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As with many immigrants, I lived with my parents and relatives in a multigenerational household. It is hard for parents to allow their children to live with someone other than family.
When I first came to the United States, I felt a strange call to be a foster parent. The need seemed immense and I wanted to care for children in need of a family and put a smile on these children’s faces. Children need a family that is stable, promising, and kind if they are to have a better future.
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me.” (Matthew 25:40).
I now feel called to put a smile on the faces of migrant children. Like me, people migrate to search for hope and a more promising future, but not everyone gets it. I desire to help migrants find hope and a promising future. because I understand how difficult and challenging immigration policies are.
It is important to understand why children and young people have left the only home country they have ever known. These children seek protection from climate disaster, violence, physical and sexual abuse, and extreme poverty from their home country. It will be a great relief for them if we can reunite them with their families, or relatives in the United States. These children and young people need us, every one of them needs us.
One thing that I have learned is that I should always put a smile on my face because it is an enormously powerful weapon. A genuine smile of happiness, especially when meeting migrants, will make them feel better and welcome. God is always faithful, and all things work together for good, just giving them a smile can indeed uplift them.
Migrants seek a promising future, but the government policies make it almost impossible. I will try my absolute best to help and bring a smile to their faces. Matthew 20:28, “Even as the [Child] of [Humanity] came not to be served but to serve, and to give [their] life as a ransom for many.” The real ministry is done for the benefit of people ministered to not for the benefit of the minister. We are called to serve others including migrants.
~Jack Ubong, MDiv student
This blog is part of a 16-piece series for MIGRATION & HOLY WEEK composed by the students and instructors CTS Contextual Immersions J-Term 2022 Courses on Immigration at the U.S.-Mexico Border. Because of COVID, both the planned travel seminar and the virtual seminar joined for a fully online zoom-based two-week seminar. Instructors compiled, edited the offerings into this series. We hope that this series that integrates our studies and themes of Lent will pose questions for all of us to contemplate and respond to in our life of faith.
