His story will break your heart.
For the sake of his privacy, you will have to take my word for it.
But I would like to share a small part of his journey and ways you can join the fight by praying for this young man.
I spoke with this friend, I will call him G, last night after returning from a long meeting with a lawyer from CAST. His case has been moved from organization to organization, since it is extremely complex. Finally, CAST got a hold of his files and is willing to help him. Unfortunately, the laws are extremely difficult to maneuver and there are very few ways for someone in his circumstance to receive asylum or citizenship. After this meeting, he seemed extremely discouraged and when I asked about it, my heart felt more entangled and connected to the issue of Immigration then ever before. G has been given 2 choices.
The first, cooperate with the Federal Government, testify against those who have taken advantage of him, and receive a visa. There is a catch to this first option though; he must publicly participate in the conviction of these people...which almost guarantees some sort of backlash. Those who took advantage of him know exactly where his family lives back in his home country and are evil enough to redeem G's actions in the cruelest of ways. Basically, this option would risk the live's of his family.
The second choice, voluntarily deport himself. The catch to this one is endless. By going back he will almost certainly be destined to extreme poverty, working daily just to eat. As he put's it, "In my country, you work so you can eat that day. If you don't work that day, you don't eat that day." There is no higher education easily accessible. There are no social services to help him and his family get ahead. He knows that returning would seal his fate of a life with no opportunities.
So what does he do? Does he chose to stand up for what is right, convict the monsters who held him hostage while putting his family in extreme danger? Or does he protect those he came here for in the first place and return to what he explain's as a life of nothing?
I don't know about you, but hearing this makes the choices I stress about seem utterly ridiculous.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Stuck between sacrificing his family's well being for opportunity or sacrificing opportunity for his family.
This 18 year old will have to make a decision most of us will never have to make in a lifetime.
Will you join me by praying for G?
Pray for wisdom. Pray for protection. Pray for his family.
Joining you in prayer Beth!
ReplyDeleteWow... I wish there was another option. Will be in prayer.
ReplyDeleteI will pray... but isn't there a 3rd option? To go home with opportunity... I know Mexico is not the freest of free nations... but isn't there a way for a Philanthropic enterprise to enter in. Help him start a business/businesses that will be hope not only to him but to his people!
ReplyDeleteI would be shocked if there weren't a business owner locally that wouldn't be willing to step in... Know how and micro investments would be everything, its a paradigm shift in the issue...and its work! It will likely take 1,000 no's for the first yes and probably 10 Yes' before the right fit is found.
I also think you have the choice wrong... the take you have is selfish, seriously!
The unfortunate choice is almost exclusively between justice and injustice... Does he stand up against evil to suffer evil himself, or does he run... and that is not a clear cut choice!
His voice is not going to stop evil from happening, it might not even place a dent in it... Not going home to start a business might also constitute evil... Saying something now might actually generate evil... so what does he do??
I think the only question G should consider is "what step puts the largest dent in Evil?" --> Thats what this whole thing (life) is really about... Attack Evil and offer Hope, Faith and Love in its place.
I will pray for wisdom for "G" to make a choice that puts the largest dent in prevailing evil and for courage to accept that choice... I will also pray for that 3rd option to present itself to some immigrant (legal or illegal) down the road.
Thank you for your prayers.
ReplyDeleteI am not hopeless in his situation, no matter what happens. We do actually have a plan set into place if he does get deported. I was simply sharing the 2 choices he was presented with and sharing from his perspective. What is "selfish" about his choices? I actually think he is one of the most unselfish people I have ever met. I'm not sure if anyone at 18 would look at a choice like this and see the entire picture as you have suggested. Would you have been able to think in this way at that age? I am confused by your point.
Although I appreciate your suggestions, in my eyes, it perfectly exemplifies what I like to call the "American Sickness". We are naive to just how difficult it is and we think that everyone should be able to pull themselves up from their boot straps and make something of their lives. We think we know what is best for people, even when we don't know them at all. What you have suggested is not impossible, but it would be incredibly, incredibly difficult. I think a lot more difficult then you think. I don't think it is our role to fix his problems or tell him what he should do. Just because we are Americans and we do things a certain way does not mean we know what it best for people or that the American way translates to every country and culture.
I appreciate you reading and hope you continue to do so. I would hope that everyone would consider how they can be in relationship with people in situations like this and walk along side them in their journey instead of telling people what they should do without ever walking a step in their shoes.