Earlier this year, I had the privilege of going on an immigration immersion experience with a group of women from around the U.S.
I went into this adventure with my eyes and heart wide open, ready to see, hear, and feel what our friends on the other side of the border have been enduring over the past several years. Now, I’m going to be 100 percent transparent. There was a time several years ago when the thought of “illegal aliens” entering our country needed to stop.
The experiences I had while visiting the border wall were so mixed, not because of the physical wall itself, but because of the human touch that was around me all the time. These friends of mine (yes, they are friends of mine now) shared horrific stories of torture, starvation, rape, and loneliness. But they also shared stories of perseverance and complete faith and trust in God.
Their stories touched my heart in ways that I have never felt before. It’s time to open our hearts, minds, and doors to “Welcome the stranger.”
This message is an excerpt from a Women of the ELCA blog by Lisa Plorin. Today we remember Clare, abbess of San Damiano, died 1253.
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