Migrant families gather in fellowship at Ss. Genevieve and Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish

While parishioners prepared the basement space of Ss. Genevieve and Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish for families and their loved ones, people were lining up outside the parish hall commiserating with one another.

While one child played with his remote controlled car, others sat on the floor patiently waiting to be let into the Belmont-Cragin church decorated with red, white, and green tables, photo area complete with winterland backdrop, and piñata. Close to 300 people were expected to partake in the provided holiday festivities, including a holiday meal, carnival games, presents and sweets and for the children — all free due to donations by church donors.

“This is our first Christmas event,” said Barbara Maldonado, a parishioner leading the outreach event. “We have a migrant ministry in the church, so we help them. But we’ve seen the moms crying, and we want to make them smile, so we wanted to do something different — something more than donated clothes and home goods. So today we’re going to do a little party.”

Maldonado expected to see people coming from the neighborhood and further afield since she routinely invites migrants she sees in communities to the parish for assistance. The parish has a ministry that caters specifically to migrants and has been aiding them for months, according to the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Nancy Chiluisa is one of those who has been helped. Having been in the United States since the summer and receiving aid from church staff and Maldonado a mere 30 days in the country, she was in attendance Saturday to help out, do her part, she said.

The mother of five lives a block away from the church. Chiluisa’s 10-year-old son is currently taking catechism classes at the parish.

“I’m blessed and happy to be in this country to be able to help my children to move forward,” said the Ecuador native through a translator. “I have gotten clothes and shoes and things, but my main goal is to help people. Any time I get things, I bring them to the church to give to other people in need.”

Nancy Hernandez, Maldonado’s mother, was on site to help with the event. The 71-year-old was among the dozens of volunteers who gave a standing ovation to the families entering the doors. Excited to play games with the youth on hand, she recalled getting socks instead of Barbies when she was coming up. She moved to the Chicago area with family from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

“I’m happy to be here,” Hernandez said. She said her family celebrated Thanksgiving at her home with Chiluisa’s family.

“We don’t care where she came from, we’re all brothers and sisters,” Hernandez said. “She was crying, it was the first Thanksgiving she had and it was the most beautiful Thanksgiving we had.”

Chiluisa considers Maldonado and her family, her family as well. Leaving behind the death threats her and her family endured in their home country, Chiluisa is looking forward to education for her children, expressing themselves freely without retribution. She said her son has shown interest in the U.S. military. Chiluisa said the U.S. allowing her children to serve is a goal of hers.

Rosemary Onesto, a parishioner since she was 5-years-old, said youth could expect not just necessities like clothes at the event, but toys that were donated too.

“It’s a way to welcome people,” she said about the holiday celebration. “You can feel the spirit. You never know the effect of doing something like this. That’s the beauty of it. You do something to make their day, but it effects them probably the rest of their life and the volunteers are effected too.”

Maldonado said as parishioners, the church is going to keep working for migrants. She said she’s already planning a day strictly for children.

Dubisay Gonzalez came to the event with her niece and cousin. A native of Venezuela, she’s expecting a baby girl on Jan. 10. A cousin of hers assists at the parish and routinely tells her about church events like this one.

After she delivers, she’s looking forward to becoming a regular parishioner.

“My Christmas is shaping up very good,” she said. “There are some differences in the traditions, but we’re all enjoying it together.”

drockett@chicagotribune.com