Marbelis Villamil and her now 12-year-old daughter, Gabriela Parra, fear being deported back to Venezuela from which they fled in 2023.

Marbelis Villamil stands behind her daughter, Gabriela Parra, 12, in an undated photo. They live in Skowhegan now, but fear being deported back to Venezuela, the country they fled in 2023. Photo courtesy of Marbelis Villamil

An early childhood teacher, Villamil, now living in Skowhegan, was threatened in her home country for having a different political ideology than others and forced to promote revolutionary politics in the children, she said.

She and her daughter also were constantly intimidated by an armed group charged with subduing anyone who opposes the government, which eroded their sense of stability and mental health over time, generating anxiety and panic. Villamil eventually developed a rheumatoid disease that caused damage to her liver.

She felt no other choice than to flee the country, at great risk.

“In the Darien jungle they robbed us with hatchets, and because of desperation Gaby was almost carried away by the river during our escape,” Villamil said, with translation help from her friend, Jamie Timmerman of Skowhegan. “That’s why I tell you it’s not easy. Only those who lived and traveled that journey in search of a better life know that moving forward is a hope. In reality, what we lived through was very hard, but that same fear gives you the strength to move forward and now I can sleep more peacefully because I was able to emerge victorious from that jungle where many families were not so lucky.”

Now seeking asylum in the U.S., Villamil applied for a VISA and is waiting for a work permit.

Meanwhile, Timmerman is doing everything she can to help her. She launched a gofundme effort which she posted on social media to help raise money for an immigration lawyer. As of Wednesday, $915 had been raised out of a total request for $3,500.

Marbelis Villamil, left, of Skowhegan poses with her daughter, Gabriela Parra, 12, in an undated photo. They fled Venezuela in 2023 and fear being deported back there. Photo courtesy of Marbelis Villamil

After a lengthy search, Timmerman found an immigration lawyer in Miami who would take the case and a hearing is scheduled March 4 in a Massachusetts court that will determine whether Villamil and her daughter will stay or be deported.

For Timmerman, they have become like family. She recalled being new to town herself in November 2023 and she and her daughter, who now is 13, found a church they liked. One Sunday after the Mass, during coffee and doughnut hour, she noticed a woman sitting alone with her daughter, so they approached them and learned they had just moved to Skowhegan from Venezuela. The Timmermans, having just moved to Skowhegan from Texas, knew a bit of Spanish and were able to communicate a little. They found they had much in common: both women were in their 40s and their daughters were about the same age.

They quickly bonded and became good friends.

Timmerman learned they had fled Venezuela, which was in turmoil both politically and economically. Basic necessities were hard to come by and living there was dangerous. Villamil’s illness required medicine that was not available there and even if it were, the cost to purchase it would be prohibitive, Timmerman said.

Villamil’s sister and family had fled Venezuela previously and earned U.S. citizenship, so she and her daughter joined them in Maine. Her sister’s family has since moved to Texas. Living in Skowhegan, Villamil was able to get medical care for her disease.

She and her daughter had come to the U.S. legally, hoping to stay, but they became fearful when the new administration started acting on a promise to conduct mass deportations.

Timmerman, who tries to be strong for them, broke down when she described what a good person Villamil is.

“She’s been very emotionally sick, and when you are this stressed out it can rear it’s ugly head and become physical. She has a rash, head to foot, from the stress of it.”

Timmerman served in intelligence for the U.S. Air Force for 12 years and now works for the U.S. Veterans Administration. She lives on a small farm with her husband and daughter. They have been supporting their Venezuelan friends emotionally and trying to help keep their spirits up.

“It was hard putting the gofundme on the community website,” Timmerman said Wednesday. “I knew there would be backlash. I knew I’d have to steel myself for that. Seeing the backlash we got on Facebook, it hurts.”

There were supportive comments, but the cruel ones don’t, in any way, reflect the type of person Villamil is, she said.

“Marbelis is an extremely proud woman,” Timmerman said. “She didn’t let us know that she didn’t have a lawyer, or money for a lawyer, until recently. She hates being reliant on someone else. She is kind and 100%, first and foremost, a Christian. She has had faith through this whole thing. She’s had friends tell her, ‘Why don’t you hide?’ That’s not Marbelis. She’s a good and honest person. She’s a mom and she’s doing anything she can to make sure her daughter is safe and has a good future.”

People at her daughter’s school have been very supportive and several donated to the gofundme although they don’t earn huge salaries, according to Timmerman.

“That should tell you, she is valued, she’s loved, she’s a good student and she’s picking up on English very quickly,” she said.

Timmerman breaks down and cries when she thinks about what is being done, not only to her friends, but also to others in like situations. She acknowledges she usually doesn’t put herself out there to speak up, but she has become increasingly angry about the injustice.

“Frankly, I did not vote for Trump,” she said. “A lot of my friends and family did. I feel like those who supported Trump were loud and outspoken. I feel like our side maybe wasn’t loud enough. And I refuse to be quieted.”

Amy Calder has been a Morning Sentinel reporter 36 years. Her columns appear here Saturdays. She is the author of the book, “Comfort is an Old Barn,” a collection of her curated columns, published in 2023 by Islandport Press. She may be reached at acalder@centralmaine.com. For previous Reporting Aside columns, go to centralmaine.com