Beyond Baltimore: Empathy, Change, and Understanding

It is very difficult to watch the Baltimore riots. On the one hand, the impulsive response of the rioters would appear to give the U.S. a free pass to ignore the actual problems that underscore the struggle between minority communities and police officers. On the other hand, it ignores the peaceful protest that took place the days before the riots began, which were ignored by the media.[1] 

There have been lackluster attempts to understand by various people via social media. I feel like the attempt to understand can be summed up by saying this; if these riots surprise you then I think your current mindset makes it impossible to understand why or how these riots can happen.

To be clear, labeling the rioters as idiots or even worse animals is the poorest most pathetic attempt of making sense of the Baltimore riots. Such ignorance is unwarranted and must be corrected by a complete shift of mindset if we are ever able to move forward toward racial equality and reconciliation in this country.

My intention in writing this blog is not to speak on behalf of every black person in U.S. nor is it to speak for the entire black community of Baltimore. It is to share my thoughts and concerns when I see the way the media responds and friends and various people respond on social media. I can only raise my own voice on these recent occurrences. 

I would like to first respond to a meme that has been circulating the internet.

This meme shows two contrasting images. The image on top shows Martin Luther King, Jr. and many other civil rights leaders, citizens and people marching against oppression of blacks. They are walking peacefully with locked arms looking to send a message of equality despite the color of one’s skin. The second image on the bottom shows a young angry rioter in Baltimore bust out a car window with a large object with a crowd of people behind him rooting him on. The message is simple: the top photo is a protest, the bottom is rioting. The conclusion: “if you can’t tell the difference, you are a part of the problem.” The word *duh* comes to mind.

These types of responses are what I meant earlier regarding “lackluster attempts to understand”. I believe it is important to take these the images of Dr. King  in context with his own words. There is a video of Martin Luther King Jr. speaking on riots and violence to the media that I would like to share that I think provide the proper commentary for the top image. –A transcript of King’s words is posted below the video.

“There is no real organization to the riots I think they grow out of the conditions that I mentioned all along, and as long as these intolerable conditions are there, as long as the negro finds himself living every day in a major depression, then every city will sit on a powder keg and can explode over the slightest incident. I feel that killing is a very tragic way to deal with any social problem. There is no violent solution to the problem that the Negro confronts in this country. There is why I have constantly said that riots are socially destructive and self-defeating. After all the Negro ends up on the losing end. We can’t win a violent revolution. Most of the persons killed in the riots are Negro themselves. The persons who end up not being able to get milk for their children are Negros because things, where they have to live, are destroyed. So there is no practical or moral answers in the realm of violence due to the Negro problem but I do understand sociological, psychological and the economical…”

To be sure, Martin Luther King Jr. as expressed in the video, did show compassion and understanding toward those in the black communities who wanted to riot. He, too, was equally angry at the conditions in Black neighborhoods. However, his ideology and approach in achieving justice differed from many others. He believed that peaceful protest was actually the strongest voice that the oppressed people had. Why? Well, in my opinion peaceful protest forces the oppressor to listen to the concerns and complaints of the people. Violent riots, as I said earlier, give people a pass to ignore the true concerns and pains of the oppressed people.

One more point I want to make on this meme. If you have ever read about Martin Luther King, Jr., and the civil rights movement, you will find that convincing oppressed people that the way forward was a peaceful protest was extremely difficult. The natural response of people who feel as if they are unfairly treated is almost always not to be peaceful. It is because the oppressed already feel as if their voice is ignored and overlooked. It appears the only time people will listen is when things are being destroyed. I mean look, at the media’s coverage of Freddie Gray’s death. How much T.V. time was given to the thousands of people who were protesting peacefully in Baltimore before the riots began? And now how much more media coverage is given to the destruction? Nevertheless, the point I am trying to make is that Martin Luther King, Jr. very much understood the fact that things could blow up at any time. He did not agree with the response, but he was not labeling these communities as idiots or animals, either.

If we take into account the U.S. history of slavery, the oppression that black’s felt after the abolishment of slavery up to this day, along with the recent media coverage of the warranted and unwarranted killings of black citizens by police officers (I say this with the most caution and restraint possible), then you have a chaotic recipe for Ferguson and Baltimore, and perhaps even more of the same for other cities in the future. I ask all who do not understand to ask yourself how hard it must be to feel as if you are being oppressed by a system that is set in place to protect you. Think about having to see all your friends and family forced to be a victim of a flawed system. What must that feel like?

The last thing I will say is this. The United States of America cannot continue to ignore the tension between different races as if it doesn’t exist. Just because the riots are not happening in your city does not mean that they cannot. Just because you may feel as if your relationship with law enforcement is great because you are a “law abiding citizen” doesn’t mean that every law abiding citizen feels the same way. And perhaps what I feel may be the most important is just because you don’t feel like the government, law enforce, or overall system is oppressing people of other races doesn’t mean your feelings are correct. We must all change our mindset if we are to move forward. Accept that you may not be able to understand the concerns of other people. Adopt an attitude of empathy towards your neighbor. Don’t be so quick to judge, especially before you seek to understand. Come on, America.  We are so close. Let’s keep moving forward.

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[1] All photos have been derive from: http://blackwestchester.com/2015/04/27/10000-peacefully-protest-bmore/ and were taken by Bill Hughes

I must also give credit to my good friend Micheal Barret for his help in editing this piece. 

The one thing my Youth Ministry is missing

    I stand nine months out of seminary and seven months into my new vocation of a Youth Pastor. Using my education and limited experience of ministry I have shaped (in my opinion) a fairly well-balanced ministry that includes scriptural study, theology, fun, games, and community. I have also made it a point to be as transparent about the important dogmatic formals and doctrines that form Christianity and its history. I am attempting to develop a clear connection with Israel and Christianity’s unmistakable connection with its Jewish ancestors. Most importantly my focus has been centered on Jesus Christ and the impact of his life, death, resurrection and accession and the promise of His return. In doing all of these things, I still am attempting to connect it to everyday life and modern U.S. culture and touch upon the relevance and superior importance for the gospel message to Christians and ultimately the entire world.

    Nevertheless, I feel I have I missed what is arguably the most important subsidy of a ministry. What exactly, you might ask? Prayer! That’s right I am confessing that somehow me, the converted heathen, who is a well-studied Religion/Philosophy major, Master of Arts in theology graduate has forgotten to pray over his ministry. This is not to say that prayer is completely absent in the Youth ministry as a whole (we begin and end our scripture study with prayer and pray before the meal we share every week). However, this is to say that I have not prayed without ceasing for the soul’s and transformation of the students who God has blessed me with.

The apostle Paul can say to the Church of the Thessalonians, “We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Christ. 1 Thess 1:2-3

    Unfortunately, I cannot repeat the same words to my youth group. In my lack of prayer, I feel that a major section of the ministry that God is calling me to is missing. I also feel as if the Holy Spirit is revealing to me how I can better work with God to ensure that the Kingdom of Heaven is recognized in the here and now. 

    It is also evident from the text that the Apostle Paul was not the only one praying for the Church. The first person plural pronoun communicates that the surrounding community of Christ followers also were in prayer for the Church. The meaning I gather from this is that I must encourage those adults who volunteer their time and the entirety of the Church to constantly remember the students in prayer. It is also of great comfort to remember that Jesus Christ himself intercedes on our behalf to the Father in heaven making our request know so we are completely confident that our prayers are received.

    I have felt this way for quite some time, but I have yet to act upon the call of God to deeper prayer. The reason I write this post is to proclaim what it is I am called to, and to have this post act as my bond to accountability, if not from the reader, from my subconscious recognition of what it is I am called to as a Youth Pastor. So here is to moving forward in prayer with my Youth Group. By the way, if you think about it, send a prayer my group’s way I would really appreciate it.  

Ye be warned! (Random post in the midst of failed understanding)

I’m not exactly sure what I intend to write. Unlike some who do their best writing with a detailed outlines, my best writing (even in school) comes from my emotions and heart. Perhaps, that is why it was hit or miss with some of my professors and determined whether I would finish a course with a B or an A. All it took was for someone to inform me that it was completely impossible to write a fully objective paper and to list the reasons why, for me to stop attempting to write one. So here goes:
Or not…? I have attempted to write like this before, and then I stop myself. Perhaps, out of fear. Fear of what you might ask. I’m not quite sure, but if I had to guess it would be fear of helping the reader affirm what it is I already know to be so true. That I am not perfect or even more so that I fail so hard and the things I want to succeed at the most. On top of that, the standards set by internet trolls stand as incomprehensible. The bloggers, the vloggers, the commenters, the cable news voices paint such a definite perception of judgement that I would much rather just keep my thoughts to myself and drown in uncertainty rather than expose myself to the unrelenting judgement of the world.

Still, taking into account my faith and occupation I am obviously supposed to seek counsel, wise as it may be, nevertheless I have such a hard time doing so. Why? Because there is such a wide divisions in truth claims and expectations of what one is to believe, that I would much rather read the text for myself and seeks old theological heads to help me discern rather than trust inconsistent faith voices today. The majority of which are plagued by corrupt politics and secular intellectualism that all ties to the early community of believers seem to be diminished save the name. The irony of scholars with the same credentials in the same field of study drawing two completely different conclusions overwhelms me with hopelessness. If I were a fool I would draw the conclusion that based on a study of humanities inconsistency there was no such thing as complete truth, but with all my shortcomings and past failures I have come to understand that truth is very much a reality, it is the people who play the role of the phony sham. Nonetheless, even with this deeply held belief I find it hard to find hope in humanity.

Another worry of mine is the concept of mentorship. It should be obvious to all who swear the practice that mentorship is chiseled to a bogus idealist concept, if not nurtured by intentional consistency that first takes time to understand the person before then working long time to help shape and form. Good intentions from people who jump into commitments with no intent of longevity do nothing to help the other and in fact may further damage the individual needing to be mentored with half-hearted solutions to real problems, with no explanations of the solution and how it is to fit into the uniqueness of the specified situation the mentored person finds them self in. Such half-hearted efforts and false commitment leads me to proclaim that I would much rather save the heartache of unfulfilled promised of fallen people and  keep to myself the things a mentor and wise advice could resolve so easily with lived experience and reflections.

These are only a few things that weigh on my heart. And since it appears that things are declining quickly I see no reason to keep them in. I hope this has been revealed in a gathered classy way as one of my pet peeves is people who air their issues on social media as if they were spilling their heart to daytime talk show host. I’ve given just enough to not burden those who don’t care, with unnecessary embarrassing details, saving them from the temptation to gospel and slander, but also for those who may see past these wordy explanations, to the heart of the issues to press further the issue. Ye be warned my walls stand as tall of those that once stood in Jericho and only a miracle will get them crashing down. If you don’t have the energy don’t bother save pray and petition.

Barth series 5 of 7 Freedom in the Command of God

Introduction:

During my second year of Seminary, I had the pleasure of taking a yearlong “theology and ethics of Karl Barth” course at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary taught by Dr. John Burgess.  The year accounted for three credits hours in which we covered Karl Barth’s “Church Dogmatics Volume 3: The Doctrine of Creation Part 4.” The setup of the class was to read anywhere from 25-40 pages of Barth a week and produce a detailed outline of the material in the readings. We then would meet once a week to discuss the readings. At the end of the course, we were asked to prepare a 20-page paper that covered a main theme in the Church Dogmatics Volume. This series of blogs consists of sections from my paper that I wrote for the course. As you will see in the posts, I was specifically impressed by Barth’s discussion of ethical issues in the light of the Command of God and what he calls the exceptional case to that command. There are many other things that I loved in this volume that are not covered in these post, and I am in no way claiming to have fully comprehend what Barth is getting at, I just want to share some of my thoughts in hope to continue my theological pursuit after seminary!

Part 1 of 7 (Introduction) 

Part 2 of 7 (On Suicide)

Part 3 of 7 (Ethical Issues) 

Part 4 of 7 (Just War)

    After a thorough discussion of Barth’s views concerning the Command of God in the light of specific ethical issues of the everyday life of an individual, there are certain things that become evident. The first is that Barth has a high respect for the Command of God and what it means for humanity. If at all possible Barth believes that the Christian should follow the Command wholeheartedly. The second is that respect for the Command of God shows that Barth draws a profound respect for human life and the preservation of it. The third, Barth respects the Command of God enough to not limit the Command to an absolute principle, and leaves room for the Command of God to be a living rule, in the lives of believers allowing for the Command to change in the exceptional case. The next part of the essay will focus more deeply on these three conclusions drawn from Barth’s discussion. 

    For Barth, humanity obeying the Command of God is an essential factor for the preserving of the life of all people. It speaks the truth in a world that is filled with lies and provides order in a world that would otherwise be chaos. It also provides guidelines for humanity, and for a proper relationship with God. Barth sees this relationship of humanity to God as a very active lively relationship in which the living God reigns in the lives of Christ-followers, and the believers are provided freedom to follow God where they are led. This relationship and freedom as shown above leads Barth to believe that there cannot be a limit to the Command if it is truly acted out in the context of a relationship and freedom. Barth sees the Command of God as something that is constantly being spoken (living Command); as opposed to something that was only spoken many years ago (written Command). This shapes his entire view of Church Dogmatics and it certainly shapes how Barth understands his section on the “Protection of Life”. The written Command is the guide given to man to interpret the active Command of God. Barth does not believe that humanity should disregard the written Command especially what is recorded in Holy Scripture. If at all possible Barth believes that those Commands should be followed and obeyed above all other things. But Barth wants to allow freedom for the Command of God to reign and this includes taking into account different circumstances that people may face. In the context of an active relationship, God may encourage a person to perform an act that is against the written Command. 

    This respect for the Command also leads to the respect of human life. The present demand “thou shall not kill” resonates to Barth and the importance placed on the human life by God. This is not to suggest that human life is special in and of itself. Apart from the Command and relationship with God, human life lacks meaning and falls short of its intended purpose. Nevertheless, the Command of God is active and alive. This means that it is not just those who read the Bible that are impacted by the Command of God, but all people in the world have some interaction with the Command whether they realize it or not, because the Command of God is alive and active. This is the purpose given to humanity by which Barth understands all ethical issues. This is why Barth can say the Church’s duty is to remind the state that it is to seek peace in all its affairs, and reframe from taking lives if at all possible. This is not just a suggestion for Barth it is a demand from the Command of God. Nevertheless, if the state has truly acted out all oppositions to facilitate peace without any success and the threat of harm still remains then Barth feels that the Command of God could very much be saying to enter into war to preserve human life and bring peace.

Border, Drugs, and Rehabilitation

I welcome you to C.R.E.E.D.A. a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center located in the border town of Agua Prieta, Mexico. Along with drug and alcohol rehabilitation C.R.E.E.D.A. a Catholic ministry also provides psychological  for children and adults. The organization has developed a 12 step program for those who are a part of the program. Unfortunately, our group did not get a chance to learn what those twelve steps were, nonetheless the following stories I will share below will affirm the productivity and success of the program. 

Before I share these stories of successful rehabilitations I feel it will be helpful to provide some context concerning exactly what Agua Prieta is up against. As a border town, Agua Prieta became one of the ports in which drugs from Mexico would enter the United States. The recent movements of the U.S. government to ensure that drug lords will not have easy access to the United States soil have provided problem for the town of Agua Prieta. To be sure, I applaud this specific move of the U.S. government to fight drugs in our nation. Ideally one would hope that by cutting off the demand of the U.S. citizen the drug lords would consider some other occupation that would benefit the country of Mexico and its citizens. However, this is an unrealistic improbable expectation and the sad reality is that these drug lords have taken over the bordering cities causing a major problem of drug addiction. Thus, C.R.E.E.D.A. is doing a great justice to this Agua Prieta.

Now to introduce you to Estella. Estella is only 15 years old and has graduated the program, but she still visits nearly every day because of the family-like atmosphere and accountability she receives a C.R.E.E.D.A. Estella shared about the drug traffickers habits in Agua Prieta by informing us that these drug lords prey on younger children, because it is easier to take advantage of them.  They get the children addicted and/or selling their poison so these children are imprisoned to these traffickers their entire life. She described a very typical pre-teen/ teenager mentality of believing she knew better than her parents and she described her rebellious spirit. However, when her story took on a new scale of concern is when she confessed the age in which she started using drugs. Ten years old was the first time she used marijuana. At such a young age, she described the peer pressure of her friends. She declined a few times but after beings asked over and over she finally gave in. 

She became addicted and her parent quick realized what she was involved in and demanded she stop. By this time, it was too late, and Estella soon ran away from home looking for more and more drugs. She explained how marijuana had got boring so she looked for stronger highs. She took to the streets doing whatever she could to acquire more and more drugs.  She slept in abandon houses, under bridges and needless to say this was the lowest place for Estella as her reality had become hell on earth. One day Estella was walking on the street with one of her friends. She then saw her mom and uncle. They quickly took action are grab Estella against her will taking her back to her home. After contacting C.R.E.E.D.A., they enrolled her into the program holding on to the hope to get Estella back. 

Estella explained how at first she hated it. It was very difficult for her, but after a while she realized that they were not looking to hurt her but wanted to help her. She began to gain weight and felt alive again. She learned quickly that it was not a good thing to hang out with her old friends because of the temptation that presented its self. So as mentioned early she made a second home at C.R.E.E.D.A. Estella ended her story by saying, “ This is a great place to be and say no to drugs.” 

Estella was born in Douglas, Arizona thus she is a U.S. citizen. She has family in the U.S. and Mexico which is the case for some many people we came in contact with. Raymond another boy who was also a U.S. citizen had been a part of the program for 21 days. He was in the program to be healed from a marijuana addiction. 

After they shared our group got a chance to ask them a few questions: 

Q: It seems like parents could do the best they could to raise their children. They  could love, care and support them, but children can still end up on drugs; What advice would you give parents? 

A: Talk to them about drugs before their friends or other people do. 

Q: Why is there so much drug activity in Agua Prieta? 

A: The police are too lax. 

Q: In the U.S. there has been a recent push to legalize marijuana. Do you feel that that is a good idea? 

A: No, I believe it is wrong because marijuana is the door for other drugs, because after a person gets use to it they seek stronger drugs. 

A question was directed towards the issue of the time they are missing in school by being in the program. The response was it is better to miss a year of school to be healed than for the children to be allowed to attend school and risk being addicted to drugs their entire life. 

All in all, the organization is a beautiful ministry to the city of Agua Prieta. Unfortunately, the center has limited funding but this doesn’t seem to dampen the Spirit of everyone there. 
In my next post, we will venture into the desert to walk the trail that the migrants walk. I will show you the resting place for these weary travelers, the living water tanks setup at these spots and tough terrain of this region. See you soon! 

P.S. If you read my last post you may be curious as to where the scripture hermetical analysis is that I promised. In the light of the recent concerns in Ferguson Mo, I choose to direct that analysis towards the people in Ferguson. If you click here it will lead you to that post. Please continue praying for peace and justice for our nation in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! 

Ferguson: How can I curse who God has not cursed?

My soul is in distress. I have fought within in myself whether or not I should post my opinion of what has taken place in Ferguson, Mo. I have wondered if it is even worth it to maneuver through my inward struggles with the situation. As I scanned the newsfeed of my Facebook last night I was overwhelmed by the ignorance and insensitivity that many of my friends displayed toward this case. These things more than any, led to my hesitation to raise a voice.  However, I have come to believe that every voice is important and needs to be heard… even my own.

A Call for peace 

My main focus in this post is to lead the reader to a place where they can hope and pray for peace. I realize that in order for peace to move passed an idealistic concept, we must actively pursue it. That means we cannot just sit back in hiding expecting peace to appear. No, we must fight for peace by raising our force in the face of injustice. Peace cannot exist where justice does not prevail. Scripture tells us in the book of Ecclesiastes that there is “a time for war and a time for peace.” Yes, indeed for everything there is a season.  When justice is absent the time to fight is at hand; in order that we can turn and idealistic concept of peace into a realistic reality! 

A human life was lost

What does justice mean in this recent tragedy of Michael Brown’s death? What I find so hard is that both sides feel that they are in the right and they have been wronged. Nevertheless, we can all agree that Michael Brown losing his life is terrible. Regardless of the law of the land, it is the earth that cries out for the blood that was shed on its soil. This is an outright representation of the fallen-ness of our world and there is no other way to make sense of it. The command “ Thou shall not kill” forces us to recognize that human life is of value, especially to God and that it deserves the utmost respect. Criminalizing anyone including Michael Brown and justifying their death is just another testament to the how far our world has fallen.

Racial Tension is real 

The racial tension should not be pushed aside or ignored. This entire situation is an outcry from a people group who feel that they are unfairly treated. This is the justified uproar of a people whose history is immersed in being treated inhumanely, with prejudices and animosity. A people who were delivered from slavery. However, while there has been many steps forward and others may suggest that the struggle is over, those with my skin color are constantly aware of the daily struggle to succeed and the inequalities in this country. As an African American male, I stand behind these observations and can confirm them as true. 

They expect me to just let it go?

My biggest problem with all of this is I feel that many voices are demanding that I accept the decision that was made by the grand jury as justice. People are yelling that because Michael Brown was a “criminal” that he deserved to die and I am supposed to accept that. Was it not Jesus who promised paradise to the criminal who hung on the cross next to him (Luke 23: 39-43)?  I am upset that some people basically rejoiced in the riots that took place shortly after the decision was announced, because it allowed them to say, “I told you so.” I’m upset at the decision to change the time of the announcement to after the sun went down. Most of all I am upset that people expect me to just leave it alone and let it go. To watch the mother of Michael Brown send out a loud cry that made the earth tremble, and to just sit back and do nothing! It’s not happening! Not this time. This is just too much. I will not sit back I will not be silent and I will not give up on my people. 

Wake up and listen U.S.

It is time for the United States to wake up. It is time for the voices of the African American community to be validated in the eyes of the elite. These riots were cries from those who have yet to be heard. You could choose to blame those who were rioting or you can choose to blame everyone who ignored the voice of the black community and deemed it irrelevant. 

A word from the Lord

In the Book of Numbers, chapter 22, Balak the King of Israel begged a man named Balaam to curse Israelites saying, “Behold a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and they are dwelling opposite me. Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you cursed is cursed.” 

I feel like there is a lot of pressure for me and others to curse African Americans people who are the people of this country who were recently brought out of slavery.
However, God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse them for they are blessed.” 

This continues a few chapters with Balaam refusing to curse God’s people because the word that God gives to him. Balaam gives three prayers blessing Israel each time God speaks to him, but the one that really spoke to me was his first. Number 23: 8-9 (ESV)

8How can I curse whom God has not cursed? 
How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? 
9For from the top of the crags I see him, 
From the hills, I behold him 
Behold a people dwelling alone, 
And not counting their self among this nation

So I ask you, how can I curse my people who God has not cursed? 
How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? 
I see God 
And I see my people who feel alone 
And who do not count their self as a part of this nation 

I will not abandon my people! 

This is how I feel. I will fight for peace, but I will not abandon my people! I cannot. God has not cursed us, but has blessed us and cries out with us! 

This is not meant to be just a post a post. I am praying right now for proactive call from the Lord to make a difference. I have felt a call to prison ministry lately. I am trying to confirm this along with other calls. I will keep fighting for peace. However, as I said earlier, “ Peace cannot exist where justice does not prevail.” 

Putting a face to an "alien"

The last post I was left with a conundrum of what to do with my Christian faith and U.S. citizenship in the midst of what I was experiencing during my mission trip. A major revelation occurred during my morning bible reading in which a brilliantly orchestrated hermetical analysis was given to me and I was able to share it with the group during morning devotionals.   However, this will have to wait until the next post. The reason for this is one, I would like to keep these events in chronological order and the revelation I mentioned above happened on the morning of November 8th 2014 and the event I will highlight in this post happened on the evening of November 7th 2014, and two to explain exactly what God revealed to me in a post that captures the debt of it, but still is short enough for a blog post will take lots of hard work, so after this is posted I will immediately get to work on the next post!  

I will now to get to the main focus of this particular post. As you may recall, during the previous three posts our group was still on U.S. soil and had yet to move into Mexico’s territory. This is remarkable when I understand how much my eyes were already open to a new reality. After settling in a community center that was there as a resting place for people who did not have a place to stay, we were off to “Cena con CAME” a migrant shelter that provided resources for people who had no food and no place to stay. 

After hoping off the van, we gathered in the courtyard of the property while we introduced ourselves to four men who were currently staying at the shelter. We got a chance to listen to their stories of the horrible things they had experienced during their trip to the border. One man told us of the dangerous life of train hopping in Mexico. His friend and him were nearly shot as a Mexican soldier unloaded a machine gun in the train car they were riding in. He told us the terror of realizing how close the bullets were to their feet. They were then commanded to get out of the train car. They obeyed and both received some injuries from the jump off the train. Now they found themselves at gunpoint. The soldier gave them a command (what exactly it was has slipped my mind), the man who was talking to us complied and was unharmed, and unfortunately his friend did not comply and was shot. The bullet was not fatal, but I cannot begin to imagine how terrified they must have been.

For the first time during my mission trip journey I was faced with the reality that the country of Mexico soldiers were not the most humane of characters and actually increased the danger for people who were pursuing the dream of heading into the U.S. What was I supposed to do with this information and should that change how I feel towards the U.S. and our less than desired relationship with migrant people? 

After hearing a few more stories, we headed into the dining room area to share a meal with the men, women and children who were staying at the shelter. The excitement was evident and my nerves bouncing due to my lack of Spanish. We blessed the food and I settled down next to Omar (one of the men in our group who was not allowed to go the Border Patrol office tour). Directly across from me was a middle age Mexican mother and to the left of her were two teenage boys who were not her sons, but who she agreed to care for as her own as long as they were both in the shelter.   

The mother and her family’s story were heartbreaking. Her and her family (Husband and three children) had made a living for their selves in the U.S. None of the family were U.S. citizens expect for the woman’s youngest daughter. I do not recall if they were deported or they were visiting a family member who was ill (after all Omar was translating for me), but somehow they were on Mexico’s side of the border. The shelter informed them about the dangers and difficulties of cross the border today as opposed to years ago when the woman family first crossed. The workers of the shelter helped the women’s husband find a construction job so they decided to stay in Mexico, so as not to risk harm to her family or the loose her daughter who was a U.S. citizen. 

Interestingly enough, the two teenage boys who I thought resemble a famous boy band, viewed crossing the border as an adventure. In their boyish youth, they did not fully comprehend nor did they seem to care about the dangers they would encounter in making the attempt to cross. They have family that lives in Indianapolis and if they could make it successfully they were going to attempt to meet up with them. It occurred to me that they had no clue how far it was from the region of Arizona they would be into Indianapolis. But again in their boyish youth they just viewed it as an adventure. They were in school in Mexico and had come up with an excuse as to why they need to be gone for a week. Their first attempt failed and I got the impression that they were going to give it one more shot and if they didn’t make it they would return home. 

This post has simply been real life experiences of people which I think is just as powerful as any profound revelation and perhaps is a revelation in its own respect. I tell these stories in hope that the reader, whoever you are, are able to put faces and personalities on those people who are called “aliens” or immigrants. First and Foremost we must remember that these people are just that, people, created in the image of God. 

I pledge allegiances to ... the U.S. or My Lord?

The time was about 1:15 p.m. on Friday of November 7th, 2014. The group had just finished our first lunch together and we were headed to the van when suddenly Mark called us back to the entrance of the restaurant. We form a circle, and I assume that we are about to pray over our next step of the journey. Unfortunately, that was not the case and Mark had some bad news. While we were eating, Mark received a call informing him that three of the five Hispanic members of the group would not be allowed to receive a tour of the Border Patrol office. The sorrow was immediately recognizable in the eyes of the majority of the group, but so was the daring determination to not let this defeat or overcome our morale.

Personally, I was so impacted by the scripture reading at the Border Infrastructure Tour and so delighted with the food that we had just received that when we were standing in the circle I did not even comprehend what Mark was telling us. It wasn’t until we were leaving the Border Patrol office that Sister Christine who is Hispanic and was allow to take the tour, informed Omar, “ I didn’t ask them why a man with U.S. citizenship and a U.S. Passport could not take a tour, but I really wanted to.”

Around 2:00 p.m. we arrived at the Border Patrol office. Our leader Mark (who is a white male) choose to stay outside with the members of our group who were not allowed to receive the tour. The rest of the group headed inside to receive our guest passes. Again at this point I was still oblivious to the irony of the entire situation, but now that I recall the situation I realize that the older members of the group were well aware of the tension in the room. 

Our tour guide who was one of the Border patrol officers led us into the building. She was young and pretty and to be quite honest she appeared to be completely opposite of whom I expected to see working in the border patrol (more about her story later). We entered a hallway with many pictures hung on either side. ATVs, Helicopters, Drones, Patrol officers on horses were all highlighted in these photos.  Previous and current generals and commanding officers pictures displayed.

Unexpectedly as I walked with the rest of the group and listen to the Border Patrol officers I was overcome with a strong sense of patriotism. The arguments concerning the safety and concerns of the nation that were stated were beginning to take priority over the strong experience of God’s presence of the Border Infrastructure.

Thing such as:

• The Border Patrol prides itself on ensuring that drugs from Mexico do not enter the U.S.
• After 9-11, it has become a main priority of the Border Patrol to stop the threat of terrorist entering the U.S. from the Border of Mexico and the U.S.
• We have laws and a system set up for people who want to become citizens and it is not fair for those who are doing this legally to allow those who are not to bypass the process.

These were the rehearsed talking points of the border patrol tour guide

.

One of the women in our group asked the question I’m sure everyone was wondering, “How did you (The Border Patrol officer) get involved in the Border Patrol.” Seriously, saying that she was young a pretty does not even begin to explain the women that stood before us. Nothing about her said Border Patrol, it crossed my mind a time or two that there is no way this young lady agrees with everything this organization stands for. The first red flag I got is when she told us she grew up in Boston.

“Well”, she responded, “when the economy tanked there were not very many job opportunities.” I could not really afford college, but I really wanted to further my education. I was tired of working server positions so I started researching different opportunities.” That brought her to the government position of the Border Patrol which is rich in opportunities for one to further their education. “I never started out saying I really want to work on the Border Patrol… it was just an opportunity that I took advantage of that helps me pursue my goals.” It was obvious that she did not plan to work with the Border Patrol the rest of her life. She needed a job that would help her pursue her goals and she found that in the Border Patrol.

This is where I feel like the irony of the situation cripples me. This woman from Boston could not find a good enough job up North to help her meet her goals due to the poor economy. The jobs that she could find, she quickly realized that they were not going to take her far in life and nowhere near her personal goals. Thus, she migrated from here homeland of Boston to the Southwest region of the U.S. to acquire a job that gave her the finical stability and the educational opportunities she desired. It just so happens that the job she has chosen is to stop people from doing the exact same thing!

Please someone, tell me if I am missing something here. I mean to be so concerned with keeping people out of this country that three of my Hispanic friends could not take a tour with us is ridiculous. I might add that of the three members that were told they could not go in, one was born in Guatemala, but had since moved to the U.S. He has a college degree from a U.S. University in Business, he speaks perfect English and currently lives in the U.S. He is a U.S. citizen with a U.S. Passport. The other two work with the ministry organization Frontera de Cristo which is an U.S. organization. They have visited the U.S. to talked with Churches many times about immigration and Café Justo, thus have received numerous Visas for visits to the U.S.

Once I realized what happened I approach Omar and apologized on behalf of my country. I was so hurt and embarrassed. It hit me that what had just happened was an old fashion act of discrimination. At this point in the trip, I stood faced with the conundrum of pledging allegiances to my Lord and my U.S. Citizenship. Should it be one or the other? Where was God going to lead me now…?

Fenced in

"People should not be dying trying to live and find work for  their  family" Mark Adams demanded as he revealed to us how many sojourners have lost their lives in the Arizona desert. 

 

Friday November 7, 2014 had arrived and after a breakfast at a nearby hotel from the Shalom House, it was finally time for Bob and Carol and myself to meet the rest of the posse. Slowly but surely we all arrive at the Frontera de Cristo headquarters in Douglas, Arizona. The process of trying to feel each other out had begun. Chairs were arranged in a circle with our “Border to Border: Coffee, Migration and Faith” booklet in the seats with our names listed in the bottom right-hand corner of the booklet. I found mine and sat down as we prepared for biblical reflection. The passage for the day was Ephesians 2: 1-22. Verses 14- 18 stuck out to me the most:

14 For Christ himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. Christ purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 Christ came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Christ we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

I love how Paul explains how Christ has made peace and destroyed the barriers and dividing walls of hostility. Our Lord and Savior makes peace, creating a new humanity out of what once was two. This word of God hits so hard.

 After the introductions and reflections we hopped in the van and do not stop until we approached one of the largest (and ugliest) fences I have ever seen.

It was time for the border infrastructure tour. Taking into consideration the passage we just reflected on, this border infrastructure presented itself as a stark contrast to Paul’s words. Having realized this, I was immediately struck with sorrow.

We climbed out of the van and were able to see that the fence extended as far as the eye could see in both directions.

 We also quickly became aware of the border patrol officer with the large border patrol suburban and his machine gun, watching us intently.

About every 200 to 300 yards, a tall pole towered out of the ground with several cameras on the top. As we drove towards the hills I looked through the gaps on the fence and saw a town on the other side which I later discovered was Agua Prieta. It didn’t look too much different than the side we were on, but someone felt it was necessary to spend millions of dollars for this barrier of a fence.

Our plan was to drive up the large hill but, officers on the U.S. and Mexico side had stop on the road to talk so we stayed at the end of the fence. 

Mark Adams asked us to walk up and touch the fences. As we were holding on to it he read the passage to us and asked us to repeat after him. In unison we chanted, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ… For Christ himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility… Christ purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace and in his one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility…” We continued through the rest of our passage.

“My goodness, that was powerful,” I thought to myself. There was  something  that appeared to be freakishly wrong as we reflected on  Scripture and stood by the fence.

We climb back in the van all awestruck from our experience and the obvious presence of the divine in the reading of Scripture. We then ate at another wonderful Mexican restaurant and prepared to visit the U.S. Border Patrol headquarters.

So now we head to the place where it is the Border  patrol  government workers duty to ensure that “outsiders” are not successful in their attempt to cross into the U.S. What will that be like?  

Shalom (Peace) House

Welcome all!

These next series of post will be highlights the events, difficulties and spiritual implications of my border to border trip from Auga, Prieta Mexico to Chiapas, Mexico. Our trip was organized and led  by Frontera de Cristo. It was very well done and I am extremely impressed with my experience so if you are looking for a mission trip I would highly recommend their organization.

Now to take you on my journey, Thursday November 6th, 2014 I wake up well aware that my luggage is half way packed and there are still some last minute things that need to be picked up from Wal-Mart before I head to the airport. However, this is of no surprise to my wife or me as I always seem to be in a dazed paralyzed state of mind right up until it is crunch time. Finally, after everything is gathered together Sarah drops me off at the airport I say my goodbye and Sarah sheds her tears, then I’m off to retrieve my boarding pass.

While I am on my short flight from Wichita to DFW I realize that my feelings about the trip are very stagnated. For one, my wife and I had just moved into a new apartment not even a week before the plane left the ground so we were not by any means fully unpacked. I knew nothing about the trip (however I did know that the Church I work at and the Presbytery offered to cover the cost so I was not going to turn it down). Finally, I was somewhat concerned about not knowing any Spanish.

After switching flights in DFW, I arrive at Tucson, Arizona where I awaited my bag. A women approaches me and ask, “Are you Damian?” and I respond, “I sure am” and she informed me that Jeff (a member of the FDC’s board) was ready to pick us up. The women’s name was Carol and her husband's Bod. Bod is a retired Methodist Pastor and Carol is a retired Math teacher. They both attend a Methodist/ Presbyterian congregation. I should also add they are two of the sweetest individuals I have ever met.

We arrived at a Mexican restaurant in a part of Tucson that is projected to be 90% Hispanic, needless to say the food was authentic Mexican food and the first fruit of what would be a plentiful harvest of tasty goodness that my teeth got the pleasure of plowing into! We learned very little from Jeff about our trip, but it was obvious that his purpose was to get from point A to point B and feed us. I did however learn that Jeff's Presbyterian Church which is 2 hours from the border did not really concern itself with the difficulties of immigration; and even in a town with a large Hispanic population their Church still lacks diversity and is predominantly white (Go figure welcome to the Presbyterian Church U.S.A denomination smh).

After a two-hour delay we said our goodbyes to Jeff and our caravan finally was on the road for a close to 3-hour journey to Douglas, Arizona where we would stay for the night. When we arrived we were greeted by Jack and member of the Mennonite denomination who transported us to the Shalom house (Shalom means peace in Hebrew). 

It sounds more epic than it was, but it was still pretty impressive. Jack informed us that his wife and he had a heart for taking in anyone who may needed assistance or a place to stay. 

They simply provide people in need with the things one needs to survive, food, shelter, care and love!  However, they realized that their own home was not big enough. 

So they bought a house to give to anyone who needed it at no charge. 

The house had two bedrooms one bathroom a living room, dining room, kitchen and laundry room.

Jack and Linda pay the utilities and if someone calls when it is open they are happy to let them stay.

It was a wonderful example of the love of Christ. This set the tone of the trip that Carol, Bob and I would experience. A couple who was willing to open their arms to people in need!