Pastor Tomas Sanabria lives in a four-story duplex in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood and said since last summer he’s been housing migrants on the second and third floor of his private building.
“I just see it as an extension to the overall ministry that I’ve been running for years and that’s why it was easy for me to say yes,” he said.
The pastor of Iglesia del Pacto Evangelico de Albany Park bought his home in 1989. He said over the years the space has been used for ministry and outreach programs, including youth groups and now a temporary home for migrant families.
“This is a crisis that we’re all facing and trying to deal with as a nation and the churches are doing their part and I guess I’m doing my part as well because my life is ministry,” he said.
The pastor showed NBC 5 the space Tuesday afternoon and introduced a mother of two from Venezuela. She’s been staying at the private residence with her family. They have their own room and share the kitchen, bathroom, and living space with 12 other migrants. She told NBC 5 off-camera she’s grateful for the hospitality.
“We receive immigrants every Sunday since I no longer have space here then we make sure they’re connected to an agency or social services—not everybody is going to a center,” he said.
While the city is tracking the number of migrants arriving and staying in temporary shelters and police stations, a spokesperson said at this time the city is not tracking the number of new arrivals staying in private residences.
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Pastor Sanabria said each person living in his home has been screened and interviewed and there are rules to follow.
“We pray they’re going to be settled and ready to move on, rent their own apartment, get their own jobs,” he said.
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The pastor said he’s doing his best to help them start a new chapter and land on their feet and believes this is the right thing to do.
“As a nation we must learn how to help others,” he said. “It’s true, we don’t want to lose our nation in what we believe in but the struggle is not to get lost within the politics of things or in the fear of things.”
