Social Justice » Shalom Existence

The problem without solutions

Posted February 4, 2009 By Andrea and has 2 comments.

I am a teacher to several young mothers. Young mothers who, when they came to this country, were brought by their parents and had little choice. It is interesting to note that not for any other reason other than love, or this is who they found, did they end up being in a relationship and having a child in a relationship in which one person is legal and the other is illegal. Without returning to the illegal person’s home country there is no way for them to wed and hence no promise that one of them might not be one day torn from their child.

There is a young man right now, sitting in a jail for his second week, his girlfriend and two year old baby girl at home in Georgia.

What will happen to him? Will he be sent back to Salvador? Will he be given a chance to acquire legal paperwork? Has he tried and been rejected? (There are brutal stories of this, do not let anti-alien sentiment tell you otherwise).

As a mother in high school tries to find a way to care for her child she does not yet realize what one day she will, he was pulled over for driving without a license. That is all. He was pulled over for driving without a license… and there was no other interest, I am sure, in pulling over a young Latino male. Why did they pull him over? Did they have any other reason? Like the young Mexican boy who I saw searched by TSA last summer, for no reason, the men he was with looked like campesinos, not drug lords, and he was five years old at most. SEARCHED.

Random my a–.

It is called racial profiling.

If you are a person who puts the well being of this country before the well being of the human race (that God created all of by the way) then please do me a big favor and figure out a way for the government to treat people like HUMANS, not things, bcause right now it is American sentiment that is keeping an Amnesty plan from being an option. And I do not think that free amnesty is the option (perhaps American history and civics classes to be paid for by the applicant and be considered a tax?), but I think there HAS To be a better solution than this. Because a child left without a parent is a problem. And just like those mistakes from your youth, they cannot take back coming here.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Categories: Social Justice

Freedom of Religion

Posted December 18, 2008 By Andrea and has 5 comments.

So Georgia (home sweet home) is making national headlines. But not in a good way. A Douglasville woman named Lisa Valentine was ordered to remove her head covering before entering a courtroom, and upon hearing that her head covering was worn for religious reasons the bailiff told her that did not matter and she must still remove it. A small argument ensued, and Mrs. Valentine was arrested in contempt of court. Is this legal? From my understanding policies that cover a ban on head coverings excludes those worn for religious reasons. While I understand that the argument could be used that she is hiding something, I could just as easily hide something in my panties when I went to court. They, however, would know they had a lawsuit on their hands if they told me to remove those.

It is sad when there are still government agencies that do not set themselves against this kind of discrimination. I have no real stake regarding the religious freedom of the United States, I think that the proposal for building no new mosques would render it null and void, but I do however have a certain respect and care for people, as well as for the existence of a justice system that apparently needs it priorities set straight. I appreciate my rights as a United States citizen, but I am not a chain to them, nor do I feel I am deserving of them the way many might. I am entitled only to what my maker gives me. Am I lucky to be in a place where I am not persecuted daily? Yes. But it could just as easily be taken away (the way so many’s in the world are)? Yes. And although Mrs. Valentine only served 6 hours of her 10 day sentence, there was still valuable time and money spent on her foray into the public system. Much like the police officers who allow their cars to idle while sitting in IHOP for an hour, this is something I cannot understand. It saddens me that there is still an existence of such petty prejudices, especially in a country that claims to be “free.”

Popularity: 4% [?]

Categories: Social Justice

Tags: free, head coverings, panties

A battle for justice?

Posted December 9, 2008 By Andrea and has 3 comments.

The call to justice is now, not tomorrow, not next week. It’s not a faint cry, it is not even a far off dream. It is a purpose, it was a calling when Jesus left this earth and it is now a weeping that is begging to be heard. How long have let our selfishness or patriotism affect this calling Jesus has placed on all of our lives? In many instances I hate the word deserve, because it implies that some people do and some people don’t. I never deserve more than my brother or sister, just as they never deserve more than me. Further, I am not the judge to be angered or condemning of them. But I am to speak up and out for the calling I have been given.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will inherit the earth….
Blessed are those who seek justice, for they will be satisfied
Matthew 5

Believe me, I know the Sermon on the Mount has been overrun, misused, misunderstood, and at the same time ignored over the years. There is also much more to it, but these are the verses that stick out to me, the ones that amazed me were there, when I first realized myself in the image of God. I have read more than one book calling for an army of peacemakers, as Gandhi once dreamed of. It seems a distant cry from the state we are in now. To very loosely paraphrase a Shakespeare quote I admittedly read in a Brian McLaren book “War is exciting and palpable to the human sense, in its shadow peace seems rather mundane.” Looking around, it seems this statement is true. Non-war times have been few in the history of man. It seems that sometime throughout hisotry there has been a need for a battle somewhere. A battle of ideals quickly turns to innocent blood shed. Perhaps what we are looking for are people who live their ideals, without sucumbing to the draw of ignorance or demeaning language. When Jesus said to pray for your enemies, I don’t think he meant while we were simultaneously bashing them whether rhetorically or physically. Too often peacemaking is confused with apathy or inaction. Believe me, if love is an action then look around, justice most assuredly is, so why aren’t we acting more? Sitting from our cozy chairs sipping our hot coffees, we can push ourselves. Every action does make a difference, and our comfort might soon become a memory better left in the past.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Categories: Social Justice, Spiritual Reflections

Tags: judge, peacemakers, Shakespeare

Have a little Compassion…

Posted December 5, 2008 By Andrea and has no comments yet.

I truly believe everyone has the capacity to love more, especially if we are of the belief that we are made in the image of God. One of many ways to worship is our treatment of others. Not just being nice, but loving. An action, not just a word. Tis the season to be jolly, so hopefully this includes one of you, yes just one, to make the decision today to sponsor the life of a child. To give support, hope, perhaps joy, in the life of a child who might live in a situation very different from anything we can imagine. This is Melvin, a five year old from El Salvador, a country whose name means Savior.

Name:	Melvin Adrian Blanco Melara (ES7600473)

Birthday:	April 14, 2003 Age: 5

Gender:	Male

Region:	Central America and Caribbean

Country:	El Salvador

Program:	Nueva Vida Student Center

Personal and Family Information:
Melvin lives with his father and his mother. Running errands is his household duty. His father is employed as a laborer and his mother maintains the home. There are 2 children in the family.

Soccer, playing with cars and running are Melvin’s favorite activities. In pre-school his performance is average and he also regularly attends church activities and Bible class. Thank you for your prayer and consideration in sponsoring this little boy!

Please click HERE to sponsor Melvin. Please click here to sponsor another child from Compassion.

Please remember Melvin in your prayers. Your love and support will help him to receive the assistance he needs to grow and develop.

IMPORTANT: A CREDIT CARD IS REQUIRED as payment because this child has been classified “HIGH PRIORITY”. This child has been waiting more than 6 months for a sponsor. Help make a difference in the life of this child, who is anxiously waiting for a sponsor.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Categories: Compassion, Social Justice

Tags: image of God, joy, support

You had a little Compassion….

Posted November 14, 2008 By Andrea and has 1 comment.

Guess what? Today I am going to give you 2 ways to have a little compassion. What?! 2 ways. I know, that pretty much makes it the best day ever for Have a little Compassion.

1. Soles 4 Souls. Just $5 buys 2 pairs of shoes for someone who goes without any everyday! This is a big challenge and the days are counting down. Think of how much it would mean to you if you lived without shoes, and someone travelled just to bring them to you. Let’s be honest, the economy might be bad, but most of us can afford $5. IF you can, please go here.

2. Here is Ajit from Bangladesh, made known to us by Compassion International. Ajit might be looking for you today…I don’t know. Please pray about making the difference in Ajit’s life. Your sponsorship could open doors for him spiritually or emotionally that might never be known otherwise. Here is some info about this adorable four year old.

Name:	Ajit Das (BD2240130)

Birthday:	January 20, 2004 Age: 4

Gender:	Male

Region:	South Asia

Country:	Bangladesh

Program:	Balahoir Child Sponsorship Program

Personal and Family Information:
Ajit makes his home with his father and his mother. Running errands is his household duty. His father is sometimes employed as a laborer and his mother maintains the home. There are 3 children in the family.

Ajit is not presently attending school. Running is his favorite activity. He also attends Bible class regularly.

Please remember Ajit in your prayers. Your love and support will help him to receive the assistance he needs to grow and develop. To sponsor Ajit, please click HERE. To sponsor another child from Compassion, please go here.

IMPORTANT: A CREDIT CARD IS REQUIRED as payment because this child has been classified “HIGH PRIORITY”. This child has been waiting more than 6 months for a sponsor. Help make a difference in the life of this child, who is anxiously waiting for a sponsor.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Categories: Compassion, Social Justice

Tags: best day, Compassion, shoes, soles 4 souls, you

« Previous page


Name:	Ranfis Núñez Polanco (DR3090760)

Birthday:	December 17, 1998 Age: 10

Gender:	Male

Region:	Central America and Caribbean

Country:	Dominican Republic

Program:	El Shadai Student Center

Numbers 6:24-26: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His face upon you and give you Shalom In the name of Sar Shalom – the Prince of Peace.