I have written before about the ESL Dinner & Conversation program our congregation spearheaded about 2 years ago. We offered our space and our food and the folks who work with ESL students did the rest, inviting people from their classes to join us for casual discussion. The goal was to help them learn to be more at ease with the language, but the ripple effects have been even more valuable. We have created a community within a community, bringing a diverse group of people who want to pursue the American dream together once a month to work towards citizenship, jobs, and healthy assimilation. Last week a new host welcomed 75 of us, and I got to sit with a group of 8 young men from many different places. From single guys working low paying jobs to one man celebrating his 25-wedding anniversary, they were all there for one thing – a better life.
They want what we all want – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I will be clear with you that I have no idea what their immigration status is – not my business – but I do know that all of them love this country, and none of them want to go back to where they came from. They are all working hard to have better lives – they all want happy families – they all want the best education they can get for themselves and their loved ones – and they are all worried about being kidnapped by ICE. One young man from Puerto Rico – a US citizen by birth – admitted that his accent and skin color put him at risk. They have come to accept that being a citizen, for them, doesn’t guarantee that they will be safe, so they keep their heads down. They work, help their kids with homework, take classes to improve their situations, and hope for the best. Which is what all of us want too.
Unlike so many fearful Americans, these young men won’t allow the hatred they receive to make them bitter – it won’t break their resolve. Some of them served in our nation’s armed forces – some of them are studying to be truck drivers or police officers. All of them want to speak English and watch soccer and football with their friends. They laughed and joked and listened to each other’s stories, just like everyone else. And while some sectors of America would demonize them, they won’t allow that to deter them. They want what we all want – to be happy and healthy and to contribute to the future of America. If the rest of us let them. I hope we do – they will make America better.
Prayer – Holy God, help us to see that we all want the same things in life. Help us to work together to achieve a better world. Amen.
Today’s art is located in Portland, OR and is called, Until We Get There, by Mehran Heard, aka Eatcho. The final installation is 10 feet tall by 17 feet wide.