BorderLinks North Delegation--October 17-19

On Oct. 17-19, 14 religious leaders came together in Chicago to listen deeply to our immigrant brothers and sisters.  We heard testimonies from many, including:

·         a young man who had grown up here but was undocumented.  He had suffered from depression like so many other young people whose lives are in limbo.  But he had found hope through joining with a local organization to create opportunities for himself and for others;

·         Labor rights defenders from Mexico who are hard at work informing immigrants and native-born people of their rights (and shocking lack of rights) under US law;

·         Nationally-recognized leaders in policy change;

·         The regional director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

We shared meals, sleeping quarters, and personal histories, and together were transformed as we came to recognize Christ in our neighbors, the strangers and sojourners in our midst.  We challenged ourselves not to be the “voice of the voiceless,” because our neighbors are not voiceless.  This time, we are called to listen, and to think of ourselves as the sound engineers, amplifying and promoting the eloquent and powerful words already on the lips of our brothers and sisters.

By the end, we came away not only transformed, informed, and inspired. We also came away with new friends and partners in the immigrant and religious communities: partners who will accompany us as we continue the journey.  Thanks be to God.

The Importance of BorderLinks North Delegations--Rev. Sara Wohlleb

I have always understood Salvation as a continual process: God is always hard at work, saving God’s people from our own misunderstandings, fears, and injustices.  It is during these delegations that I can feel that presence and power very close at hand.  

Of course God’s work is urgently needed in the immigrant community: families are being ripped apart; victims of crime are afraid to call the police; our youth are facing no future without a 9-digit number.  But as we are invited in to see the courage and inspiring leadership at work, we come to understand how active God is in that community already.  

And I believe that God is needed just as urgently in my own community--those of us who been here for a little longer.  We need to be saved from our own too-small circles of friends; our willingness to accept the negative picture of “those people” promoted by the world-at-large; and our tendency to fall into “business as usual” instead of seeking the radical transformation of the Holy Spirit in every corner of our communities.

These delegations are a powerful way to usher in the Good News: that Salvation is here.  We ARE being saved from small-mindedness, from injustice, from all kinds of division.  Our work is far from done, but we have so many beautiful co-workers in the building of the Kingdom.  How can we help but smile, even if it is through tears, at the awesome possibilities before us?

Cipriano Juardo, Risking Life for Justice

Cipriana Jurado has worked as an advocate for the labor rights of women and for economic and environmental justice for more than 20 years in Cuidad Juárez, Mexico.  In the mid-90's, she founded the Center for Information and Solidarity for Working Women (CISO), a non-profit organization. She has been at the forefront of the workers’ movement in Ciudad Juárez and is fiercely committed to the principals of justice and equality for all people.  She’s demonstrated her commitment time and time again, putting her life on the line.

Since 2008, Cipriana and others have undertaken investigations of human rights violations committed by Mexico's Army, which has been deployed by President Calderon to reduce the flow of drugs into the USA. Because of this work, Cipriana received death threats, and one of her colleagues was killed.  In January 2010, Amnesty International released an alert asking the international community to protect Cipriana and other human rights defenders in Juárez from intimidation and death threats. The Chicago Religious Leaders Network responded to their appeal, and she has come to Chicago seeking temporary refuge from these threats.

Cipriana is available for speaking engagements in churches, organizations, schools and institutions.  To schedule an event featuring Cipriana, please contact Erica Spilde or Jenny Dale at 773-293-2964.

Emergency Resolution of Solidarity with Immigrants and the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ

With stirring speeches preceding dialogue and vote, the Illinois Conference passed a prophetic resolution.  This grass roots effort reflects the hard work of so many people within the Illinois Conference.  Illinois Maya Ministry is proud to be part of this hard work.

See the full text of this resolution here.

Delegation Opportunities!

Immersion Education for Religious Leaders of All Faiths: October  17-19, 2010

This BorderLinks delegation is a two-day immersion experience, connecting clergy and leaders of all faiths with the daily realities and stories of their immigrant neighbors.  The delegation will assist religious leaders in understanding the immigrant experience in Chicago and the surrounding area.  Participants will return home with practical resources and insights to engage their congregants around the divisive issue of immigration.  Intentional reflection time will focus on appropriate and caring ways to accompany a congregation confronting this timely issue.  For a brochure with more detailed information, click on the attachment here.

Youth and Young Adult Delegation to Chiapas:  December 27, 2010-January 5, 2011, "Building Peace in Chiapas."

Only five more slots open!  Youth and young adults will learn the strength and courage of the Chiapan people, how our partner organizations work on a daily basis to build a lasting peace, and how life in Chiapas affects the immigration crisis in the United States. Present work project includes building a structure for the distribution of Western and folkloric medicines to be distributed to the rural poor.  To see the brochure and a fuller description of the delegation click here or contact Rev. Mike Mulberry.

Postville Second Anniversary

Three members of Illinois Maya Ministry made a pilgrimage to Postville, Iowa, to mark the second anniversary of the ICE raid of May 12, 2008.  Our main purpose was to be present, pray, and show our concern through showing up.

Our first stop was for the chapel service at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.  We were present to listen to mothers whose families were split up by the raid witness to their experience and suffering.  We were able to greet Campus pastor David Vasquez, whom we had met at the IMM forum last month in Rockford.  We enjoyed a time of fellowship and greeting after the service.  David talks about this service at this address:  http://faithonthemove.ning.com/forum/topics/may-12-2010-2nd-anniversary-of?xg_source=activity

From Luther College we drove to Congregational UCC in Decorah.  There we talked with Rev. Matthew Perkins who brought us up to date on the response of the religious community in the last year. 

We stopped at St Bridget's Church in Postville for a time of prayers.  Father Paul greeted us and we let him know that we were there for a pilgrimage and regretted that we could not stay for the commemoration service to be held at St Bridget's at 5 pm that evening.

Next, our little delegation stopped to see Rev. Gary Catterson, pastor of the Presbyterian Church there in Postville, to learn about what developments were taking place.  He told us about how AgriStar has taken over from Agriprocessors.  The work force is now about 1/3 of what it was before.  The new workers coming to town are not as family oriented as those who were there before, and this is making for some tension in the community.  One of the local banks has some 60 foreclosed homes, and while many towns have foreclosures this large number seems to be at least in part a result of the raid and the reduced workforce.  We thanked Gary for his insight, and shared in a time of prayer before we left.

We stopped for lunch at the local Mexican Restaurant.  We had the place to ourselves.  As we drove back to Rock Island, our beginning point, we talked in the car about how our visits in Postville are similar to those made in Central America, and how everyone we spoke with thanked us for our support and concern.

On the Willows There

by Joan Maruskin, Church World Service

By the waters of the Rio Grande
By the waters of the Rio Grande,
There we sat down and there
  We wept
  When we remembered Zion.

On the willows there
We hung up our guitars

For there the Border Patrol
Asked us for songs

And the vigilantes asked for laughter
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How could we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land

By the waters we weep and we remember
  We remember Mexico and El Salvador
  We remember Burma and Tibet
  We remember Colombia and Chile
  We remember Cuba and Haiti
  We remember Darfur, the Congo, and Romania

By the waters we remember

On the willows we hung up our guitars
  We hung up our hopes
  We hung up our homes, our land, our dreams
  We hung up our poverty, our hunger, and our thirst
  We hung up our friends, our traditions and our culture
  We hung up our family ties, our food, and our language

How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

We sing only the song of the homeless, the unemployed
  The laments of hunger and thirst, of death and destruction
  The songs of the songless, the hungry, the thirsty
  The songs of the dying.

How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?