Planting seeds of hope: Immigrant practices his faith by making a difference in the lives of others

An immigrant to the United States, Wilfredo ‘Wili’ de la Rosa volunteers to help refugees who live in Indianapolis. Part of his effort involves coordinating a program that provides farmland in the Indianapolis area where refugees can plant a range of crops—half of which they get to keep and half of which they donate to local food banks. (Photo by John Shaugnessy)

By John Shaughnessy

You could tell it as the story of a father—a father who was willing to give up everything he had achieved in his life to create the possibility of a better future for his children.

You could tell it as the story of an American immigrant—an immigrant who came to the United States with the timeless hope of a new life, an immigrant whose dreams faced some harsh realities during his first few years in his new country.

You could also tell it as the story of a lifelong Catholic who has never wavered from his desire to put his faith into action in his daily life.

Each version offers a glimpse into the inspiring story of Wilfredo “Wili” de la Rosa, a father, immigrant and Catholic who looks beyond his own struggles to make a difference in the lives of others.

The heart of the story began in 2007 when de la Rosa, his wife, Melinda, and their three youngest children left their home in the Philippines to come to the United States and live in Indianapolis.

By then, he had waited 13 years to get approval for a visa to enter the United States. The long wait was the result of yearly quotas regarding immigration established by the U.S. government.

In coming to America, de la Rosa and his family were reunited with his parents and some of his siblings, who had immigrated to the United States years ago.

But de la Rosa was giving up his job as the manager of a concrete company in the Philippines, a job that had provided a nice house for his family, a good education for his children, and even the services of a maid and a driver.

“I decided to come here to give my children options,” he says. “I thought it was an opportunity for them.”

The move has had the desired results for his children. One son has a good job. The two younger ones are students at Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis. His wife has also found work. He hasn’t been as fortunate.

Arriving here at the age of 55, de la Rosa is still searching for

full-time employment three years later—“a humbling experience,” he says.

And yet that search has also opened doors to a different and wonderful world for him.

“When I could not find a job here, I had to make myself busy,” he says. “During a job interview, a guy referred me to the organization Faith, Hope and Love. I started volunteering for the mobile food pantry in November of 2008.”

By the spring of 2009, his volunteer efforts took a new turn when he heard about refugees living in Indianapolis.

“I thought I was in a bad situation until I learned about the plight of the refugees from Africa, Iraq, Burma. They had it worse,” he says. “They didn’t know the language. They lost their identity. And they didn’t have anything to do in America.”

Soon after, de la Rosa was asked to lead a program in which some farmland in Fortville was set aside to be farmed by the refugees. The plan involved the refugees keeping 50 percent of the crops they grew, and donating 50 percent to a local food bank. He often drove the refugees from their homes in Greenwood to the Fortville farm, using his own money for gas.

Since then, he has volunteered with the farm program of Refugee Resource and Research Institute of Indianapolis. A few local churches and Waterman’s Farm in Indianapolis have provided more land for refugees to farm. The refugees plant a range of crops, including beans, peppers, okra, eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini.

“Most of the refugees were farmers in their homeland,” says de la Rosa, who attends Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church in Indianapolis. “We encourage them to plant their own vegetables from their countries. There’s a sense of fulfillment for them when they’re farming. They come in the evenings after work. They bring their children with them, too. For some of them, it’s therapeutic. For others, it’s a food supplement for them.”

In 2009, the gardens produced about 18,000 pounds of vegetables. Half of the harvest was donated to food banks. The program drew the attention of the Indianapolis mayor’s office. In November of 2009, Mayor Greg Ballard honored de la Rosa with a Community Service Award.

“My family was so happy, and it inspired my children to volunteer,” de la Rosa says. “The mayor even gave me two tickets to a Colts’ football game. I gave the tickets to two of my children. I couldn’t go because I had to volunteer that day. It was the same day as the dedication of a house for Habitat for Humanity. I volunteer there, too.”

His connection with the refugees has been fruitful on a personal level, according to Maria Beltran-Figueroa, the executive director of Refugee Resource and Research Institute.

“He knows them and their families, and he’s a link for the refugee farmers to their host community,” Beltran-Figueroa says. “They like him. They trust him.”

In February of 2010, de la Rosa started limited part-time work as a contractor for the Refugee Resettlement Program of the archdiocese. He earns a small amount of money for taking refugees to dentists’ and doctors’ appointments, helping them obtain driver’s licenses, getting them to job interviews, and assisting them in paying utility bills.

“Wili has been an unbelievable advocate for the refugee community,” says Gabrielle Campo, the director of the program. “He gets paid for some things, but then the clients keep calling him when they need him, and he keeps helping them.

“It says a lot about his character. He’s selfless. He came here for his family, and now he’s helping the refugees. He always puts other people’s needs before his own.”

For de la Rosa, his efforts are all about living the way that Christ taught.

“I’m just trying to practice my faith,” he says. “For me, this is the laboratory of faith. I like my actions to speak for me. It’s very fulfilling.” †