News from the Field

The Canadian government has given citizens two weeks to provide feedback on proposed legislative changes to Medical Assistance in Dying. We spoke with chaplain Tim De Jonge about his experience on the front lines of this issue. He helps break down what’s happening and how we should respond.  

Elderly women from a near-by senior low-income housing building sat at the back of our church foyer, bending over boxes overflowing with apples, carrots, and onions. They unrolled plastic produce bags, rubbed the top edges to open them, and filled them with fresh produce. They talked and laughed as they worked. “Come on over,” one of them called, “You need to meet someone we invited to join us today.” The ladies were getting ready for the monthly food pantry at our church and had asked someone new to help. 

Over the years, I have marched in the Denver, Colorado Four Directions All Nation March where the marchers step off from four directions and rally at the Colorado State Capitol.  One might ask why do Indigenous people march in Canada and America? 

First, regarding participating in a protest march, I want to encourage non-violent political movements, like those associated with leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi.

Overwhelmed by all the headlines detailing drastic changes to immigration policy? Here’s a list of the alarming policy changes that have happened during the month of November alone.

11/1: Zero Refugees 

It’s announced that last month, for the first time since records began, the number of refugees actually resettled in the U.S. hit zero. 

In 1992, the nations of the world met in Rio de Janeiro and agreed that they had a responsibility to respond to the reality of climate change. They created the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and agreed that the participating nations would meet once a year. The meetings are called the Conference of Parties (COP) and the 25th such meeting is being held in Madrid, Spain in December. 

Overwhelmed by all the headlines detailing drastic changes to immigration policy? Here’s a list of the alarming policy changes that have happened during the month of October alone.

Carlos, Josefina, and their young son Gerson (not their real names) fled Cuba for the United States in pursuit of asylum protections. Because of certain restrictions in Cuba, flying to Guyana in South America was the closest they could get to their intended destination. En route with other migrants for safety, the three of them traversed unknown terrain, mountain ranges, and rainforests through South and Central America until they reached Ciudad Juarez in northern Mexico, along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Each one of you is to be God’s microphone.”

These are the words of Oscar Romero (1917-1980), the fourth archbishop of San Salvador and an advocate for the oppressed during the Salvadoran Civil War. He was martyred in 1980 while celebrating Mass in the Chapel of Divine Providence Hospital.

We received this letter from Pastor Samuel Lopez in Ciudad Juarez and Pastor Angel Lopez in West Michigan about their ministry to asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Together, these brothers are working to connect brothers and sisters in Christ to address the border crisis as one body. In this letter updating faith partners about the ministry, you will see the need to provide humanitarian aid, but also the urgent importance of changing policies that harm asylum-seekers and those supporting them.