... in order for me to "Remain CALM", I must speak out
I cannot sit STILL and allow what last week's national decision
puts into action in this country to just go unnoticed ...
while half celebrate & the other half literally mourn
And this is only one of the many issues that will be going into affect in
2025
with profound impact and injustices
but what
"If Jesus was an Immigrant"
(written by an immigrant to the United States, fact verified by my immigration attorney) shared with permission by the author
"Jesus would never qualify for any of the categories of visa status to legally immigrate to America. He doesn't have a PhD or Masters level education. He doesn't have family relation. He's not marrying a US citizen. He's poor and probably couldn't afford the paperwork, if He did have a category.
If Jesus had money, He could start his own company for a minimum of $150,000 (USD) and apply for an EB 2 visa. If He had $800,000 to $1,050,000 (USD) He could skip to a Green card with the EB 5 investor visa.
He might qualify for a clergy/religious visa, but He would have to have a track record of working 2 years in an established church. It would have to be verified as a "real" church, not just some new unheard of religion, and have 501c non profit registration in the U.S. Then there is the fact He is a Jew, and could have been sent back like Anne Frank and other Jews being persecuted who would ultimately die because the US wouldn't let her and the ship of Jews escaping Germany in.
So that leaves asylum. In which case He must wait 5 to 7 years for a hearing to prove His case. Is He REALLY being persecuted? 98% of asylum applicants are denied by conservative judges.
What if Jesus was a DACA kid, if Mary and Joseph brought Him here as a child to escape King Herod trying to kill Him? He would have been happy to receive status and grace from a president in 2012 that created a visa category for Him. But then another would come along in 2017 and rip away DACA status and try to end the program. He would now be in legal limbo, being used as a pawn for political gain and He wouldn't know from one day to the next if He was going to be torn away from His family and deported to somewhere He never lived. And separated from His family that brought Him to the US. He would be worried for His parents who chose to bring Him here for a better life, and pray that the citizens of America forgive them. He would pray for new laws that would allow a pathway to citizenship for His parents and Himself. He would be sad that most of the people who fight against pathways to citizenship or "amnesty" ie forgiveness are the ones that follow His religion.
If Jesus were deported to El Salvador, Haiti, Afghanistan, Venezuela or any other dangerous country, He would probably be ok, because He's Jesus. He can make Himself fish and loaves out of thin air. But what about the others that aren't Jesus, the ones that need help, a home, refuge, someone to welcome and not reject them?
"But we can't save everyone". I know, but what would He ask of us to do? I earnestly ask you to consider this, and consider if the Son of Man has no room at the Inn, or no way to fit into a U.S. visa category, maybe we do need to think about immigration reform, other than just "deport everyone". " |
By the way, this "immigrant author" is not from south of the border, but north from Canada.
Those south of the border, even have more difficulties, and there are some from those countries with even more restrictions,hardships, and impossibilitiesbut they are willing or forced to take the risk for their freedom and their lives.
I thought about writing by own "IF JESUS ..." but when I read the above by S. AdamsI knew I could not capture the complexities as well as "you" have.
Thank you for writing this & sharing to try to gain empathy, from your own experience & standing in the gap to fight & speak out for others.
IF ONLY
the others fortunate enough to be born inside the borders of this country understood and would come to empathize with this nightmare about to be unleashed upon "families" similar yet worse than the tragedy of those
"SEPARATED"book by Jacob Soboroff previous Film; recent Film
"Welcoming the Stranger"World Reliefbook by Matthew Soerens & Jenny Yang
video of interview
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In my opinion
MASS DEPORTATION
defies the very foundation of this country,
of our ancestors, my grandparents
(from England, Ireland, France & Sweden)
and what can be read on the
the Statue of Liberty
which states,
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
{I'm pretty sure that God's Word, the Bible speaks to this also}
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More importantly,
what would you do if this was someone in your family?
someone you love or someone you know well?
what will you do?
if it's your neighbor, or someone from your church,
or your community & state?
What if it were you?
Will you just turn away, look away & allow this to happen?
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WOMEN OF WELCOME
"... a community dedicated to diving into the whole of scripture to understand God's heart for the immigrant and refugee. We believe God calls us to a deep love for the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the forgotten. Together we're on a journey to understand biblical hospitality in an authentic way." |
Since I returned from being a missionary (my heart and I never really stopped missional). I chose to stay connected and one of the ways was to receive emails and continual information from organizations and ministries from people like these with a heart for all people.
Hopefully, I can become more engaged and involved again soon.
I want to not just do Bible Studies,(although I highly recommend theirs and other studies)pray and read books, including the Bible,if I'm not going to put what I read into actionand practice the love & grace of Jesus Christ outside of my family or church family or with those that are like me, or that I am comfortable with ... but with ALL who Jesus calls "our neighbors"I need to be stretched and stand up for all that I believe
How to Help?Immigration Information
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"The Top 5 Immigration Myths Debunked"
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Dear People,
You need to open your eyes and see the truth
Not what you have been led to believe through deception
Things are not as you've been told by social media platforms
and even leaders, especially if money & power are involved
Open your hearts and your minds.
Let's be more like Jesus!
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I never realized how important these 2 books would become to my life:
(1) "Be the Bridge" Pursuing God's Heart ... by Latasha Morrison
and
(2) "Rest for the Justice Seeking Soul"by Rev. Dr. Susan K. Williams Smith,
who "has CREATED a life-giving book that will sustainthose who are seeking new sources of strength in this challenging time."
and now there are so many more.
[excerpts]
"We are instructed (in Amos 5:6-9) to "seek the Lord and live." ...
... "On this day (and every day), we pray, O God, that we remember the purpose for which You put us here. The arms of evil are too short to fight You; strengthen our arms so that we can sap evil of its strength. Stand with us as we affirm our faith in You and our determination to fight back against evil for the sake of the "least of these"(Matthew 25:40), who desperately need to know You are real. Help us to go out today and "hope" somebody." (2) |
"Lord, help us to come alongside our brothers and sisters as their hearts and eyes are opened. Equip us to serve as worthy guides on this journey [to "be the bridge"] ["where we were silent on issues of injustice, we now commit to speaking up boldly for biblical justice in our land"].Help us offer them grace and love as they are learning Your truth, just as we would want people to be gracious and loving toward us."(1) Kristin Hemingway & Latisha Morrison |
the part between the [insert] is from another prayer in this liturgy
YES
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
What is Jesus speaking to you?
how I wish I could help you understand
but until you "walk in their shoes" or
realize the privilege you have been afforded
thanking God because of where you were born and
know that it was nothing you did, or 'they' didn't
and nothing that they had a choice over, but a dream
to hold on to and a chance for many to live
"with liberty and justice for all"
That's what Jesus would want,
now what will HE do through you?
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It has been a week now, and we cannot turn back the hands of time
but we can begin to seek justice
by not allowing this to
happen
and
take a stand
so that we can remain
CALM
with
JESUS
in each immigrant because
He was an immigrant! He was a Refugee!
(other Biblical immigrants)Biblical Archaeology
Jesus is our Refuge!
I love how God CREATED you with so much passion, sis!
ReplyDeleteThank you sis! You even found a way to comment on this blog post too, using the One Word Focus for this week: CREATE & bless me and God for the passion He gives me in this life for others & like the compassion of Jesus for them & through you, each time you make & take your time to encourage me. Jesus' justice, love, grace & mercy is needed so much in this earthly world & I thank God for inspiring me through the kindness of your sweet words each time you write & the thoughtfulness of how you CREATE beautiful, heartwarming encouragement through your unique gift of words in your comments & from you every place we share together. IF ONLY there was more of this for every soul - just one more would come to know, see & perhaps accept the Jesus that we have the privilege to share & know.
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