Look closely at these names written the bottom of the page, Abouna told me, "To a stranger, this looks like a simple ledger or a hurried checklist. But to me, these names are the heavy hearts of our people, carried right into the presence of God."

Abouna explained that when our families first arrive in Ridgewood, fleeing displacement and uncertainty, they carry burdens too heavy for one person to bear. "When a young man comes to me terrified about his asylum hearing on Tuesday, or a mother tells me her family is facing sudden eviction on Woodward Avenue, I do not just offer a sympathetic ear," he said. "I take out my pen."

He writes their names directly into this prayer book so he will never forget them during the Divine Liturgy. For our community, this journal bridges the material shocks of migration with divine comfort. "As I stand before the altar, holding the chalice, I look down at these handwritten names," Abouna told me gently. "I pray for their housing, their legal status, and their safety. The American Dream is a terrifying, lonely pursuit if you walk it alone. We write these names down so our people know that their struggles are seen, their hunger is answered, and they are never, ever forgotten."

– OT

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant