The humanitarian crisis at the U.S.- Mexico border calls out for a response of justice and mercy from those who serve Christ—not only for the 52,000 children who are already in U.S. federal detention, but also among communities in Latin America.
For followers of Jesus Christ, the plight of these children and their families calls for action that stems from “a framework of compassion and maintains current laws around due process for anyone entering the country illegally,” says World Renew’s U.S. Director Andrew Ryskamp.
You can act today to help the children at the U.S. – Mexico border!
Today, the U.S. Senate will vote on Bill S. 2648, which provides $300 million in State Department funding to help address the root causes that drive children to flee their home countries—hunger, poverty, and violence. To help you influence U.S. lawmakers’ votes on this bill, Bread for the World has provided a guide to contact your representatives in the Senate.
ACTION: To contact your senator about Bill S. 2648, go HERE.
Why are children leaving their homes in the first place?
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the number of children fleeing their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras has doubled since last year. And the number of families from these countries who have arrived in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California this year is five times higher than it was in in 2013 (www.cpb.gov and www.unhcrwashington.org/children). To address the root issues of poverty, hunger, and violence in Latin America, strong development support is needed in their countries of origin, Ryskamp says.
World Renew’s community development programs address these root causes of extreme poverty and hunger in 23 of the world’s developing countries in agriculture, health, adult literacy, income earning, and spiritual and leadership development.
Latin America Team Leader Leanne Geisterfer says, “World Renew works through local Christian partners in Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic to improve livelihoods and create more secure communities so people don’t feel the need to leave—and families can stay intact.
“World Renew’s four partners in Honduras and the Association for a More Just Society (AJS) address these issues by identifying minors who are most at risk, counseling and training entire families in vocational and relational skills, promoting civic involvement, and taking action in systemic issues like corruption.” World Renew is also affiliated with Church World Service, which is assisting 1,000 deported children and adolescents in San Pedro Sula, Honduras—the city with the highest murder rate in the world. (See www.cwsglobal.org.)
At a press conference that drew together ecumenical leaders on Wednesday, July 23, Ryskamp said,
“World Renew works in places like Honduras to help build economic and social stability. When we hear leaders in Washington D.C. claim to address the ‘root causes’ of these fleeing children, but their ‘root causes’ don’t include violence, oppression, and poverty, we are concerned.
If we want the kids to stay in their countries—as they surely wish to do—then the U.S. government should address the real reason they’re leaving: If they stay home, they are not sure they will survive.”
Here are four additional action steps that you can take now.
Pray: On Sunday, July 27, 2014, World Renew, the CRC Office of Social Justice and other faith communities called for a day of prayer for children at the border. It’s not too late to start praying! You can find more information and a suggested prayer here.
Learn: In the U.S., order the Church Between Borders curriculum for small groups, adult ed classes, and young adults. The 4-session program helps participants get a better understanding of the U.S. immigration system and become better equipped to welcome strangers in our midst.
Act: An Advocacy Toolkit is also available for those who want to make their voice heard on immigration in the U.S. It is available HERE. In Canada, a curriculum is in development, but suggested action on distinctly Canadian immigration issues can be found HERE.
Give: While U.S. federal detention centers do not accept donations or volunteers (See www.acf.hhs.gov), you can support World Renew’s community development work to end poverty and hunger at www.worldrenew.net/donate. You can help eliminate extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and injustice by building up families in their communities and thereby eliminate their need to flee to survive.
UPDATE: The U.S. Senate voted to advance the emergency funding measure to provide $2.7 billion to respond to unaccompanied minors at the U.S. border on Wednesday, July 30, 2014.