To Be Continued

I'm taking a break for the summer months. I am merely without any words to share and need a bit of respite.

Silent Sunday

The art of Laurel Burch

Migrant Children Require Humanitarian Response

For those of us living in the United States, especially here in the southwest, we have been inundated with
unaccompanied children making border crossing and then immediately turning themselves in to Border Patrol agents. 

Their families pay money to send them here then worry if they will survive to live another day. Indeed, things are that dire in their own countries. What, I ask, is the Christian response?

Here is a place to start:  http://action.groundswell-mvmt.org/petitions/address-humanitarian-crisis-of-unaccompanied-children-in-immigration-detention 

TO: PRESIDENT OBAMA, JEH JOHNSON, SECRETARY OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS 

As people of faith, we call on you to address the magnitude and urgency of the humanitarian crisis of migrant children, by taking the following immediate and appropriate actions:

• Provide generous emergency funds to address this large-scale humanitarian crisis. The House Appropriations Committee should approve and increase the $1.9 billion approved that the Senate subcommittee recommends for the Office of Refugee Resettlement to help these children. 
• Provide safe and humane living conditions, medical care and mental health support without delay. 
• Provide access to visitation, pastoral care, play and activities appropriate for children. 
• Provide legal assistance and legal representation to all children. 
• Collaborate creatively with the faith community, non-governmental agencies, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and all who care about this humanitarian disaster. 
• Release the children as quickly as possible with their family members in the U.S. and/or therapeutic placements, mentor homes, and foster homes for young children and pregnant and parenting teens, rather than placing such children in large institutional settings. 
• Require that all children released from federal custody receive follow up services to ensure their safety and well being. 
• Improve the trafficking screening, training and protocols along the border so that children entering the United States are properly evaluated and that victims of trafficking and persecution are effectively identified and referred for appropriate services. 
• Ensure accurate investigation of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) abuse and allow independent human rights monitoring to ensure oversight and transparency of the handling of these children, in order to prevent further abuses from occurring. See more resources at 

http://www.interfaithimmigration.org/2014/06/16/unaccompanied-children-advocacy-resources/

Why is this important? Our sacred scriptures say.... 

“You are not to abuse any widow or orphan. If you do abuse them in any way, and they cry to me, I will certainly heed their cry. - Exodus: 22: 21-23 

“Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. “ - Luke 18:16 

As people of faith we see all children as our children. We believe that all children must be ensured international protection and be treated with dignity and respect. We believe we are called to care for all children, as if they were our own. 

The reasons these children have left their countries of origins are complex and interrelated and have been well documented by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees Report, “Children on the Run,” which has warned of this growing humanitarian crisis. The vast majority have come seeking refuge from surges of violence, and to be reunited with their parents and families living in the United States. Extreme poverty and economic forces, along with situations of surging violence has pushed many of these children out of their home countries. Many have endured horrific trauma and violence as they flee their countries often crossing multiple borders. 

It is heartbreaking and appalling to see and hear of the inadequate conditions in which children are being held along the US southern border. Children should never be held in detention facilities or makeshift holding centers. Policing and enforcement agencies should not be taking care of children. independent oversight and human rights monitoring must be allowed to ensure the safety and protection of these children. Children should be reunited with their families in the U.S. immediately. 

We as people of faith believe that these children must not be forgotten . We call on our government to act with purpose and humanitarian resolve.

This petition is sponsored by Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice- California, the Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Interfaith Center for Worker Justice in San Diego, the Cal-Pacific Immigration Task Force of the United Methodist Church and attendees of the Let My People Work Conference in Los Angeles (June 9-11, 2014).

How it will be delivered

Press Conference and Delivery of Letter to White House, Department of Homeland Security and appropriate House of Representatives.

A New Kind of Comfort

Shortly after the first of the year, I was asked by a dear woman if I would consider working the upcoming Kairos weekend. Kairos is a Prison Ministry and has two specific formats: Kairos Inside - to minister to the currently incarcerated and Kairos Outside - to minister to women (specifically) who have been impacted by incarceration. I was unsure, but told her I would pray about it. You see, I had such an awful time last year on my own Kairos weekend, I just wasn't sure how I could even minister to anyone. So I began to pray about it.

Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time lapse, a moment of indeterminate time in which everything happens. What is happening when referring to kairos depends on who is using the word. While chronos is quantitative, kairos has a qualitative, permanent nature. Kairos also means weather in both ancient and modern Greek. The plural, καιροί (kairoi (Ancient Gk. and Mod. Gk.)) means the times.

Yes, an opportune moment, indeed. For such a time as this... (Esther 4:14) An appointed time (Ecclesiastes 3:1). So I prayed... and I prayed... and I prayed. When the woman again asked if I had considered the weekend, I was prepared to decline but before I could, I looked this dear woman in the eye (read heart here) and agreed! God sure has a way of surprising me sometimes.

Last year when I attended the Kairos weekend, I had an awful time. I didn't know it then, but I was ill. The kidney stones were beginning to make their emergence. I just felt awful and didn't feel like being around anyone. I was on the verge of tears the entire weekend. 

Prior to the first full team meeting, the leadership had been meeting and praying over the positions, praying over the team members by name and discerning who would be assigned what task. 

On June 7th we had our first full "Team Meeting" and received our assignments. What would mine be? Assisting in the kitchen? Helping with the Agape gifts? Being a "runner"? Keeping the fellowship room full of snacks and drinks? Nope! It wasn't any of these! I was asked to deliver a talk - to tell the story of my own prison experience. Oh, and the subject is anger! WOW! The discernment process is accurate to a fault when God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are involved! 

So now I begin to draft what I want to share. To tell my story. To tell  His - story. To tell Her - story. All within the time frame allotted and covering five specific points. 

Looking upon all of this, I am in awe and amazed at the hand of God. I shouldn't be, but I am. For the record, I just love it when that happens.

I will keep you posted on the developments... and we have some time as the weekend isn't until September.

 Wishing you everyday grace,

Tamara

Genesis 50:20 (NASB)
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result…"   Even so, Amen!  

A Milestone

Today is a milestone of sorts.

Five years ago today was the day of the heart attack.

I have not smoked a cigarette in that time. Some days I find I still miss the addiction.

I have also not been faithful in exercise and just generally moving about. That is changing. Slowly, surely, one foot in front of the other. It is changing. I joined a Women's Fitness Center. It is called Ms. Fit. Ms. Fit. The name just somehow seemed appropriate. I have become disgusted with my lack of discipline as it relates to my health, so it is time for a change.

One foot in front of the other...

Eating thoughtfully.

Eating better.

Eating healthier.

Not dieting, but eating with purpose and treating food like... well, fuel. Like nourishment. Like the valuable resource it is.

That's the plan.

One foot in front of the other...

Wishing you everyday grace,

Tamara

P.S. 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NASB)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?