immigration

CCDA is committed to justice for the immigrant. The association believes the United States is in a defining moment in its history in regards to beliefs, practices, and policies around immigration. Therefore, you can hear and see at this conference their desire to grow our awareness.

Daniel Carroll, a speaker at the conference and an OT professor at Denver Seminary, is asking Christians to engage conversation. He knows this is difficult because of politics and polarization. He unpacked two questions he had for us:

1. Where do we begin the conversation?
With statistics? No. With talk about drugs, terrorists, border wars? No. How about with the Bible? He admonished the majority culture to sit with the Bible open and learn about God's heart for the alien, the immigrant. He encouraged us to be reminded from God's Word how each neighbor on this earth is made in the image of God and has value. Each person has potential and has gifts to bring to the table. He exhorted the minority culture to be reminded through God's Word how God is with each person on the journey.

2. Who are we in the conversation?
We need to struggle with our loyalties. Are we Americans or Christians first? Where is our true citizenship? Can we love people and work through wisdom, advocacy, and our God-given creativity to reform the laws so that they are compassionate and just?

I have largely chosen to keep immigration off my radar. "I don't have time for one more cause." "God isn't calling me to this issue". Unacceptable. As a follower of Christ who is to care about the things that Jesus would care about....I have the responsibility to at least become aware, be touched by people's stories, to grow God's heart for people within me and to share God's heart for people with others through conversation.

This is one of my "put into practice" take aways from the conference. I will no longer just bypass articles that speak about immigration. I will commit to reading and opening my mind up to this issue this year and ask God to open my heart through the learning.