A Little Christmas Miracle

by Jani Gustafson

The Saturday before Christmas, I received a text from one of our pastors (Pastor Dale Dalman). He asked if I or my church could help a young family in Pontiac, MI who desperately needed support. Their situation was heartbreaking: both mother and father had been detained by ICE, leaving three young children—ages 4, 6, and 12—in the care of their aunt and cousin.

The mother was a Venezuelan woman (Kimberlin) who had followed all the correct immigration processes. She held a valid social security card, work permit, and had no criminal history. Yet ICE detained her anyway—and what’s more, she had suffered an injury during the initial detention. The pain of knowing this family’s hardships weighed heavy.

Without hesitation, I wanted to help however I could. The children’s aunt was struggling financially to provide for everyone under her roof; even groceries were now hard to come by. I reached out to some friends to see if they would be willing to donate—they responded with so much generosity that not only could we provide food for the family but also pick out Christmas gifts for each child and their loving aunt.

To make sure communication would be smooth—and warm—I contacted Pastor Donearl Johnson from LifeChurch Auburn Hills to see if he knew anyone who spoke Spanish. He introduced me to Carmen whose first language was Spanish. She was a true ray of sunshine—she actually happened to know the family because she does some work for the local school district. Carmen’s kindness made all the difference as we delivered bags full of food and wrapped Christmas presents.

Although a federal judge had already ordered her release days earlier, an immigration judge required a $10,000 bond—every single dollar paid up front. Through a miracle of community connection, Pastor Dale found a group that works with immigrants willing to cover that enormous sum from a bond fund. The final hurdle remained: could Kimberlin actually go home in time for Christmas? Pastor Dale asked one last favor of a detention center employee—to review her paperwork before clocking out for the night. Against all expectations (and some doubt), she did—and signed off on Kimberlin’s freedom. As we arrived with the groceries and Christmas presents, Pastor Dale called me with incredible news: he was at the Baldwin Detention Center and Kimberlin was being released! He was there to celebrate her freedom and take her home to her kids!

Though I wasn’t there in person for Kimberlin’s reunion with her children that night—a mother finally home after so much fear—I felt overwhelmed knowing their house would be filled not just with food or gifts but also hope restored through kindness shared among strangers made friends by compassion. This is what Christmas is truly about: Hope – knowing that even in difficult, seemingly impossible situations, we can show the love and hope of Jesus. Opening our hearts when others are hurting and becoming a part of (however small) little miracles together. Be a reflection of the Light of World.