Haitian brothers find hope in Brockton thanks to 'humanitarian parole' — What's that?

BROCKTON – Two brothers left behind their entire lives on the sunny island of Haiti to venture to new beginnings and find a brighter future.

Therry Adamsley Gerard Volmar, 28, and Kercoff Sauphony Volmar, 26, were average middle-class people living through the dysfunction of Haiti.

They watched their beloved country fall apart after the murder of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021, in an attack at his private residence outside of Port-au-Prince, leaving the country, to this day, without a leader.

It wasn't until President Joe Biden announced a new humanitarian parole program for migrants that the siblings had hopes of coming to America.

The program allows up to 30,000 people per month from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti, who have an eligible sponsor and pass vetting and background checks, to come to the United States for two years and receive work authorization.

This came as a relief and a blessing at the same time. The brothers knew they could potentially go to America, find a job and make money to support their family as life became more expensive.

Therry and Kercoff's application was submitted Feb. 1, and their sponsor was approved the next day. That was just one of the steps in the process.

"It was a sign from God, a miracle," Therry said.

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The quick approval did come as a surprise, but, unfortunately, quick approval isn't the case for everyone, said Marline Amedee, the president of Haitian Community Partners.

Haitian Community Partners (HCP) is a Brockton-based organization comprised of Haitian expatriate professionals.  Members of the HCP work with other organizations to improve access for the underprivileged to social services, immigration, youth leadership and health services that are comprehensive, integrated and culturally sensitive and appropriate.

HCP has been working closely with the brothers and many people in similar situations to make sure they're well supported during their experiences.

Therry often remembers the suffering he saw while living in Haiti.

The reality of the situation in Haiti is crippling poverty, and food insecurity is everywhere. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor. Food is scarce in the capital, Therry said.

"There is no hope for Haiti at this time. The country that has my heart is in a complicated place with violence, kidnapping and food insecurity, and the price of living has doubled. Right now, you cannot dream about a future there," Therry said.

"If I told you stories about what I've witnessed, you probably wouldn't believe me," Therry said.

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Now that they're in America, so many thoughts cloud their mind. The stress of wondering how their family is doing is a constant worry.

"When we hear news on the radio about bad things happening where we live, it's scary and bothersome," Kercoff said.

But the two try to keep their spirits up by focusing on the bright side of their situation.

"America is a place where you can be successful if you apply yourself and become someone. There's hope here. Our plan is to work hard and save money for our family and future," Kercoff said.

In Haiti, Kercoff was a fifth-year medical student, and Therry worked as a government official. Although they had good-paying jobs, it was not enough to support themselves as the cost of living had increased due to chaos in the country, Therry said.

"If we can't eat well and we have good jobs, imagine what the people who don't have jobs are experiencing," Therry said.

So far, the two are enjoying their stay in America and have felt a warm embrace from the community of Brockton and Haitian Community Partners. They've tried McDonald's for the first time and experienced their first snowstorm.

Although the cold is something to get used to, Kercoff and Therry are happy to be here and are excited about what this new country has in store for them.