Denver Seminary

I have heard some heart—wrenching stories these last couple of days. Yesterday I was informed about a man, an undocumented immigrant, who has graduated from our Hispanic programs here at the seminary. A wonderful believer, a faithful and warm student. Before Christmas he was stopped for a minor traffic infraction. When his background was checked, a nonsensical charge from years ago surfaced and led to his detention. He has been detained now for weeks, and his appeal could take six months. He has a wife and three children. The wife is working extra to make ends meet, and their church is helping out to keep the family afloat. These are the challenges of an immigrant church!

There was a woman in my office today in tears. She is an Anglo, whose neighbor of six years—another undocumented immigrant—was detained last week. This man and his family have embraced this Anglo woman and folded her into their family. She attends birthdays, babysits, tutors the children… She said to me, sobbing, “They are my family!” This man also was stopped for a traffic violation, and a petty and unfair conviction from ten years ago surfaced. He was immediately taken away, leaving his wife and three children to fend for themselves. This family and this woman are desperately trying to see if an appeal is possible. If not, he will deported in the next few weeks.

Contradictory legislation, prejudice, broken families… this is the situation in this country for so many. This morning I was sent a link to an article in a Washington paper, another terribly sad story: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/28/family-illegal-immigrant-student-martyred-himself-/?page=all#pagebreak

May God grant that hearts and minds would be moved to work toward compassionate and sensible reform of this country’s immigration laws!