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Sabbath Devotional :: Hope on the Border
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.” –Jeremiah 17:7 In what was once a nightclub in downtown McAllen, Texas, a Catholic sister unapologetically lives out her religion. Every day, the Catholic Charities Rio Grande Valley Humanitarian Respite Center takes in scores of migrants who have been screened by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). Sister Norma Pimentel and her team provide floor mats for sleeping, donated clothing, diapers, over-the-counter medicine, a shower, warm meals, and help arranging transportation before they head out on the next leg of their journey, usually within a day or two. The shelter, with its blacked-out windows and…
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Are You Aware? If Language Was an American Dream
This is part III in our “The Latin Experience in the States” Awareness Wednesday series. Read the other posts in the series here. Many immigrants to the U.S. won’t have the same experiences I’ve had, because of how I came to the U.S. My intention was to study here and to go back home. But life always plays a different tune. Growing up in a family that loved languages has been a blessing in my life. When I was a little girl, my dad invited people from all over the world to eat with us in our home in Sao Paulo, Brazil. At the age of 8, my dad asked me…
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Are You Aware? Latinx Diversity and Contributions
This is part II in our “The Latin Experience in the States” Awareness Wednesday series. Read the other posts in the series here. NOTE: Throughout this article, the terms Latino, Latina, Latinx, and Hispanic are being used interchangeably to refer to the same group of people. I never thought that immigrating to the U.S. was going to be part of my life’s journey. I grew up hearing about the “American Dream” and the idea of what that meant through TV shows and movies. I remember hearing the “dislike” in people’s comments when they heard the word “America” was used interchangeably with the United States of America. It was accompanied by the…
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Are You Aware? A Brief Review of Asian American History
This is part I in our Awareness Wednesday series on the Asian American Experience. Read the other posts in the series here. Asian culture and peoples have always been the “East” to the European “West.” During the Roman Empire, trade routes and networks were established early on between these two regions and cultures. The fascination and desire to trade with the East and its otherworldly foods, animals, and the like is what compelled many, including Christopher Columbus, to embark on a voyage in search of Asia. Early migrations The first Asians to set foot in the Americas were mostly from China, Japan, and the Philippines, arriving in New Spain (Alta California and parts…
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MWEG Member Op-Ed :: “Congress Does Not ‘CARE’ About My American Family”
“Intentionally disqualifying millions of Americans from much-needed stimulus funds during this unprecedented health crisis is both unnecessary and cruel. It also further contributes to the demonization of immigration and labeling of immigrants—and their citizen family members—as unworthy.” MWEG member Dr. Jane Lilly López will not receive the stimulus funds due to her, despite the fact that she is a U.S. citizen who paid thousands in taxes in 2019. Read her op-ed to learn more about the American families who are being excluded from the “CARES” relief bill. “Congress Does Not ‘Care’ About My American Family” • April 24, 2020 • The Appeal
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Pray for Truth
It’s been a rough week for a lot of us in the U.S. Our rule of law seems under siege by leaders attempting to redraw lines between right and wrong, blurring once-common notions of truth. This reality played out this week in my home city of Boston, where a U.S. Customs official ignored an order from a federal court and deported an Iranian Northeastern University student who was here legally with a student visa. In the span of those same few days, the U.S. Senate, presiding over the impeachment trial of our sitting president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice, continued to attempt to conduct a…
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Volunteering at the Southern Border
The U.S. has seen an unprecedented surge of asylum seekers along our southern border in the past several months. Most come through the process weary and confused. They carry no personal possessions and require assistance to carry on with their travels. Respite centers in key border towns have become safe and welcoming shelters for these vulnerable people. Rio Grande Valley Catholic Charities Respite Center in McAllen, Texas, for instance, offers a hot meal and clean water, basic hygiene necessities, a fresh set of clothing, and access to medicine and basic medical attention for those in need. Families can enjoy a hot meal together in the dining hall. There are spacious…
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Immigration Information :: An Asylum Law Update
The Supreme Court recently allowed the Trump administration to prevent most Central American migrants from seeking asylum in the United States. Current threats to U.S. asylum law are complicated, but we feel compelled to make every effort to understand the issues. Because of the complexity of the matter, even this summary is lengthy. I strongly encourage everyone to read — in full — each source referenced here. Every link included in this summary provides more information and detail. Supreme Court Ruling in Barr v. East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, issued Sept. 11, 2019 BACKGROUND: Asylum Law United States codified asylum law is that, “in general, any alien who is physically present…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Following the Divine, Higher Law
In the time that I have spent advocating for more compassionate immigration reform, one counter- argument I have heard members of the Church use repeatedly is that our shared religious beliefs require a commitment to obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. As a student of both the law and the gospel, I see great wisdom in the 12th Article of Faith, but I have always been troubled by the implication that any ethical or moral failure — of an individual or society — is automatically excused or justified by strict adherence to the law. The argument is often used as a trump card of sorts to squelch thoughtful and nuanced…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Privilege
In an email conversation with a friend earlier this year, she said, “Working with underprivileged groups should not make us ‘feel grateful and lucky for what I have.’ That is the typical, and wrong, reaction. Volunteering for underprivileged should make us feel angry in our souls for the situation that created their marginalization to begin with, and make us want to take action and do something about it.” When I read her words out loud to my children they said, “Yes! That’s is exactly!” We mentor a refugee family from Rwanda. They were torn from their homes, ripped from family members and suffered indignities, starvation and rape from their oppressors…
