RGBM Volunteer Pamela Williams' Poem

Magnitude

By Pamela Williams

Unfathomable, I realize, from the luxury of
a home with hot water and a comfortable bed.
Healthy food at hand. Natural beauty
abounding. What cost you may have incurred.
Did you give up everything? Leave your business?
Pay exorbitant bribes and pay-offs to coyotes?
Only to have arrived at this impasse. Lured by
stories of freedom, opportunity. A safer life for
your children. Those children perhaps in cages
two states away. Or already absorbed into
the dysfunction of a crumbling system that has
misplaced them entirely. I cannot imagine any positive
emotion. Only fury, frustration, fear, and despair over
so much lost, including hope and so many dreams.
And then, trauma fatigue that can remain for years.

And yet, in my time in the Juarez tent camps,
I saw only hopeful open smiles. I wanted so badly
to say in Spanish that you are welcomed here
by so many of us. That we feel shame for our
government’s treatment of our brothers.
That we know the culpability of the
horrors you are fleeing.

And yet, there are those who trust the lies.
The wrong-headed policies. The removal
of dignity. The belief in mine, but not yours.
They have forgotten themselves immigrants.
To a country built on the backs of slave labor.
The list of contributions is truly endless.
At this crucial crossroads in history,
it is time for so much repair and reconciliation.
Welcome and collaboration.

Now, we cannot look away.

ADVOCACY UPDATE from EPISCOPAL MIGRATION MINISTRIES

In early August, The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations, with Episcopal Migration Ministries, released an Immigration Update. The Update covered DACA, Asylum, Detention, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services funding crisis, and the injunction on the Public Charge Rule.

RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES from Episcopal Migration Ministries

Connecting Neighbors allows individuals and congregations to fill the gap and directly support refugee families resettled by EMM. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you direct your donations to affiliates and refugee families in the greatest need of connection and support. Simply fill out this form to let us know what you’re able to donate, and we will be in touch to make arrangements. Several needs top the list right now:

Material goods to support refugee families. Items are detailed on Amazon Wish Lists.
Digital devices. Most importantly, affiliates need donations of gently-used digital devices – tablets, smartphones, laptops – so they can continue providing services and support to refugee families.

#EMMReads Book Kits
EMM is now offering free book discussion guides on a number of titles written by immigrant authors or about immigrant/refugee topics. Simply request the Book Kits and they will be emailed to you for download. Titles include We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria, Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, and The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You. Discussion guides for new titles will be added this fall, including Jessica Goudeau’s recently released After the Last Border: Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America.

EMM Ministry Network on Immigrant Detention
Are you involved in detention visitation ministry? Have you engaged in advocacy for alternatives to detention? Are you a lay or clergy leader interested in exploring what a ministry in this area might look like in your congregation or diocese? Please join us for the monthly meetings of the EMM Ministry Network on Immigrant Detention. To protect the meeting from trolls and robots, and to manage meeting capacity to allow for fruitful conversation, we request that you register. We will review your registration and approve you.

EMM Ministry Network on Asylum
Are you involved in local efforts to support asylum seekers? Is your congregation interested in long-term sponsorship or welcome for an asylum-seeking family? Are you eager to connect with others engaged in education and advocacy to raise awareness and support for asylum seekers and asylum protections? Please join us for the monthly meetings of the EMM Ministry Network on Asylum. To protect the meeting from trolls and robots, and to manage meeting capacity to allow for fruitful conversation, we request that you register. We will review your registration and approve you.

Ministry Resource: In fall 2019, Episcopal Migration Ministries released the first edition of Supporting Asylum Seekers: A Toolkit for Congregations. This resource is free; request it here and it will be emailed to you for download.

Father and maker of all,you adorn all creationwith splendor and beauty,and fashion human lives in your image and likeness.Awaken in every human heartreverence for the work of your hands,and renew among your peoplea readiness to nurture and sustainyour precious gift of life.
Empower us this day to live fully and to look at all human beings on both sides of theRio Grande with eyes of compassion....In your love...Empower us....
Open our ears to hearVoices from both sides...In your love...Empower us....
Open our eyes to seeThe beauty of diversity,Each personA unique creationOf the image of God.In your love...Empower us....
Empower us GodThat we might live,In unity, in peace, and in love.In your love...Empower us....
Lord of Israel, and God of all the nations:we pray for your children across the whole earth,of every land and race, and especially on both sides of this riverthat they may be strong to do your will.In your love...Empower us.....
We stand among this incredible cloud of witnesses and today proclaim:Where hatred roars, we will sing of love.Where fear stalks, we will stand with courage.Where bigotry rages, we will call for justice.Where pain overwhelms, we will extend kind comfort.Where systems oppress, we will work for change.Now and ever, now and ever, now and evermore.

AMEN