Bearing Witness

Isaiah 6:8  And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

The second AZ2DC (round 2) bus has come home from the trip to DC to pray outside The Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner’s door.  This hallway has become a place of holding vigil since October.  The desire of all those that stand in that hallway to sing and pray is to see Congress move on immigration reform.  The families that we know and love are suffering and the window of opportunity for a bill to pass this year is quickly disappearing.

Much has happened in establishing a presence in DC since the first bus left.  Many groups of people like ourselves have come from around the country to pray together for reform.  They, like we have done, sleep on the floor of St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church; like us, they traveled long distances to come to DC to appeal to the members of the House of Representatives to place a bill on the floor.  Our method is prayer and telling our stories.  We also sing.

I came home from this trip last night and have an overwhelming sense that though this mission to DC has a very specific objective of ending suffering by repairing a broken immigration system, it also holds in its hands a very holy purpose of “bearing witness”.  It wasn’t lost on any of us that at this Advent season, where we Christians bear witness to the coming of Christ, that we were enacting many of the same motifs of the Christmas story.  We knocked on closed doors looking for “room” in our nation for the strangers among us.  We experienced the good favor of “kings” and the fear of powerful people who could hurt children and mothers.  We met and affirmed those that “pray and wait” in the fasters tent, resembling the Simeons and Annas among us.  We sang loudly in the open air like the angels, made pilgrimage like the wise men, asked for help from people who could help if they were willing, worshipped and prayed and prayed some more … and we bore witness in the open to anyone who would dare listen to the stories of those affected by our flawed  immigration system.  We sang and prayed of the coming of Jesus into this very space and place for our rescue. Jesus is our hope, for He is the one who reminds us that when we welcome the immigrant (the stranger) we welcome Him.

The faithful core team that has been present since the beginning will remain until the 13^th, when congress ends its session for the year.  They will serve to integrate others from around the county who will come throughout the week to carry the work of the vigil daily.  There will be many who come.  They will bear witness also, they will offer their stories … of dads in deportation proceedings who committed the crime of having a bolt missing from a license plate … of the dreams of parents for their children and how these children intend to make them proud … they will tell of the children left behind after a hardworking parent is forcibly removed from the U.S. … they will tell of their faith in God, their commitment to sacrifice until the suffering stops, their hope and love for this country, and their persistent endurance to continue in the struggle.  They will look like our team looked, grandmas, moms, dads, college students, young adults, teen-agers, small children, a few scattered white and black people … all of them ready to bear witness to what they know.

Our last activity on this trip was to visit DC as “touristas”.   Providentially, we had just left the Lincoln memorial and were at the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial when CNN came up to us to do an interview.  We had been singing there.  They wanted to get our reaction to the death of Nelson Mandela.  We were stunned, we hadn’t heard, so busy all week and all day in particular.  It seemed so extraordinary to be located directly among this much history, all mingled up inside the same message … “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”.  CNN left us, and we prayed that we would be and raise up Lincolns and Mandelas and Kings and that we would suffer long and that we would always, “bear witness”.

Matthew 18:16

But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

Submitted by Kit Danley from a bus somewhere between Washington, DC and Phoenix, Arizona, Neighborhood Ministries.

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It's about Friendship

“Say you want to be a part of something bigger than yourself – from there, all you do is just go have some coffee.” – Jason Estopinal

Just outside of Los Angeles, World Relief receives and resettles refugees from around the world. Churches and volunteers come alongside new arrivals and help them adjust to American culture. However, the relationships often move beyond conversation over coffee into something deeper.

“My life is being affected,” shares Jason, one volunteer at the Garden Grove office,  “Now I look around and my world’s a little bit less one-dimensional.”




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The moment to fix our broken immigration system has arrived

On April 17th, a unified evangelical voice will echo through the halls of Congress proclaiming a biblical vision for immigration reform that respects the rule of law, reunites families and upholds human dignity.

Join us on Wednesday April 17th in Washington, D.C. for the Evangelical Day of Prayer and Action for Immigration Reform.

Click here to register.

We have confirmed the following speakers:

• Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church
• Dr. David Uth, First Baptist Church Orlando
• Dr. David Anderson, Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, MD
• Lee de Leon, Templo Calvario in Orange County, CA
• Stephan Bauman, World Relief
• Rev. David Beckman, Bread for the World
• Rev. Sam Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
• Rev. Gabriel Salguero, National Latino Evangelical Coalition
• Sandra Van Opstal will lead worship

Schedule:

• 11am-Noon: Worship at the Church of the Reformation
• Noon-6pm: Meetings with legislators
• 6pm-8pm: Worship at the Church of the Reformation

Over the past two years, evangelical groups have played an increasingly prominent role advocating for compassionate and just immigration policies. Last June, we launched the Evangelical Immigration Table to coordinate our efforts and over 150 leading pastors, denominational heads, and thought leaders signed the Evangelical Statement of Principles for Immigration Reform. Following last November’s election, we penned open letters to the President and congressional leadership calling for action in the first 92 days of this Congress. Their time is almost up.

Responding to the “I Was A Stranger…” Challenge, thousands of people in churches throughout the country are reading 40 Bible verses related to immigrants and immigration over 40 days. We believe that God’s Word speaks powerfully to all who will pay attention.  We are asking our elected leaders in Washington to take the Challenge themselves and to listen to their constituents who are taking it.

If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to come to the Capitol, this is it. April 17th will fall at a critical juncture in the process of enacting meaningful legislation. We believe that God could use your presence in Washington to help our nation reestablish a just and compassionate immigration system.

Sincerely,
The Evangelical Immigration Table 

From World Relief's Advocacy staff and the Evangelical Immigration Table

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IMMIGRANT PATHWAY Institute 2013

Registration is now open for IMMIGRANT PATHWAY Institute 2013: Fullerton!

IMMIGRANT PATHWAY Institute is a 40-hour introductory immigration law class offered in collaboration by Immigrant Hope and World Relief.  Class sessions will be taught by experienced immigration attorneys and practitioners and will touch on every area of immigration law.

This class should provide attendees with foundation for understanding the immigration system, and can serve as the first step toward earning Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) Accreditation, the government certification that allows non-attorneys to practice immigration law.  IMMIGRANT PATHWAY Institute is an invaluable tool for those who are called to serve the under-resourced immigrants in their community.

Click here* to register.  Registration will be open March 7, 2013 to May 31, 2013.

IMMIGRANT PATHWAY Institute Information

Where: First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, CA

When: June 17-21, 2013

Cost: Registration, $495, ILRC Curriculum, $190, Total, $685

Lunch included with registration.

Travel, lodging, and other meals are not included.

Click here** for more information.

Please leave a message as a comment below with any questions.

*Or visit http://www.regonline.com/immigrantpathwayinstitute2013

**Or visit http://immigranthope.org/ipi

We append the following disclaimer on all posts: “Please note that the views expressed by guest bloggers represent their own personal views, and not necessarily those of everyone associated with Loving the Stranger or any institutions with which the blogger may be affiliated.”

Lent Day 13, "I Was A Stranger" Challenge

¹⁴ “Never take advantage of poor and destitute laborers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living in your towns. 
Deuteronomy 24:14

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁴ “तिमीहरूले ज्यालामा ल्याएको नोकर जो गरीब र संकष्टमा छ, उसलाई ठग्नु हुँदैन। त्यो नोकर इस्राएली होस् अथवा तिमीहरूकै कुनै शहरमा बस्ने एक विदेशी, एक जना यसमा कुनै फरक पर्दैन।

व्यवस्था 24:14

Nepali Bible: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV-NE)

Join the 40 Day "I Was A Stranger" Challenge.  

^{I Was A Stranger from G92 on Vimeo.} 

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Lent Day 12, "I Was A Stranger" Challenge

 

¹⁸ He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. ¹⁹ So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

  

Deuteronomy 10:18-19

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

Join the 40 Day "I Was A Stranger" Challenge. 

^{I Was A Stranger from G92 on Vimeo.}

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Lent Day 11, "I Was A Stranger" Challenge

¹⁶ “At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions ¹⁷ and impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’

Deuteronomy 1:16-17

New Living Translation (NLT)

Join the 40 Day "I Was A Stranger" Challenge. 


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Lent Day Ten, "I Was A Stranger" Challenge

 

^15-16 There should be no difference throughout the community in this matter—Israelite or not—forever. You and the foreigner dwelling with you are the same, as I see it, so you all should follow the same rules and regulations.”

  

Numbers 15:15-16

The Voice (VOICE)

¹⁵ ਹਰ ਕਿਸੇ ਲਈ ਇੱਕੋ ਜਿਹੀਆਂ ਬਿਧੀਆਂ ਹੋਣਗੀਆਂ-ਇਸਰਾਏਲ ਦੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਲਈ ਵੀ ਅਤੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀਆ ਲਈ ਵੀ। ਇਹ ਬਿਧੀ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ ਜਾਰੀ ਰਹੇਗੀ। ਤੁਸੀਂ ਅਤੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਵਿੱਚਕਾਰ ਰਹਿਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਲੋਕ ਯਹੋਵਾਹ ਦੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਇੱਕੋ ਜਿਹੇ ਹੋਣਗੇ। ¹⁶ ਇਸਦਾ ਅਰਥ ਇਹ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਹੀ ਕਾਨੂੰਨਾ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਹੀ ਬਿਧੀਆਂ ਉੱਤੇ ਚੱਲਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਹੀ ਕਾਨੂੰਨ ਅਤੇ ਉਹੀ ਬਿਧੀਆਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਇਸਰਾਏਲ ਦੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਲਈ ਅਤੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਵਿੱਚਕਾਰ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹੋਰਨਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਲਈ ਵੀ ਹਨ।”

ਗਿਣਤੀ 15:15-16

Punjabi Bible: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV-PA)

¹⁵ Từ nay về sau, luật lệ áp dụng cho các ngươi và người ngoại quốc đều giống nhau; trước mặt CHÚA các ngươi và người ngoại quốc đều như nhau. ¹⁶ Những điều giáo huấn và qui tắc cho các ngươi và người ngoại quốc đều như nhau.”

Dân Số 15:15-16

Vietnamese Bible: Easy-to-Read Version (BPT)

Join the 40 Day "I Was A Stranger" Challenge. 

 

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Lent Day Nine, "I Was A Stranger" Challenge

²² “This same standard applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.”

Leviticus 24:22

New Living Translation (NLT)

²² Luật lệ nầy áp dụng cho ngoại kiều cũng như cho các công dân của xứ các ngươi. Ta là Chúa và là Thượng Đế ngươi.”

Lê-vi 24:22

Vietnamese Bible: Easy-to-Read Version (BPT)

Join the 40 Day "I Was A Stranger" Challenge. 

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Lent Day Eight, "I Was A Stranger" Challenge

²² “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’”

Leviticus 23:22

New International Version (NIV)

²² »Cuando llegue el tiempo de la cosecha, no sieguen hasta el último rincón del campo ni recojan todas las espigas que queden de la mies. Déjenlas para los pobres y los extranjeros. Yo soy el Señor su Dios.»

Levítico 23:22

Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI)

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Lent Day Seven, "I Was A Stranger" Challenge

³³ “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. ³⁴ The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:33-34 

New International Version (NIV)

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Lent: I Was A Stranger Challenge, Day 6

  In an effort to follow a lenten tradition, I am reading one passage per day for the 40 days of Lent 2013 from the "I Was A Stranger" Challenge:

⁹ “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰ Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:9-10

New International Version (NIV)

The "I Was A Stranger" Challenge is from the Evangelical Immigration Table. 


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Day Five of Lent: Exodus 23:12

¹² “You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Day 4: Forty Days of Scripture and Prayer

Exodus 23:9

⁹ “Do not beat an outsider down. You yourselves know how it feels to be outsiders. Remember, you were outsiders in Egypt.

New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1996, 1998 by Biblica

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Day 3: I Was A Stanger Challenge

Exodus 22:21

²¹ “Don’t abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.

The Message (MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

I Was A Stranger from G92 on Vimeo.

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Day Two: Exodus 12:49

"I Was A Stranger" Challenge from the Evangelical Immigration Table

⁴⁹ There shall be one law for the native-born and for the stranger or foreigner who sojourns among you.

 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation 

 

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Forty Days "I was a Stranger" Challenge

Day One: Genesis 1:27-28

²⁷ So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female, ²⁸ blessed them, and said, “Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals. 

Good News Translation (GNT)

Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society

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The Justice Conference Simulcast in Southern California impacting a generation for justice

The Justice Conference will be simulcast at the Friends Church YorbaLinda Friday, February 22 starting at 6 pm through Saturday, February 23. The Justice Conference is an annual event to promote dialogue around justice related issues such as human trafficking, slavery, poverty, HIV/AIDS and human rights, featuring internationally acclaimed speakers.

World class speakers will include: Eugene Cho, Brenda SalterMcNeil, Dr. Nicholas Wolterstorff, Gary Haugan (International Justice Mission), Sheryl WuDunn (Half the Sky), Dr. John Perkins, Chai Ling, Lynn Hybels, KenWytsma, Stephan Bauman, Richard Twiss, Lisa Sharon Harper, Leroy Barber, NoelCastellanos, Claire Diaz Ortiz, and Shane Claiborne. 

The Justice Conference was founded in 2010 with a group of like-minded friends in Bend, Oregon, who dreamed of impacting a generation for justice. The conference has grown each year with 5,000 people expected this year at the Philadelphia site. The local simulcast of The Justice Conference is brought to Southern California by Friends Church Yorba Linda, partnering with World Relief Garden Grove, First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, and The House at Whittier Area Community Church. Other participants include Solidarity, Fullerton; Mika Community Development Corporation, Costa Mesa, World Vision, and more. 

The Justice Conference has grown to become one of the largest international gatherings on social and biblical justice. The vision of the conference is to reach tens of thousands of people over the next decade through an annual gathering that educates, inspires and connects a generation to a shared concern for the vulnerable and oppressed. This is motivated by the driving value of the conference, a theology of justice, that an understanding of God should compel love for others and engagement in justice.

“At World Relief we believe that God is calling the broadest most diverse social network on the planet—the Church—to engage in the great causes of our day. This is why the inspirational and educational work of The Justice Conference is so important as we empower to do the ministry God calls us to do in a fast changing world,” said Glen Peterson, Office Director, World Relief Garden Grove.

The Justice Conference is a movement of students, teachers, business people, parents, artists, social entrepreneurs, pastors, advocates and academics all of whom are discovering the paradox that true life is found when we give our lives away on behalf of others. Organizations that minister in Southern California will be on hand to introduce opportunities for involvement as people are inspired by the conference speakers. 

On Friday night, February 22 at 9pm the full-length feature film NOT TODAY  will be screened as a part of the Friends Church Yorba Linda simulcast of the conference. Not Today tells the story of a privileged, 20-year-old, American tourist confronted by the reality of human trafficking in India. This film exposes the problem of sex trafficking in our time. While presenting no easy answers there are steps that communities can take to change lives. You can be among the first to see this high impact film that will be in theaters nationwide in April of this year. 

“We believe that over the next few years we will continue to make a huge difference by bringing freedom to those in need locally and in India to the Dalit people (the Untouchables)! This freedom will happen as we empower tomorrow's generation with knowledge and resources so they might have hope and envision a new future. The Justice Conference is part of that strategy,” said Skip Landfried, Global Freedom Pastor, Friends Church Yorba Linda.

Registration for the simulcast of The Justice Conference is available here.

For more information contact: Glen Peterson, World Relief Garden Grove, gpeterson@wr.org or Skip Lanfried, Friends Church Yorba Linda, slanfried@gmail.com

Why Attend The Justice Conference 2013? from The Justice Conference on Vimeo.  

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