Monday, July 21, 2014
Central American Child Refugee Crisis
Central American Child Refugee Crisis
"Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." ~ Matthew 19:14 |
photo
from UCC.org
|
Peace and greetings on behalf of the Justice and Witness Ministry Council.
As the summer moves along, many of you have been in touch with us
to ask about a Conference-wide response to the Governor's invitation to the
unaccompanied children entering Massachusetts. What a blessing to have so many
leaping to help - we are indeed a Conference that cares!
As of this morning, our name is
on the list at the Governor's office to be contacted when volunteers are needed
and when other needs are identified. I will also be in touch with organizations
like Church World Service and the local Red Cross, who may be on the front
lines and know needs sooner.
If you or your church are interested in being on a contact list
please let us know here: https://macucc-reg.brtapp.com/ImmigrantChildren or
you may email Karen Methot at methotk@macucc.org. We will also put
announcements in the E-Mailing and in Everflowing
Streams. If you have an interest in being a part of a Response Task
Team, please let Karen or me know.
The decision to invite so many
children to be housed at our reserve bases will inevitably result in varying
and opposing opinions. I invite us all to remain faithful in our dialogue,
respecting one another's convictions and concerns, honoring one another's right
to reflect and respond. May this occasion highlight our Christian love for one
another and for the children. Let us remember these are our children, because they
are God's children. I leave you with words from Governor Patrick's announcement
on Saturday:
"I have come down where I
have for two main reasons, love of country and lessons of faith. We are a great
nation. Unlike any other superpower, America's power, to paraphrase a great
man, comes from giving, not from taking. America, and this Commonwealth in
particular, has given sanctuary to desperate children for centuries. We have
rescued Irish children from famine, Russian and Ukrainian children from
religious persecution, Cambodian children from genocide, Haitian children from
earthquakes, Sudanese children from civil war, and New Orleans children from
Hurricane Katrina. Once, in 1939, we turned our backs on Jewish children
fleeing the Nazis, and it remains a blight on our national reputation. The
point is that this good nation is great when we open our doors and our hearts
to needy children, and diminished when we don't.
"The other reason I have
offered our help is more personal, less about patriotism and more about faith.
I believe that we will one day have to answer for our actions - and our inactions.
My faith teaches that "if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you
shall not mistreat him," but rather "love him as yourself; for you
were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Lev. 19:33-34). We are admonished
to take in the stranger, for "inasmuch as you did it to one of the least
of these," Christ tells us, "you did it to me." (Matthew
25:43,45). Every major faith tradition on earth charges its followers to treat
others as we ourselves wish to be treated."
May God's grace and Christ's love abound in our lives this day and
all days,
The Rev. Kelly Gallagher
ACM for Justice & Witness Ministry Council
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