Barbara Rowe is a Missionary in El Salvador. Below is a letter (dated July 28, 2014) that she has written to her supporting churches and her fellow Christian Brothers and Sisters here in the U. S., giving us an “insider’s” perspective as to why many children and teens are leaving their families and homeland and escaping to north America, without their parents, only to become despised and unwanted “illegal aliens” here in the U. S.
The content describes an actual account as it has played out in El Salvador. This true story is the kind of truth and reality-check that we need to keep in mind as we debate and determine how we Americans ought to respond. (Note: Barbara Rowe has given me permission to publish this letter. However, before my publishing of her letter in this blog, Barb Rowe did remove some “identifying details” changing some names in order to ensure the safety and protection of individuals mentioned in the letter.)
The Letter:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I realize that the situation of teen immigration from Central America has been much in the public eye there in the U.S. The issues are complex, highly politicized and there are no easy answers. I have written this letter to share from a different perspective. In my view, these teens are very similar to war refugees, only the war is not between nations but rather between highly organized gang organizations.
As a missionary, I attend a local church, and am on their pastoral team. We now find ourselves in a somewhat precarious position and are in need of your prayers. Let me explain. The church operates a school that provides a Christian education to children from kindergarten through high school. On July 9, one of the 9th grade students, named Jose, disappeared on his way home from school and is now presumed dead. We have been able to determine that Jose’s brother is in one of the gangs, and Jose himself was beginning to get involved. They live in one gang’s territory, and our school is located in the territory of the opposing gang. It is a commonly known fact that any teen boy caught in the opposing gang’s territory is a target and may be murdered.
Jose’s family, in their pain and sorrow, have falsely accused one of our very active church youth group members, Julio, of being responsible simply because he was the last one to see Jose. Ironically, Julio had befriended this student because of his own faith commitment and a desire to share God’s love. Though the accusation is completely unfounded, we know that the rule of the gangs is vengeance. In the gang culture, “someone will have to pay,” and they do not necessarily care if that someone is innocent. They came to the church looking for him, and accused Pastor Miguel of protecting him. They also posted men outside the school, waiting for Julio to return to classes. Knowing that he was in danger, Julio hid until a safe plan could [be] made for him to leave the neighborhood, and the country.
I spent some time with him before he fled the country, praying with him and assuring him that God is our protector and provider. I read Psalm 27 to him, and encouraged him to read it over and over. Julio was scared, and in a state of shock over these events. Overnight his whole life had changed. He could not go to the youth center to say goodbye to his friends. He has had to leave behind his studies and hopes for a professional career, as future studies may not be possible. He was not able to attend the church he loves so much, to say goodbye to his beloved church family. Most of all, he wept at having to leave his mother and brothers, from whom he has never been separated. Fleeing from danger, into danger, the best we could do is to assure him that we would be praying for him, and that God will be protecting him as he seeks refuge elsewhere.
Julio is just one of the kids that has had to flee for their lives this past year. Five Christian kids participating in another youth center left the country late last year under similar conditions. That neighborhood is known to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the San Salvador metropolitan area. Recently a teen was killed there because he fell asleep on the bus and got off past his normal bus stop in opposing gang territory.
Your prayers are much needed at this time, not just for the safety of the youth and those of us who are working with them, but for the continued courage and faithfulness of the church and missionaries amidst the pressure cooker of this situation.
As I mentioned before, the issue is complex, involving not only recent events but the history of the Salvadoran civil war and U.S. involvement in the war. The Salvadoran gang phenomenon itself is considered to have originated in Los Angeles, and exported to El Salvador in the 1990’s, when the United States government began mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, including teens who were members of gangs. More recently, these gangs have become linked to the Mexican drug cartels, making them even more powerful and violent.
In closing, I want to emphasize that amid all of the media banter about what to do, we need to remember that first and foremost we are Citizens of God’s Kingdom. We need to consider what Christ would have us do in this complicated situation rather than blindly falling in line with one or another political camp. Would He ask us to turn these children away to face a dangerous and uncertain journey back home? In the Old Testament, the Jews were instructed to accept and take in foreigners in their land (Deuteronomy 10:19), and in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says that "whatever you do for the least of these, you do it for me" (Matthew 25:40).
Finding the right Christian response is not easy. This is where we can seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit to determine what we should do to live out our Christian values. Maybe it would be good for churches to visit these children and youth where they are being detained, as a way to get to know them and share God's love with them. It's a start, anyway.
Love in Christ,
Barbara Rowe
No comments:
Post a Comment