Recently, I attended part of the "Reform Immigration for America Summit" here in Washington DC. I learned more about my friend, John Glazer's commitment to the New Sanctuary Movement and along with hundreds of other committed activists, cheered as Rep. Gutierrez of Chicago described the importance of passing a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill. Soon, President Obama will sit down with legislators to discuss Comprehensive Immigration Reform and faith communities all around the country are coming together to form prayer vigils and speak up about the moral implications within immigration policy.
What does this have to do with poverty (and more specifically Outreach International) you ask?
In far too many cases, people who live in extreme poverty or overwhelming insecurity are forced to migrate from their homes to a location that provides a safe, livable place where families are able to survive and thrive.
While Outreach International works with communities to create places where people create whole lives for themselves, some situations make this extremely difficult. Millions of people all around the world flee from neighborhoods that have been devastated by war, communities where there is no sustainable work, or governments who threaten their civil liberties.
The point of Comprehensive Immigration Reform is this: if people must migrate -- let them migrate to a safe and hospitable place that honors family unity, safety and security, and equal rights. While it is crucial we work on making every place a sustainable place to live, we also need to acknowledge the many places around the world that are simply unable to provide sustainable good for men, women, and children. If you're interested in becoming more involved in creating the kind of communities Outreach International strives to create around the world, but can't afford to travel overseas, think about meeting people in your own communities who greatly need a sense of community, hear their stories, and work to make your own community a place that provides economic opportunity and physical safety for those who would otherwise feel lost and defeated.
If you'd like to learn more about immigration issues, read this great blog series written by a colleague of mine.
-Karyn Wingard Manuel
All people deserve wealthy life and home loans or just auto loan can make it much better. Because freedom depends on money state.
Posted by: Myers29Karin | July 14, 2011 at 04:25 PM