Pastor Johnny’ was preaching in Georgia

      NewsMaina Mwaura

    • ‘Pastor Johnny’ sues the SBC and Guidepost

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • UMC agency asks to monitor bishop’s case as suspicion rises

      NewsCynthia Astle

    • Polling is shifting on conservatives’ attitudes on immigration

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Denny Burk pushes back against Rick Warren’s new understanding of women in ministry

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • Akin apologizes for tweet about slavery but is chastised by the SBC’s far-right

      NewsMark Wingfield

    • 80,000 Jews have fled Russia since Putin invaded Ukraine

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Africa’s freelance prophets are breaking free of denominations

      NewsNyasha Bhobo

    • Transitions for the week of 3-17-23

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • CeCe Winans believes it

      NewsMaina Mwaura

    • BSK seeks input on youth and children’s ministries

      NewsPat Cole

    • Alliance of Baptists and others urge Congress to divert military funds to social services

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Less talked about: Clergy sexual abuse on the mission field

      NewsDegracias Kalimo

    • Stimpson pours lifetime of skill, compassion into Welcome House refugees

      NewsMarv Knox

    • Inflammatory language of Christian nationalism is a real threat, Hollman and Tyler say

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • If a story is meant to evolve, then so are we

      OpinionKaitlin Curtice

    • Angels among us

      OpinionMary Alice Birdwhistell

    • Let’s stop treating the dignity of women as a secondary issue good Christians can disagree on

      OpinionRick Pidcock

    • An Anglican in Babylon

      OpinionLee Enochs

    • Listen to the voices of women

      OpinionKathy Manis Findley

    • Stranger in the Village: James Baldwin and inclusion

      OpinionGreg Garrett, Senior Columnist

    • How can we say thanks? Reflections on the influence of Andrae Crouch

      OpinionDoug Haney

    • The SBC: ‘They are who we thought they were’

      OpinionKris Aaron

    • Blowing the whistle on wedding fouls

      OpinionBrad Bull

    • ‘Grandmas make the best banana bread’

      OpinionJustin Cox

    • Troubling the water, a gospel for the ‘unmet’

      OpinionBill Leonard, Senior Columnist

    • What has happened to suspended UMC Latina bishop?

      OpinionCynthia Astle

    • When we can’t hear our children’s cries

      OpinionSusan K. Smith

    • How I realized I had been shaped by patriarchal views of pastors

      OpinionTambi Brown Swiney

    • My home state is no longer safe for my family

      OpinionLucas Land

    • Saying the quiet part out loud

      OpinionLindsay Bergstrom

    • Tennessee representative who proposed execution by ‘hanging by a tree’ needs a history lesson

      OpinionRodney Kennedy

    • Letter to the Editor: Call out leaders’ bad behavior

      OpinionLetters to the Editor

    • Three years ago today, our world changed

      OpinionMolly Brummett Wudel

    • Sometimes it’s not a good idea to quote the Bible

      OpinionMark Wingfield

    • Shelter from the storm: The Asbury revival as Woodstock 2.0

      OpinionAlan Bean

    • Lessons from a Hindu wedding: What if the point of evangelism is friendship?

      OpinionSusan M. Shaw, Senior Columnist

    • Paved A Way: Why we need to relearn the history of infrastructure

      OpinionCollin Yarbrough

    • The one thing that unites the world’s religions

      OpinionRobert P. Sellers

    • The rest we must have

      OpinionLaura Stephens-Reed

    • Israel’s Reform rabbi and legislator on judicial overhaul: ‘It doesn’t look good.’

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Israel, Palestinians pledge moves to curb violence ahead of Ramadan

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Pope promotes ‘humanitarian corridors’ for asylum-seekers

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Tim Keller and Beth Moore, On and Off the Stage

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Alarmed by their country’s political direction, more Israelis are seeking to move abroad

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • 2nd Vatican official says pope OK’d ransom payments for nun

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Across the country, a push to observe Muslim holidays in school calendars

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Far-right Israeli minister finds enemy in JDC, the mainstream American Jewish aid group

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Charter school movement divided over religious Oklahoma proposal

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Racial Justice Leaders Are Calling For An End To Deadly Traffic Stops

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Russian Christians Make Theological Case for Peace

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Preemptive Love Coalition to merge with Search for Common Ground

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Buddhism Went Mainstream Decades Ago. US Churches Still Aren’t Ready.

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • AR-15 lapel pins are more than political provocation — they’re symbols of the violence at the heart of white Christian nationalism

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • US tribes get bison as they seek to restore bond with animal

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Tennessee’s drag ban rehashes old culture war narratives

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • US Hispanic Protestant churches are young, growing and largely new to the country

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Pope Francis’ Decade of Division

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • For American Zionist LGBTQ group, Israel’s right-wing government has created an urgent crisis

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Bizarre Tweet About Girls’ Bathrooms Backfires On Oklahoma Education Czar

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • How A Faithful Catholic In Congress Turned Into A Heretic

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Trump vs. DeSantis: Florida pastors mull conservative issues

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • Far-right Israeli minister urges loyalty as his US visit draws protests, boycotts and arrests

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • I went to CPAC to take MAGA supporters’ pulse – China and transgender people are among the top ‘demons’ they say are ruining the country

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    • With Her Newsworthy ‘Firsts,’ Don’t Ignore Religion Angles In Nikki Haley Vs. Donald Trump

      Curated

      Exclude from home pageBNG staff

    Conversations that Matter.

    © 2023 Baptist News Global. All rights reserved.

    Want to share a story? We hope you will! Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here.

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • RSS