Hope in Prayer

By Emilie Rodriguez

Prayer vigil at the border, 8-29-14. Photo used by permission, Church World Service.

The breeze comes in through the open car window as we drive across the U.S. border into Tijuana. I look out on streets filled with people going to and from work, school, maybe even wandering around trying to find a place to call home. As I inhaled, memories of my childhood fill my mind, trying to burst free: hitting the piñata at countless birthday parties, cheering as my cousins played soccer with our older aunts and uncles, falling asleep on our way home as we cross the border back to the U.S. We arrive at the Primera Iglesia Bautista de Tijuana, the First Baptist Church of Tijuana. When we enter the building, my eyes widen in surprise. People from all over the United States have come to the vigil: Los Angeles, Pennsylvania, Boston, San Diego—and that’s just the people on this side of the border. Still more were gathering on the other side of the border to join us in prayer.

It gives me hope that so many have come to aid the crisis, come to do something about it and support the efforts. The discussion begins and we conference with our brothers and sisters in San Diego, those who are going to meet up with us later at the park. We go around the room, discussing what has been happening in each of our regions, each person speaking about the children and families that are haunted by the atrocities going on their countries. They’ve seen the faces of these refugees and want to help them overcome their traumatic experiences. The preliminary discussion ends and we head to the Border Field State Park. There, the people in San Ysidro come to join us, facing us across the fence from the U.S. side of the park. There we stand united, linked across two countries, and we all feel hope coursing through each of us. We begin the prayer and as we pray to God, pleading that he helps us fight this humanitarian crisis, my mind finds peace. A sense of calm courses through me, and I know that no matter what happens, God will help.

Emilie Rodriguez is convenor of the national leadership team of AB GIRLS, AB Women’s Ministries. A senior in high school, Emilie served as AB Women’s Ministries’ representative at a prayer vigil hosted by American Baptist Churches USA held at the border on August 29, 2014. To watch a video of the prayer vigil, click here.

AB Women’s Ministries 2014-2015 mission focus is “Crisis at the Border: What Could I Do?” For information, resources, and a link to subscribe to monthly emails on the topic, visit www.abwministries.org.

Crisis at the Border: What Could We Do?

Submitted by Bonnie Sestito

“White House Civil Disobedience” August 28 2014. Used by permission, Church World Service

Beginning in October 2011, the U.S. Government recorded a dramatic rise—commonly referred to in the United States as “the surge”–in the number of unaccompanied and separated children arriving to the United States from these same three countries—El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The total number of apprehensions of unaccompanied and separated children from these countries by U.S. Customs and Border Protection jumped from 4,059 in Fiscal year (FY) 2011 to 10,443 in FY 2012 and then more than doubled again, to 21,537, in FY 2013. At the same time, a tremendous number of children from Mexico have been arriving to the U.S. over a longer period of time, and although the gap is narrowing as of FY 2013, the number of children from Mexico has far outpaced the number of children from any one of the three Central American countries.

“Crisis at the Border: What Could We Do?” is AB Women’s Ministries mission focus for 2014-2015. Why is there a “crisis at the border?” Let us step into the shoes of those that have come to the United States from the Northern Triangle.

“I lived with my mother and two younger siblings. My biological father abandoned my mother when she was pregnant with me. I have a warm relationship with my stepfather, who has lived in the U.S. for eight years. My main reason for coming to the U.S. is to join my stepfather. Threats were made that led me to flee when I did. The head of the gang that controlled my neighborhood wanted me to be his girlfriend and threatened to kidnap me or to kill one of my family members if I didn’t comply. I knew another girl from my community who had become the girlfriend of a gang member and had been forced to have sex with all the gang members. I didn’t want this for myself. Once the gang started harassing me, I didn’t feel safe, so I stopped going to school and stayed at home until my family was able to make arrangements for my travel to the U.S.” (Josefina, El Salvador, Age 16)

“If they really do want to know how hard life is down there, they should go see it. There are kids who don’t make it past five years old because they die of hunger. Their parents can’t work because there are no jobs. Just give us a chance. Let us better ourselves so we can be something better than what we are today.” (Mauricio, Honduras, Age 17)

“I had problems with my grandmother. She always beat me from the time I was little. That’s why I went to live with my boyfriend—and because I was lonely and sad. But after we had been living together for about a month, my boyfriend also beat me. He beat me almost every day. I stayed with him for four months. I left because he tried to kill me by strangling me. I left the same day.” (Lucia, Guatemala, Age 16)

“I like playing soccer outside, but I can’t really play anymore. My friends from my neighborhood all moved because their brothers were killed. The cartel killed them, and the entire family left. So now I don’t have anyone to play soccer with. (Jaun, Mexico, Age 13)*

“What can we do?” This is the question that AB Women’s Ministries is asking of American Baptist women across the United States and in Puerto Rico. Below are some suggestions.

Celebrate: The International Day of the Girl Child promotes girls’ rights and highlights gender inequalities that remain between girls and boys. It is a UN observance that is annually held on October 11. Celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child giving your AB women’s or girls’ group the opportunity to raise public awareness of the different types of discrimination and abuse that many girls around the world suffer from.

Join thousands of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and other faith communities across the country in the 2014 National Observance of Children’s Sabbath, designated for October 17-19. The theme is “Precious in God’s Sight: Answering the Call to Cherish and Protect Every Child.”   Celebrate by holding special worship services, education programs, and advocacy activities to engage people of faith in improving the lives of children and their families. A copy of this year’s resource manual may be downloaded from www.childrensdefense.org.

You can plan ahead for an observance of International Migrants Day on December 18. The Interfaith Immigration Coalition, of which ABCUSA is a part, has resources you could use in worship. International Migrants Day recognizes the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, and provides opportunity for advocacy on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants.

Research: Find out if there is something that you can do for “unaccompanied and separated children,” who may be living in your community.

Advocate: Call your Members of Congress and ask that they reject rollbacks to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. If you don’t know who your Members of Congress are, go to https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members.

Make a Donation: Give to Church World Service (www.cwsglobal.org) to support their response to the crisis with unaccompanied children and families:

• Legal Services and Assistance
• Religious Services and Pastoral Care
• Hospitality at Drop-off Points (food, clothing, diapers, medical care, housing and bus tickets for those being left without any support)
• Humanitarian Assistance in Honduras (assistance to returning migrant children and adolescents unable to be admitted to the U.S. specifically, providing food, psycho-social care, healthcare, and sanitation and hygiene services for some 1,000 children and teenagers in a designated shelter in the city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras)

AB Women’s Ministries has a page on our website devoted to the 14-15 mission focus, “Crisis at the Border: What Could I Do?” You’ll find information and resources listed there, and you’ll have the opportunity to subscribe to our monthly emails on the topic that give more updated information, links, and ideas for action around particular facets of the theme.

Bonnie Sestito is coordinator of Mission with Women and Girls with AB Women’s Ministries.

*Information was obtained from www.unhcrwashington.org, “Children on the Run—Unaccompanied Children Leaving Central America and Mexico and the Need for International Protection: A Study Conducted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Regional Office for the United States and the Caribbean Washington, D.C.” (published March 2014).

Diaspora Missions

Contributed by Marcia and Duane Binkley

Our work since 2006 has been to connect Baptist churches in the U.S. with refugees from Burma being resettled throughout America by the U.S. government. Knowing the situation of the Karen in Thai refugee camps, we marvel at their ability to adapt to a U.S. lifestyle, language and culture. We have also been pleased to see so many U.S. churches with no prior cross-cultural experience extend Christian hospitality and acceptance to these newest Americans. With 90,000 from Burma already in the U.S., over 250 new churches and congregations have been started. The largest Baptist church-planting program in America today is the U.S. government’s refugee resettlement program!

While learning of refugee resettlement in the U.S., our eyes have been opened to the many other people and language groups living in America. Others in Christian circles are noticing as well and a fledgling movement is being started that some call Diaspora Missions. The idea is that by reaching the international communities living in America, our local churches will grow and the world could be reached without leaving the country.

Virtually every major city in America and many smaller towns and cities are now home to populations speaking languages and belonging to cultures from everywhere on the globe. The U.S. census estimates “over 300” languages are spoken in homes in the U.S.A., and Global Research of the Southern Baptist’s International Mission Board lists 541 “unreached people groups” living in America. However, many of us, and many of the churches we attend, don’t recognize the international nature of America today. When contact is made with people speaking something other than English, we see them as separate. Some churches may invite a non-English speaking group to use “their” building, but often there is a feeling of “us” and “them”. For still others, the response has been to wait until newcomers learn English and have assimilated. Only after they become one of “us” will they be welcomed.

A quick survey of the Bible indicates God wants us to take a different approach. When Moses came down from the mountain with the stone tablets with his face still shining from being in the presence of God, one of the first things he said to the people of Israel was, “And you are to love those who are aliens” (Deut. 10:19). Throughout the Old Testament that command is repeated and we’re told the same rules apply to strangers, foreigners, and aliens that apply to us.

In the New Testament, Jesus’ cross-cultural encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well illustrates his love for those considered different. Then, in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit came, there were at least 15 language groups represented. In Acts 11, Peter was at first criticized for taking the Gospel to non-Jews until he explained his dream. When it was apparent everyone could receive the Holy Spirit, Peter said, “So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think I could oppose God?” (Acts11:17) Peter seems to say when we don’t welcome the stranger, alien and foreigner, we oppose God. Ouch!

Recently, on a plane ride I sat next to an East European who came to the U.S. as a refugee several years ago. He has done well materially and has a high-paying job. After explaining that I was working with refugees from Burma and trying to connect churches with them, he looked hurt and asked, “Why did no church try to connect with us?”

I pass on his question for us to consider. As individual Christians, churches, organizations, and denominations, why aren’t we connecting more with the foreigner, stranger, and alien living near to us? Often, the main thing newcomers want is acceptance and a chance to be the people God made them to be. Our Lord accepts us as we are so, in turn, his church should be the first place newcomers to America should find acceptance. In the words of Peter, “Who are we to oppose God?”

(View a gallery of photos from multicultural church gatherings!)

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Duane and Marcia Binkley are missionaries to the Karen in the U.S. and Thailand, jointly appointed by American Baptist Churches USA and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Sharing Our Space

Two years ago, the Lai Baptist Church—a young and emerging Chin congregation—came to us out of the blue and said, “We need a place to worship.  Can you help us?”

That request started me on a special journey of church leadership and faith that has been totally unexpected and refreshing.  And, of course, challenging!  Many of the members of this refugee congregation have arrived in the United States within the last couple of years, so their command of English and American culture is a challenge.  Still, it is clear that God has been blessing and growing me as I have waded into life with these brothers and sisters in Christ.

Here are three things that I have learned—and re-learned—from this congregation of young men, women, and children:

First, I have learned to listen closely.  Because of language barriers, I discovered that I cannot make assumptions about what church members are trying to tell me, and it is imperative that I keep asking questions to make sure that I understand them.  I work to make sure that my own language is clear, and simple.  I am grateful when we can speak face-to-face, (out of necessity, many of my conversations with the church leaders is by text messages) because I can read their faces and their body language to discern if there is clarity between us.

Second, I have learned to watch carefully.  When I have had the privilege of worshipping with the Lai Baptist Church, my own energy sky-rockets as I watch the members interact with each other, with their worship leaders, and with the Spirit of God flowing through the sanctuary.  Children are everywhere, often cradled at their mother’s chest or sleeping on her back, and the children move back and forth between mothers and fathers sitting on opposite sides of the sanctuary.  The children are clearly at ease in this space and the parents keep a watchful eye on them, while also allowing them room to move about naturally in this community of faith. There is a level of noise and movement that is out of the ordinary in my own experience and I am learning how infectious and exciting the movement can be.

Third, I have learned to worship continuously.  What a profound reminder the Lai Baptist Church has given me as they tell me about their Sunday morning education hours in people’s homes, followed by worship in the Brighton Community Church sanctuary, usually followed by dinner together and evening worship.  To all of these times of worship and learning they add a Friday night prayer service in the sanctuary.  It is clear that the Lai Baptist Church has an appreciation for worship, fellowship, education, and mission that is contagious.

It never occurred to me that the presence of the Lai Baptist Church could be such a gift.  I am grateful for what my congregation can offer them, and blessed by their presence in my life.

This post is contributed by Rev. Lisa Drysdale, pastor of Brighton Community Church in Tonawanda, New York. The Lai Baptist Church began worshiping in the sanctuary of the church in August, 2012. Lai is one of the language groups that are part of the Chin ethnic community of Burma.

They Wouldn’t Do That

I recently was listening to a morning show when they spoke about the 14 year old from Texas who claimed she was Colombian and was deported. The morning commentator chortled, “Well, she doesn’t even speak Spanish. They wouldn’t deport her; they wouldn’t do that.” To be sure, there were mistakes made. But it was not a mistake that they deport a person because they do not speak the language of the country of origin. In fact, they do it quite often.

There seems to be this misconception that deportation only involves those caught at the border or those who just arrived. There is a fair amount of that, as the busloads of undocumenteds sent to Mexicali can attest. But there is a whole other side of deportation that doesn’t come nearly as quickly to mind.

Day in and day out, I rub elbows with detainees who have been in the United States for years. A typical scenario is one in which they are one of the older children in family, but were just a baby when the family arrived from, say, Mexico, or Pakistan, or the Philippines. Later, siblings are born, but they are born in the United States. And the older ones, even though they are not U.S. citizens, become as acculturated to the United States as their American-born brothers and sisters. They speak English with a California accent, not an Indian one, or with a Texas accent, not one of Eastern Europe. To see them or hear them, you would not know the difference.

And they continue on with their lives, growing up in American neighborhoods, being educated in American schools, worshipping in American churches, shopping in American malls. They feel American, and are much more connected with the United States than with their country of birth. But often through no fault of their own they are undocumented and, as such, are subject to being deported.

As I will always concede, immigration policy is a difficult issue. It is tough to know where to draw the line: who to include, who to exclude. I was encouraged by the president’s recent announcement opening an opportunity for more to stay in the U.S. for awhile longer. I contend that it should be seen as only a temporary measure until enough courage is summoned to deal with immigration in a more thorough, systemic way.

Because our immigration policy has costs involved with it. One of the costs we bear is to our image and self- image as a nation. We see ourselves as a nation with caring and compassion. This image needs to come face to face with those touched by our laws and policies. I urge us to act on immigration with this in mind. Even though we want to pretend that we are not sending people to dire circumstances when we deport them, the reality is that we do it all the time.

Rev. Richard Barnes is an American Baptist endorsed chaplain, ministering on behalf of Church World Service in the Immigration and Refugee Program. As such, he is the Religious Services Program Coordinator at the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s El Centro, California Service Processing Center (Detention Facility). Previously, he served for ten years as a missionary with American Baptist International Ministries in Mexicali, Mexico.

Why I am still concerned

I listened with much relief as three of the four parts of Arizona SB1070 were struck down. I was pleasantly surprised at the Supreme Court’s rulings, even if the logic left me scratching my head at times. But I am still concerned about the “show me your papers” section of the law that was not struck down.

Some would say, “Well, if you’re not doing anything wrong, you don’t have anything to be concerned about.” That is not necessarily so, and I can tell you this from personal experience. A little about my driving habits before I launch in. I used to drive at about five miles over the limit on a regular basis. But then, I just decided a few years ago to do the limit. And I almost always use the cruise control when conditions warrant. I have never gotten a ticket in my nearly 30 years of driving, though I am not saying there weren’t times… But especially when I am traveling long distances, I behave myself.

This is important, because there have been two times when I have been pulled over for no reason. One time, Richie (my then 17 year old) and I were coming back from Chicago, where we went to see the University of Chicago, where he now attends. We were traveling down US 54 in the Oklahoma panhandle early one morning. We passed through a town and had just gotten back up to highway speed when an Oklahoma State Trooper pulled me over. After the usual license and registration thing, he explained that I was not speeding, but had simply accelerated a little quickly. I was let off with a verbal warning.

The other time this happened is when I was driving Richie to school. We were in the middle of Missouri on I-70, and passed a Missouri State Trooper in the median. Again, I was at or below the speed limit. He followed me for about five or six miles, then pulled me over. He explained that I was “swerving” some. Hmmm. Of course, I was let off with a verbal warning.

In both instances, I know that the stated reasons for why I was pulled over were pretexts. Maybe it was my California plates. Maybe it was my “Frito Bandito” moustache, maybe Richie’s long hair. But I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was not really my driving. The egg would not have been broken on the accelerator in Oklahoma, and you could have put a laser on my path in Missouri. Neither officer really sought to defend their actions upon questioning them.

But I was pulled over. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. Over the course of the next few years, I will be curious if those “anyones” have a darker skin tone, or a “funny” accent. I do not unduly question the integrity of most police officers. But the reason that the 4^th amendment is in place is to make sure there is a check on law enforcement, that there is a limit to the power they can exercise. SB1070 puts police officers in a tough spot, including demonstrating that “show me your papers” is not racially or ethnically motivated. This is why I am still concerned.

Rev. Richard Barnes is an American Baptist endorsed chaplain, ministering on behalf of Church World Service in the Immigration and Refugee Program. As such, he is the Religious Services Program Coordinator at the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s El Centro, California Service Processing Center (Detention Facility). Previously, he served for ten years as a missionary with American Baptist International Ministries in Mexicali, Mexico. 

Throw away people, throw away families

None of the detainees I minister with wants to be in the detention facility where I minister. Every once in a while, though, I come across a situation that is a particularly poignant illustration of the undocumented immigrant struggle.

I was asked to consult with a detainee, we’ll call him Juan. As Juan was describing his sadness about being here, I asked him what had happened. He mentioned that he was driving, and had had a broken taillight. Because of his being stopped to address this, it was discovered that he was undocumented. He was immediately arrested.

He was arrested as he was trying to fend for his family, including a two year old and a two week old. His crime was being on the road to work and having a light out.

I just want us to think about who pays for this crime. Juan was on his way to work doing a job that no one else wanted to do. So his employer will have to hire someone else in order to get a job done. Juan will not earn revenue that would in one way or another be taxed by federal, state, and local governments. And the people of the United States pay thousands of dollars per year in order to house Juan in the detention center.

But there is also a man who can no longer provide for his family. And there is a wife who wonders how ends will meet. And there are two children who no longer have their father present. I purposely use the word “and” because the consequences of this one action ripple on and on and on.

As a nation, it seems we treat people like Juan like disposable commodities. When the good times are here and we need the labor, somehow people look the other way. But when times are tight, it seems pretty easy to throw people like Juan away: “We don’t need him anymore, so we’ll just ship him back.” And in doing so, we appear willing to throw away families, too.

I don’t pretend to have easy answers. And I am the first to affirm that laws were broken. But I truly wonder if we have thought about the consequences of throwing away Juan and his family. Because in a nation that was built on the blood, sweat, and tears of generations of immigrants, when we throw away Juan, aren’t we throwing away a little piece of our future?

Rick Barnes

Rev. Richard Barnes is an American Baptist endorsed chaplain, ministering on behalf of Church World Service in the Immigration and Refugee Program. As such, he is the Religious Services Program Coordinator at the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s El Centro, California Service Processing Center (Detention Facility). Previously, he served for ten years as a missionary with American Baptist International Ministries in Mexicali, Mexico.