Drinking from the Well: We All Belong

Last Wednesday night I found myself at Coolidge Park on an unusually mild and beautiful evening, especially for the first day of February. Phil and I gathered there with Kathryn, Brandon and Madeline and other friends who were participating in a peaceful vigil in response to the controversy over the President's travel ban for refugees from several countries (I know the President and his staff say it is not a ban).

There were all kinds of people there, many of them immigrants themselves. Two or three immigrants or children of immigrants addressed the crowd and talked about the welcome they had received from the community here in Chattanooga. They spoke of how they loved the country they left behind, but that they had learned to love this new country as well.

We held candles and at one point we sang "This Little Light of Mine." It reminded me of candlelight services I had attended at church.

One of Will's friends that he grew up with was there. I could tell he was surprised to see us. But at the end of our conversation he said, "I'm glad you're here." And I was glad I was there too.

In talking to friends about my experience there I've been trying to think about what I take away from all this. I looked into the difference between an immigrant and a refugee. Immigrants make a deliberate choice to leave their homeland and go to a different country. They make their own plan about how they will arrive there and what their life will look like once they get there. Refugees, on the other hand, find themselves in a place that it is no longer safe to stay. They are pushed from their home by forces beyond their control.

Once refugees leave their homes, they most often find themselves in camps set up for them by agencies trying to help. The conditions of these camps are terrible in many ways. The refugees are vulnerable to dangerous people and lack of control over any part of their lives. There is very little privacy, and no way to make a living. Refugees can spend months, even years in this situation.

The international community, through the Geneva Convention and other agreements they have made with each other, have agreed to permit certain numbers of these refugees to immigrate into their countries. And that is how the United States finds itself in the position we are in today.

As an American, I realize the responsibility our government has in keeping us safe. But, as a Christian, I keep trying to put myself in the position of the refugee. Their life is a shambles. There is nothing certain or solid for them to build their life upon. They need our help. So my first step in helping was showing up for this vigil. And I will keep my heart and mind open to see what the next step will be.

There have been some really great articles out there about this issue.

What the Bible Says About How to Treat Refugees comes from Relevant Magazine.

David Cook's article in the Times Free Press covered Wednesday's vigil and gave his opinion on this issue.

And finally, this fine article from the New York Times, "Ann Frank Is a Syrian Girl", I found to be compelling and disturbing, and it gave me lots to think about as we once again face the issue of giving refuge to people who might be enemies.