You may think I write too much about (im)migration. Fair enough – my wife agrees with you. And I admit there are other important topics to write about in the context of our mission work. However, if you remove migration from the conversation about the mission of God, you remove the divine means by which…
Social Justice and Immigration
Reading through the Old Testament it’s hard not to notice the prophet’s fiery rhetoric over Israel’s covenent unfaithfulness. Amos and Micah were not alone in voicing God’s displeasure and rebuke for Israel’s infidelity which included neglect of justice for the poor and powerless. Though often hopeful and framed with God’s gracious mercy, OT prophecy ends…
Immigration is Good for America
It is no secret that I am pro-immigration. My views are rooted in consistent testimony of Scripture regarding how the people of God are to treat the less fortunate, which includes the foreigner, the poor, and the oppressed. This describes the great majority of immigrants. However, I sometimes fear that the virtue of my cause…
The Grace of God in Migration
Hispanic pastor and professor Robert Chao Romero writes about “migration as grace” to both the immigrant and the host country and community. It is easy to understand God’s grace to immigrants who can escape war, famine, religious or political persecution and arrive in a host country to start a new life. But what about migration…
The Imago Dei and the Immigrant
I fondly recall a mission leader in our organization who liked to refer to people as “glory-bearers.” It was his way of expressing the foundational truth of Genesis 1:27: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.” This “imago Dei” and implied…
Walls of Separation or Tables of Hospitality
Much ink and angst have been spilled and displayed about the wall on our southern border. Regardless of your opinion of that wall, it is designed with a particular function. It is meant to keep people from illegally entering the US. I get that. National border security is a legitimate concern to be balanced with…
A Tribute to Tony Weedor
Tony Weedor died suddenly on March 16th at age 63. Tony was immigrant and a refugee from Liberia. And he was so much more. I did not know Tony well. I wish I’d known him better. His sudden death while speaking at the small “Family Conference” for the Multination African congregation two weeks ago, was…
Diaspora Missions
Missions have been an integral part of our lives ever since we took the Perspective Course at our church in 1996. So much so that, along with other friends, the Spirit immediately activated us to serve as host families to International Students arriving at the University of Louisville. When we learned about ESL opportunities with…
Book Review: One Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle Over American Immigration 1924-1965
I first read this book last year when a friend was reading it with his team involved in local refugee ministry. I found it to be such a fascinating history of American immigration that I read it in only a few days. It tells the absorbing back story and political drama over laws that have regulated…
Things i Miss About Bosnia: Sarajevo – 1984 Winter Olympics
A common question I hear these days is what do I miss about Bosnia? In fact, someone asked me a couple of nights ago. Funny she should ask. Here’s something that appeared on my “nostalgia” radar screen. This week marks the 40th anniversary of the 1984 Olympics held in Sarajevo, Bosnia. This is true nostalgia…