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Did Jesus Say to Welcome Only the Documented Stranger?

I am firmly convinced that I am obligated to love
Did Jesus Say to Welcome Only the Documented Stranger?

When my former boss sent a link to preview the new film The Stranger, I grabbed a pen and a journal, ready to take notes. I was so eager to learn more about immigration from a Christian worldview. I desired to become more educated about immigration reform, so I couldn’t wait to download the film. As I began to become engrossed in the picture, I had no idea it would hit so close to home. When I was grabbing my pen and paper, I should have been grabbing a box of tissues instead.

I cried as I listened to the stories in the film. I wept because I could feel their pain. In fact, it was my own pain too! They told my story. The documentary highlighted families who have been torn apart by our flawed immigration system. It introduced a mother who woke up a married woman and went to bed a single mother, a mother who felt the agony of an unknown future. The film also shared the story of an abandoned college student and a family living in fear every day of their lives.

I saw myself in each one of their stories. My father was deported when I was a baby. He left behind two fatherless children and a mother without a husband. I spent my entire childhood naively waiting for my father to return, not knowing that it would not happen. My longing heart had no idea that it would be nearly impossible for my father to return.

As I watched the film, I thought about all the major life events my father missed. I thought about the birthday parties, the graduations, senior homecoming court (fathers escorted their daughters), school award programs, and all the painful days when I just wanted to run home into his arms.

I also remembered the many times I had to explain why my father wasn’t around. It wasn’t until recently I admitted he was deported. I didn’t know how to tell the whole story. How do I begin? Where would you start? What about the shame? How would I tell my Christian friends or attorney colleagues that my father broke the law? How do I begin to share my personal tragedy when I constantly hear degrading comments about immigrants?

I know many view immigration as a political issue, but it’s much more than that. It is a national crisis that demands to be addressed.

I met Sofia* about nine years ago. We began to hang out at church functions and tried to encourage each other in the Lord. After getting to know Sofia, I noticed she kept making poor decisions with men. I never understood why. At some point I realized that Sofia needed someone to take care of her. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t just get a job and be responsible for her own family. I didn’t know.

At some point Sofia revealed to me that she was undocumented. If you could have seen the look in her eyes: the shame, the guilt. Sofia came to the United States when she was 9 years old. She was brought to this country by her mother. She now has a teenage daughter who has spent her entire life in the United States. Sofia has also spent the majority of her life as an American. She has no experience living in Mexico. I know some shout, “Go back!” I know Sofia’s heart would respond, “Go back to what? America is where I have built my life; it is my home, my country.”

When I think of Sofia, I think of a quote I once heard: “We didn’t cross the borders, the borders crossed us.” Sofia’s mom, like many immigrants, came to the United States for better opportunities. They came for a chance to provide for their families. What would you do if you were desperate?

While it may be difficult to know how I would respond in that situation, I am firmly convinced that I am obligated to love and welcome the stranger. As a servant who spends a lot of my time participating in local and foreign missions, I have been obsessed with Matthew 25. However, I must admit I have never focused on the “welcome the stranger” portion of the scripture. In this passage, Jesus was pretty clear that we are to invite the stranger in. Jesus explained that when we invite the stranger in, we are truly inviting him in. The way we treat the stranger is a clear indication of whether we are his true followers. It is imperative to point out that Jesus didn’t say “documented stranger.” He said “stranger,” period, just as he didn’t advocate visiting only those who didn’t deserve to be in prison. People of God, we can’t pick and choose what issues we want to view through the lens of the Bible. Shouldn’t we view everything through the filter of the Scriptures?

In Exodus 23:9, God warned the Israelites not to oppress the stranger. He entreated them to remember the time when they were strangers. He reminded them that they, of all people, should remember what it feels like to be a stranger, to be an outsider.

The United States is a nation of immigrants. As an African American, I know how it feels to be treated as a second-class citizen. So my heart breaks when I hear African Americans making derogatory comments about Hispanic people. Have we all forgotten that this land “belonged” to the Native Americans? Have we all forgotten that we are all immigrants whether we came voluntarily or involuntarily? Do we really have the moral platform to say “do things the right way?” I think we would all agree that Native Americans would say no, we don’t.

Matthew 7:12 instructs us to treat others the way we want to be treated. I believe the Golden Rule applies in all areas of life and immigration is not excluded. If we were the undocumented immigrants, wouldn’t we want an opportunity for citizenship, an opportunity to make things right? Would we want to be stripped away from our spouses, children, or parents?

This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. Immigrants are not statistics. They are real people, with real feelings and emotions. They are people who want economic opportunities to provide for their families; people who deserve to be welcomed in, just as we would welcome our Savior.

*name has been changed to protect identity

Carmille Akande is a licensed attorney, a freelance writer, and a full-time missionary in Ghana, West Africa. Carmille blogs at carmilleakande.com, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarmilleAkande.


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