Methodists Doing Immigration Right

on August 13, 2014

How churches should address immigration is showcased by recent help from United Methodist congregations for a former Afghan military translator and his family who fled to Northern Virginia to escape Taliban reprisals.

Fleeing Afghanistan after years of service to America “was the only choice that we had,” the Afghan translator explained to CBS Evening News. “We were the eyes and ears of coalition and American forces. We are left in a lurch and do not know where we’re going to go or what might happen to us tomorrow. … There were times when I felt like I would not survive this situation. I’m a proud man, and I want to work. I want to support my family. But there was no way to find a job.”

The Taliban had threatened to kill the translator and his family in retaliation for his seven years of service to America, the United Methodist News Service (UMNS) reported. The U.S. government had arranged for three months of help when he arrived early this year, after which he was on his own. So eight United Methodist congregations, including one to which I belong, plus two other churches, provided living essentials, money and job hunt help.

This “No One Left Behind” project to help resettling Afghan translators and their families is partnering with the Northern Virginia Military Ministry Outreach, which includes these United Methodist churches. Almost 5,000 Afghans who have served America in this way have gotten U.S. visas since last Fall, with another 6000 waiting.

The Afghan translator and his family are of course Muslim. But they apparently now have direct relations with some of the helping churches. And he was at one United Methodist church, evidently to express thanks, when the United Methodist bishop of Virginia was present. A church member told UMNS of initially visiting the Afghan’s new home and discovering they had nothing but a mattress.

These churches that are helping this Afghan family are not making a political statement but truly helping a family in need who were left nearly destitute through no fault of their own. These Afghan translators are rightly permitted U.S. visas, given their service to America, at great risk to themselves and their families.

The obvious comparison is to the over 120,000 South Vietnamese immediately permitted into the U.S. after the Communist conquest in 1975. Most of these refugees had worked directly or indirectly for the long U.S. presence in South Vietnam. Their plight under the new Communist regime would not have been pleasant. President Ford instigated their welcome, which was both a matter of national interest and national honor. Persons around the world who directly risk themselves in service to the United States and its interests, like the Afghan translators, should be protected whenever possible.

I recall many of these South Vietnamese refugees moving to my Northern Virginia community. One particular family that became close was hosted by the neighborhood Catholic church for years, with the father working for the church, with help from the wife and children. He and other Vietnamese I remember often had dramatic stories of their service alongside Americans in the 20 year struggle to save their country from Communist North Vietnam. The first generation, having had senior positions in their old country and now forced into more menial work, besides struggling with language and cultural transitions, often had hardships. But their children seemed to seamlessly meld into American culture, excelling in school, going on to college, and generally becoming very successful. They eventually left their initially small apartments to purchase big houses in the suburbs.

Recent Afghan refugees number in the thousands, not tens of thousands, as with the South Vietnamese of 40 years ago. But their service was no less important and should be honored. Many church groups of late loudly tout the political cause of mass legalization for illegal immigrants, romanticizing them as biblical “sojourners” who automatically merit full U.S. hospitality. These church activists too often confuse the church’s vocation with the state’s vocation. Churches in Christ’s name are called to extend grace and assistance to all in need. Governments are called, also by God, primarily to uphold order and safeguard the national interest. The U.S. government is divinely ordained to advance the interests of the American people, just as every government everywhere has a divine responsibility towards their own people, no less than parents for their own children.

Those Northern Virginia United Methodist churches helping the Afghan translator and his family have no geostrategic goal in mind, as the U.S. government should. They are faithfully complying with their own calling to incarnate Christ’s generosity as a witness to God’s love. In this case, at least, both church and state are fulfilling their providential vocation.

  1. Comment by John S. on August 14, 2014 at 7:00 am

    Which is better, to help others with other’s money or to help others with my money?
    When the GBCS was doing its part on immigration (its most recent, publicized protest) whose money was it using?

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