No matter where you go, the debate continues. What do we do about immigration reform? There are an estimated ten to twelve million illegal immigrants in the United States and rising. People of faith in the North American church find themselves on varying ends of this political hurricane. Depending on perspectives, people pray for God to respond in different ways.
Although the immigration issue encompasses more than immigrants from Mexico, it is this population I mainly see in the spotlight. Among other things, I’ve noticed this debate conveyed as a threat to the American way of life, specifically with regard to language and culture. There are countless political terms one could toss around, such as human rights, economics, welfare, and national security. I could join in, and try to sound like a very well informed expert on the matter. I am no expert, and this is no call to action.
Instead, for this very personal post, I simply want to share with you a letter written by my ten year-old daughter Angel about her family.
Angel's Letter:
“I came to my biological dad’s house one day and I saw that Noemi and Alejandra (step-mother and half sister) were not there. So I asked him, “Where are they?” He said, “Well, they’re in Mexico and they’ll come back soon.” That was almost two years ago! Ever since that day I’ve been praying the same prayer every night. “Dear God, thanks for mommy. Thanks for daddy. Help me to be good. And please help my baby sister and Noemi in Mexico. Please help them come back safe and sound, and very soon. In Jesus name, Amen.”
I pray that every night and it hasn’t gotten any better because I still feel like a piece of me is missing. Now I know that they won’t come back for a while, if ever. Why? Because I’ve been waiting for the law to say “yes!” This week may have changed my life again for sure. There was this big meeting with the law and if would go well they’d be able to come home. If it didn’t, they’d have to stay. The law had to choose and they decided to say “no!”
I was really bummed because I know that God didn’t answer my prayers. Now I cry so much I guess all my hope is gone. I know I am not the only one with half of their family gone, and even if I’m kind of mad at God, I’ll still pray. In the meantime I will pray, I will cry, and I will write a letter to the President of the United States of America!
Angel at immigration rally.
As parents it is painful for us to watch our daughter wrestle with God’s sovereignty, let alone the sovereignty of our government. With this issue we’ve allowed her to express her pain, along with the countless other hurting in these times. Our primal fear is that she’s right. That she won’t see her sister and step-mother for a very long time. On another level, we fear in the process she may further lose an already absent biological father who may move to Mexico to be with his deported family.
No matter where you go, the debate continues. What do we do about immigration reform? I have no political responses. Today, I lament with my daughter and cry out to a God who watches, who waits, and who listens. Today, as I can’t even muster enough imagination to dream what an outcome could look like, I pray silently and mourn alongside my daughter.
Sam Trujillo
loves his daughter
is a son of immigrants
unsure of how this issue will turn out in the end
Comments (6)
Terrified to comment, but hungry to talk about this. I want so much to find an answer, and I'm starting to think there just isn't going to be one. My heart breaks for Angel, and for you, Sam. On the other hand, it seems unfair to blame the law for Angel's loss...her family knew what could happen when they came here undocumented, and now it has happened. The law has simply done what it said it would do. That's one definition of "fair."
I can't find any place to lay the blame that doesn't feel like shifting sand. Is it her mom's fault? There must have been reasons she came here, reasons compelling enough to risk what has now happened. So, is the government the culprit? Is it wrong to make people go through procedures to come here to live? Should we open the borders to everyone? Does any country do that? (I really don't know. I'm hopelessly ignorant about this, mostly because it feels too big to wrap my head around.)
Lori
Posted by Lori Ventola | November 28, 2007 8:16 AM
Posted on November 28, 2007 08:16
Lori,
You ask really important questions...which to me reveals more about the overwhelming complexity of the issue before us than anything else. And as I watch reports and deates about it, I wonder why some find merit/reason to simplfy it.
In anycase, Angel's step-mom and sister is an example of how the chaos and heightened tension around this volatile issue has complicated things for law abiding citizens. As far as we know, Angel's dad is a legal citizen. Born and raised in the U.S. However, his wife is from Mexico. They married, and she should be a legal citizen. With all the issues and new barriers to citzenship, it seems that for now, their stuck in the process...and their family is estranged.
That's as much of the story that we know for now, so it's unclear what other things are complicating it. As Angel waits, her sister grows up, the potential bond between her and her stepmom is strained, and her biological father is unpredictable as to what he'll decide to do.
Sam
Posted by Sam - El Mexicano | November 28, 2007 9:22 AM
Posted on November 28, 2007 09:22
Hi everybody!
Immigration is definatelly a big issue that it needs to be resolved some how. I'm one of the many illegal immigrants that was brought to the United States by my parents. My family has being waiting for 11 yrs to become residents, the years have passed and now I'm a married woman that with the help of many generous people that belived in me and my family I was able to finish a career. However now I face a very difficult reality, which is to provide my services to a company. Don't know what my future will be but like Angel every night I pray to god for the right place for me and for pacience, which has always been a big part of my life. Now the questions are: What do you do with the people that are trying to do things the right way? but the system is too slow. Do we wait 11 more yrs? Do we leave and give our services to another country that wants us?
Unfortunately Angel is only one of the many children that suffered from being left behind by their parents and sadly this has become a life style for many families.
Posted by Jazmin | November 28, 2007 10:40 AM
Posted on November 28, 2007 10:40
Thanks for dealing with this issue. I am living in an urban environment in Pennsylvania that is dominated by immigrants, both legal and illegal, from many Latino countries. What I find most distrubing is that too often the Church (at least in my own personal experience) views immigration as a black and white legal-political issue. Such is not the case. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, are called to higher levels of love and relationship as mandated by Scripture. Now, that doesn't mean we justify the breaking of any law that annoys us through creative scriptural proof-texting. It does, however, DEMAND a level of love towards aliens that we as Christians so often excuse ourselves from. We, as believers in Jesus, have to view this issue firstly through the eyes of Jesus, and secondly through the laws of our nation. Leviticus 19;33-34; Exodus 23:9; Luke 10:25-37
Posted by Matt Hershey | November 28, 2007 12:58 PM
Posted on November 28, 2007 12:58
Illegal immigration does not hurt America but has been exaggerated “To begin with, the supposed “alien invasion” has been greatly exaggerated. A recent study by demographers in the U.S and Mexico City found that the numbers of illegal immigrants entering the U.S is only about 105,000 per year, as opposed to the millions claimed by anti-immigrant forces.” (Gayle, Opposing Viewpoints, p. 27-28). Illegal immigrants founded America; people who came over seas to land that were not theirs and claimed it as their own. Illegal immigrants do not come to over power, but to prosper. Prosper their very way of life, giving a brighter future for their families, and trying to achieve greatness in a world with scarce opportunities. Making themselves venerable to hurts, physical pain, and non-acceptance. They are a persevering people and give this country personality “Immigration is not undermining the American experiment; it is an integral part of it. We are a nation of immigrants. Successive waves of immigrants have kept our country demographically young, enriched our culture and added to our productive capacity as a nation, enhancing our influence in the world.” (Griswold, Insight News, 2002). So how can we (illegal immigrants at one time) deny them that opportunity to better themselves?
Angel you rock! I pray for your family as well because you care so much. Don't give up. You are a very strong girl, and I'm so very proud of you!
Posted by Uriah Quezada | November 28, 2007 1:14 PM
Posted on November 28, 2007 13:14
angel, we're praying with you! your story reminds us that there are real people with real hearts & real families & real lives at stake. there are so many pieces we do not understand or can't even get our head around but know you are less alone in your prayers...
Posted by kathyescobar | November 29, 2007 8:36 PM
Posted on November 29, 2007 20:36