For many Haitian immigrants, Sunday mornings in Springfield, Ohio, are spent joyfully worshipping God as they sing and pray in their native Creole. This Sunday, they needed that uplifting balm more than ever.Their community is reeling 맥스카지노� confused, frustrated, hurt 맥스카지노� from false accusations that they are eating their neighbor맥스카지노�s cats and dogs. The now viral and highly politicized rumors are being fueled by former President Donald Trump, his running mate JD Vance and others, and violent threats against the community are upending daily life in their city.맥스카지노�Jesus is with us in truth, and the truth is that Haitians are not eating pets and geese in Springfield,맥스카지노� said the Rev. Carl Ruby, preaching at Central Christian Church. He invited community members to join his congregation in prayer and peaceful protest of the false rumors leveled against their Haitian neighbors.They also demanded an apology.맥스카지노�It is truth that a retraction of these rumors will help to restore peace in Springfield," Ruby said. 맥스카지노�We respectfully call on all politicians and media figures who are promoting this rumor to help make Springfield great and safe again by speaking the truth about our community.맥스카지노�Viles Dorsainvil, the leader of Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield, accepted Ruby's invitation to worship together at Central Christian, and was grateful to be relying on his faith.맥스카지노�It맥스카지노�s important to be here because we맥스카지노�re Christian 맥스카지노� despite everything, we worship in good times and bad times,맥스카지노� he said. 맥스카지노�I맥스카지노�m relieved that I맥스카지노�m in the presence of God. It맥스카지노�s therapeutic.맥스카지노�And he had a message for Trump and Vance: 맥스카지노�If they have the heart of God, they will think differently and speak differently.맥스카지노�The rumors, spread on social media and by Trump during Tuesday맥스카지노�s televised presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, have exacerbated fears about division and anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of the election in the mostly white, blue-collar city of about 59,000 where more than 15,000 Haitians now live and work.Thousands of temporary Haitian migrants have legally landed in Springfield in recent years under the U.S.'s Temporary Protected Status program, as longstanding unrest in their home country has given way to violent gangs ruling the streets.Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, has said the federal government needs to do more to help cities like Springfield serve the influx of migrants. On ABC맥스카지노�s 맥스카지노�This Week," DeWine called the Haitians good, hardworking people who are in the U.S. legally, and said the false rumors are a piece of internet garbage.맥스카지노�There맥스카지노�s no evidence of this at all,맥스카지노� he said during the program.Despite the governor and local officials debunking the rumors, Vance reiterated the conspiracy theory on Sunday's 맥스카지노�Face the Nation맥스카지노� on CBS while blasting Harris on her U.S.-Mexico border policy.At Central Christian Church, Ruby encouraged his congregation to help hand out thousands of cards around Springfield that had been printed in Creole and English with a message of support for Haitians. It reads" 맥스카지노�I맥스카지노�m glad you are here. Christ loves you and so do I."As the service ended, Ruby praised parishioners for a beautiful moment amid what he called a storm of chaos. Looking at the Haitian members in the first pew and at the rest of his congregation, he asked them to come together in prayer: 맥스카지노�Pray and think what it is to be a Haitian parent sending their child this week to school."One of those parents is Mia Perez, 35 an immigration lawyer whose 9-year-old daughter had to evacuate her school twice because of bomb threats to a nearby DMV this week.맥스카지노�Kids in school are being asked by other kids: 맥스카지노�How does the dog taste? How does the cat taste?맥스카지노� Perez said, describing her daughter맥스카지노�s distress."She맥스카지노�s asking, 'Are we the kind of Haitians who eat this kind of stuff? Is it true? What맥스카지노�s happening?'맥스카지노�맥스카지노�This is a conversation that I was not ready to have with my daughter," Perez said. "I felt disrespected of our culture.맥스카지노�On Sunday, Perez attended a service at Saint Raphael맥스카지노�s Catholic church, while a Springfield police officer stood guard outside. Attendance by Haitians was lower than usual, and Perez 맥스카지노� after talking with others who did attend 맥스카지노� said many from their community stayed away out of fears for their safety,맥스카지노�This is emotional," she said. "They made a statement of not being here. Catholic Haitian people have such strong faith 맥스카지노� not even hurricanes can keep them away, but look at this here today.맥스카지노�Another service was held at The First Haitian Church, located next to the Haitian Community Center.맥스카지노�They feel the threat. They feel not welcome,맥스카지노� Bernardette Dor, 51, one of the pastors, said after the service. 맥스카지노�Even in the school system sometimes, they feel different, not because of their skin color but because they맥스카지노�re Haitian. But the reality is that we맥스카지노�re beautiful and we맥스카지노�re blessed.맥스카지노�Though she worries about repercussions of the false statements, she said gathering to worship with her community and feeling support from others in Springfield gives her hope.맥스카지노�We are united. It is time for good to stand for good,맥스카지노� she said. 맥스카지노�This time the city of Springfield, Haitian people, asked the Lord to stay together to fight for good ... America is a great loving country, and American people care for people 맥스카지노� it doesn맥스카지노�t matter if they are Haitian. We맥스카지노�re against lies.맥스카지노�After the service, some parishioners gathered at Rose Goute Creole restaurant for a traditional Haitian meal of rice and beans, fried plantains and pork. One of them, Jacob Payen, said the restaurant has been transformed in recent days.맥스카지노�We맥스카지노�ve been outnumbered 맥스카지노� we have more non-Haitian guests here at the restaurant who are curious to know the culture and Haitian cuisine,맥스카지노� he said. 맥스카지노�We feel that they맥스카지노�re sending a strong message: if they맥스카지노�re here eating with us because they trust us.맥스카지노�Among those attending the earlier service at Central Christian was Rose-Thamar Joseph, 40, who works at the Haitian Community Center.맥스카지노�I was praying for peace and protection 맥스카지노� for the Haitian community and all of Springfield," she said. 맥스카지노�I just want Springfield to go back to what it was a couple of months ago."__AP visual journalist Jessie Wardarski contributed.