Living a Better Story: Justice for Our Neighbors

In the days that followed my receipt of the "Living a Better Story" money, I kept hearing and seeing news about immigrants – particularly immigrants to the U.S. The hateful rhetoric from those who seem to have all the answers disturbed me. The heart-wrenching stories of families dealing with issues we can only imagine brought tears to my eyes.

I know there are no easy answers to this difficult problem, but I am a tiny bit comforted by my decision to add to the money I received and make a donation to what I believe to be an important, but little known, ministry of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). It’s called Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON).

JFON reaches out to the "alien" among us - immigrants who have nowhere to go for help. It’s a faith-driven ministry that welcomes immigrants into churches and communities by providing free, high-quality immigration legal services, education, and advocacy.

As Christians we read and learn that when we welcome sojourners, it is as if we are receiving Christ. It is a sign of our faithfulness. That is why we should care about refugees and immigrants.

These words from the 1986 United Methodist Bishops' Statement on Refugees and Immigration speak volumes: "God comes to us in the form of the vulnerable person who lacks the benefit of status and protection in an alien land. In the flesh of Jesus Christ of Nazareth God chose to sojourn in a particular way for the sake of all humankind…and restored the possibility of authentic community in which love and justice reign and peace prevails."

The Old Testament is full of scriptures admonishing God's people to treat immigrants with compassion and fairness. Exodus 23:9 states, "Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt." In Deuteronomy 24:14, it says: "Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns."

Our faith does not allow us to be indifferent or hostile to immigrants, but calls us to care and act. Learn more about the JFON immigration ministry at www.umcom.org.