| 8 September 2010 |
| Migrants -- Some theological reflections |
By Freddy de Alwis
I wish to say that these reflections are based on the experience I gained during the four days I spent in Hungary attending the consultation organized by the WCC/GEM and Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe.
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I was happy to be there and to hear the work carried out by the churches in Europe to those who have come to their countries looking for shelter, security, employment and better living conditions for them as well as for their children. Some of them have fled violent situations and wars to save their lives. It is these vulnerable people we lump together into the category of migrants. I would like to state that more than 60% percent of these people fall into the category of forced migrants. The rest can be categorised as those who leave their countries voluntarily, looking for better prospects and opportunities to improve mainly their social and economic conditions. Those who fall into this category can be termed as voluntary migrants. Voluntary migration is nothing new in the history of humankind and we could see such movements of people right through the history. To such people borders of rich and powerful nations are not closed but open and they feel welcomed. But, my concern is for those people who flee countries to escape hunger, malnutrition, and death, effects of climate change, violence, war, sexual exploitation and human rights violations. They leave their families, friends and their own countries not because they are eager to leave but because conditions which prevail in their countries force them to flee. To such people boarders in affluent and countries where there is security and protection are often closed. Even if they manage to cross the borders and enter these countries, they end up either spending long years in prisons or refugee camps where living conditions are inhuman and horrible. The cries of these people who languish is camps are almost the cries of the psalmist “How long, O Lord? Wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide any face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my soul,..” (Psalm 13:1; 35:17)
One has to acknowledge and commend the ministry of European churches to migrants at their borders. It is a caring, sharing, healing and a ministry of being a Good Samaritan. These churches are also driven by their own Christian conviction informed by the words of Jesus who said “I was hungry, naked imprisoned…” Mt. 25:31f). While I appreciate the caring ministry of the churches in Europe, it is also important to engage with members of these churches in a deeper dialogue by raising some critical questions such as: why migrants and why do they leave their countries and who should take responsibility for their forced migration?
The dominant view which prevails in many of the receiving countries is migrants want to come to their countries because they want to enjoy the privileges of affluent countries. The saying is they are looking for “greener pastures”. Because of this pre-conceived notion there is so much prejudice and resentment against the stranger at the boarder. Often, the migrant is also a person of different colour, culture and class. Therefore, the discrimination and rejection of the migrants are also rooted on issues of race, colour and, class prejudice combined with fear. Although we are well versed with the saying of Paul “ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3: 28), we find it difficult to live that in our day to day lives. The stranger and the other, who is a person of colour is always a problem to deal with for many of us and apply Christian spirituality which enables us to transcend prejudices which keep us divided all the time. When it comes to the issue of migrant we see how these deep seated are the prejudices and how the Church is also identified with the dominant cultures which goes against the spirit and the mind of Christ.
If the churches in receiving countries are to comprehend the issue of migrant at its depth, then they will have to listen and dialogue with critical voices, especially the voices which are raised within churches and civil society groups in sending countries. But, if the churches in receiving countries are to comprehend the issue of the migrant at a deeper level, then they will have to listen to the critical voices in sending countries and the churches. In other words the sending countries must accompany the churches in receiving countries to tell their story of suffering and crucifixion. In other words, to listen to the critical voices of the sending countries is listening to their story of suffering, pain and crucifixion.
The story of most of the sending countries is a story of colonization, divided and rules polices, plunder and rape of their cultures, religion, wealth and resources for more than 500 hundred years. Furthermore, with neo-colonialism and the rise of globalization, collaboration has taken place between the rich and powerful minorities within sending nations with the rich and powerful within colonizing and powerful nations. Those who oppose these alliances are looked upon as enemies of the state, communists or terrorists. Such branding of those who oppose exploitation and plunder of resources gives licence to powers that be to killed, imprisoned or driven out them from their countries or forced to flee their countries for their own security and protection. These are the ones who ultimately end up at the boarders of the rich and powerful nations and we call them migrants. They leave their countries and take enormous risks to cross boarders and oceans not because they want it but because they have no other choice.
Therefore, those in affluent nations should realize that they are affluent not because God is bias towards them but because over the centuries they have raped and reaped the resources of the sending countries. They have become rich by making others poor. Therefore, the time has come for these nations to repent and say and live the words of Zacchaeus “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold” (Luke 9: 8). Repentance can come only when the rich and the powerful realize for the world to be just and fair, they must go beyond charity and practice justice. Therefore, the churches in affluent nations should realize, as they are the body and the mind of Christ, that those who are at their boarders are not beggars seeking their pity and mercy but they are crying for justice and reparation. They are asking them to return all what was stolen from.
It also became evident that some churches and group in receiving countries see the migrant in their midst as an opportunity to evangelize or to proselytize. I believe this is a wrong understanding of mission and evangelism. Rather than trying to evangelize the other in your midst, is it possible to recognize the broken and wounded Christ in the midst of migrants? Then the issue becomes not evangelism but witnessing to the Gospel of Jesus Christ by being a community who accompanies the victim and advocates their just cause to the powers of domination. In that accompaniment they will be able to see the face of Jesus in you as the disciples saw the face of Jesus when he accompanied them on the road to Emmaus. (Read Luke24: 13f) Can the Jesus community in these affluent nations be like the one who accompanied the disciples on the road to Emmaus? It is that style of mission and evangelism which is needed today.
Last but not least, one should not think that the one is at your door has come only to take away things from you, but also to share many gifts and cultures with you. Without them your culture will be dull and your economics stagnant. The migrant is not merely a recipient but also a giver. It is acknowledged that in 2008 alone Australia managed to earn almost 4 billion Australian dollars from the migrants who are in their midst. Therefore, the churches in all nations have a golden opportunity to prophecy to the nations to look at the issue of migrant with new insights and humane spirit for the healing and reconciling of individuals, communities and nations.
The Reverend Alwis is an executive secretary of the Justice, International Affairs, Development and Service of the Chiang Mai-based Christian Conference of Asia.
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