Matthew 25:35 says “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
In college, I had several friends who would spend their spring breaks working in the desert of Arizona with a group called “No More Deaths.” Their mission is exactly what it sounds like: to prevent the deaths of migrants crossing the border from Mexico trying to get to the Tucson area. My friends would hike the desert and leave food and water at various points along the migrant trails. It meant so much to them that they would go for an entire week, sleep in tents in the sand, take exactly zero showers, and only eat things that could be cooked over a camp fire.
As for myself, I am embarrassingly uneducated on the border/immigration issue that wages on the minds of thousands everyday in both the United States and Mexico. I do, however, hope to learn more.
This afternoon, I had the opportunity to go to the annual luncheon for the Baptist Center for Ethics at the CBF General Assembly in Tampa. The food was good. The fellowship was good. The highlight for me, however, was the documentary they showed on immigration. I could not help but be challenged. The documentary mentioned the “No More Deaths” camp in Arizona, it told the stories of real people, it informed viewers on misconceptions about migrants, and it issued a call for viewers to respond, among other things.
Now, if you are like me, you might not know a lot about this issue. Whether you are a complete novice on the subject or you work for border control itself, I do want to encourage you to learn more about the injustices that are being done on a daily basis by our country. It is as simple as going to www.EthicsDaily.com and searching “immigration” in the bar at the top. Once you become truly inspired, contact them about hosting a viewing of their soon to be released documentary on immigration.
If this community of faith can live out the call that Jesus gives each one of us on how to treat the stranger, this world would be a very different place. Here is the chance. Now is the time.