Sunday, July 7, 2019

There is something on my heart!




“Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’”

Peace to this house, Peace to this house…carrying no money, no bag no sandals…if I had walked to let’s say Keene carrying nothing more than what was on my back the first house that would allow me in you bet your bottom dollar I would wish them peace and hope that peace is returned…

But what is this peace that Christ speaks of?  In the world today there seems to be few moments of true peace.  We are blessed here that if we seek peace…we can find some out in the wilderness…Yet though we can find nature, and quiet and solitude, our minds still run.  Our thoughts jump from ransom thought to random thought.

A random though on my mind this week as we celebrate the birth of our nation is, we have so much to be grateful for and yet this year I felt it surpassed by the shame we should carry as a nation.

“At any given time, for the past several weeks, more than 2,000 children have been held in the custody of US Border Patrol without their parents. Legally, they’re not supposed to be held by border agents for more than 72 hours before being sent to the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for finding their nearest relative in the US to house them while their immigration cases are adjudicated. 
In practice, they’re being held for days, sometimes weeks, in facilities without enough food or toothbrushes — going days without showering, overcrowded and under cared for.”[1]
This is a humane issue so much so that the united nations have a watchful eye on the US.  Experts at the UN human rights council have stated; “We call on the government of the US to release these children from immigration detention and to reunite them with their families based on the best interests of the child, and the rights of the child to liberty and family unity,”[2] 
Let me share this little news clip “Their living conditions were described as squalid, and some had untreated medical conditions”…though that was recently reported about these detention centers this quote is actually about 100 dogs at a home in Bradford NH where the owners are now facing charges of animal cruelty and the dogs are being rehomed to loving families. This makes me mad only because we are treating our animals better than we treat Children…Children…
Lord I wish peace in our house…
We just celebrated the 4th of July a celebration of the declaration of independence which declares “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The declaration of independence does not promise happiness only the pursuit of it but it does state that life and liberty are unalienable rights…which means these rights are not transferable, they only belong to humans, and they cannot be taken away nor denied…
Lord I pray peace upon this house
My heart breaks when I hear of another death in the desert, another family broken apart…
“When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 19:33-34
In a world becoming increasingly globalized, more people are leaving their homelands to seek better lives and opportunities in new countries. Their reasons for leaving are diverse and complex: economic necessity, war, or persecution. The U.S. has long been a nation of immigrants and we have consistently been conflicted about this. We gratefully welcome immigrants and their contributions, and we exclude them, discriminate against them and, at times, inflict grave harm upon them.
As Christians, we are called to love our neighbors. The Bible is unambiguous in calling us to welcome aliens and strangers in our land, and to love them as we love ourselves. In these times, let us listen to the voice of the still-speaking God. We will learn how to respond to these new sisters and brothers residing among us.”[3]
This statement is from the United Church of Christ immigration Justice page.  Sometimes it feels we are so far away that we can do nothing, our hands are tied, we know people suffering and we feel helpless…
“United Church of Christ churches, clergy and congregants are reaching out with hope and in faith to migrants at our borders and immigrants across the country. Many more are asking what they can do to respond to the government policies that detain and separate families. The Southwest Conference UCC, acting with Justice and Local Church Ministries, has issued two calls to action, one for a faithful witness AT the border, in Arizona at United States border with Mexico August 26-30, and another for a faithful witness FOR the border this fall, in cities and towns across America.”[4]
Now this was last year’s event but I want you to hear what happened…
“The Southwest Conference is calling for a week of Faithful Witness at the Border, August 26 – 30, 2018 that will include:
A humanitarian mission to the Mexican side of the border to visit and take supplies to asylum-seekers in shelters and camped out at the ports of entry due to a slowdown in applications being received.
Solidarity actions at the detention facilities in Eloy and Florence where parents of kids separated from their families are being held.
Training and strategy sessions around ‘Being an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation’ and ‘Acting as an Advocate and Ally’ with members from the UCC Washington office
Conversations with local ministry partners in Arizona - The Samaritans and other immigration ministry groups.
A visit to Operation Streamline immigration court where parents whose children were taken away are appearing in the hope of finding their kids.”[5]
What brave and strong action and witness.  In case you do not realize it, my heart is there and is always with their ministries.  I cannot run off and join them physically, I wish there was something more I could do…
Wait a minute didn’t it say a witness at the border and for the border…what does a witness for the border look like…
Faithful Witness FOR the Border
“We also call congregations and conferences to host their own local Faithful Witness for the Border events that might include:
Begin the process for becoming an Immigrant-Welcoming Congregation
Organize and attend town halls and candidate forums and ask questions about how candidates would approach immigration policy. Set up in-district visits with your members of Congress to share your UCC faith witness on immigration. Submit letters to the editor and editorials in your local and regional papers.
Raise money and collect supplies for humanitarian relief at the border—PLEASE USE THIS VERY SPECIFIC LIST OF SUPPLIES.
(Supplies Needed at the US/Mexico Border:
razors
toothbrushes
travel size toothpaste
bath soap
shampoo
towels
wash cloths
feminine products
coloring books and crayons for kids)

Write letters of welcome IN SPANISH that can be distributed to asylum seekers as missives of love and welcome, an alternative message to the government.
Fundraise to support living expenses of migrants seeking asylum and who are prohibited by law from holding employment in the US while their case is processed.
Participate in an immigrant detention visitation program in your area (for us that would be in dover)
Partner with local immigrant rights groups to join/organize a rally at an immigrant detention facility for adults, ICE office, or border patrol station nearby. (That would be Strafford house of corrections)
Host a fellowship event with a local migrants/an immigrant group in your community to get to know one another and listen to their stories.
I wish peace on this house. Just as the seventy went out without anything and sought refuge, food, and welcome so are these, the very least of the world.

I am calling out to you as a loving congregation to sign up and work with me to see which if any of these actions we can take to stand in Christian charity with our brother and sister congregations around this nation who are taking action to make this a Just world for all.!










[1] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/6/25/18715725/children-border-detention-kids-cages-immigration
[2] Ditto
[3] https://www.ucc.org/justice_immigration
[4] Ditto
[5] Ditto

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