Did You Hear About This?
Today I remember what I’d forgotten. Returning to the pile upon my desk of memory joggers for things to write about, I grabbed the top stack of notes and there it was. Out the window the snow was coming down full force and it all but triggered the memory.
The small town newspaper spoke big time as the picture upon the pages was devastating. Loss of life at any time is solemn but today, deep within, it sickened.
I’ve heard of stories about immigrants crossing borders under dangerous circumstances, but not one like this. This was different. It was different because it happened a couple hours from where we live. The story noted a family of four died while making their way across a field as the temps had plummeted well below survivable conditions. Need I say more.
Most around this area know the danger of traveling in such conditions. But this family would not have known. You see, they were not from here and perhaps it’s one of the reasons it was close to home, so to speak. The family was from India. Our two daughters recently returned from their homeland, India. Thus, my heart went out. A family coming from this part of the world would not understand the danger they were in when it came to weather. How could they?
So how did something like this happen? I dug further and discovered they’d made arrangements to enter into the country by means of a trafficking ring. It wasn’t intentional on their part, this family merely trusted. They had been victimized by lies sold and promises made.
I could presuppose much but as I stared at the picture of the 39 year old father, the 37 year old mother, the 11 year old little girl and their 3 year old little boy, I ached. Everything within me wanted to lash out at the evil. I wanted to call the grieving parents on the other side of the world and apologize for those who falsely lead their loved ones away from them…forever.
The information I read mentioned that it had been a sacrificial dream to come to the United States. The parents of the man who died help them with the exorbitant price charged. Once they had entered Canada, they were eventually dropped off in the dark of night near a field… and just across the field, lay all their hopes and dreams. With little regard for human life, the trafficker had now not only taken their money, but their lives by leaving them where he did.
In an attempt to understand this, let’s ask a few questions. Can border crossing issues be improved upon? I suppose most agree the answer would be yes. Are there ways to improve the immigration policies? Again, most would certainly agree on that as well.
But the bigger question to ask is if there is a way to improve the human heart that wants to prey upon others with little disregard? What does one do when there are people living here legally who choose to treat others inhumanely for self gain? I have a few thoughts of my own as to what’s I’d do…and I’m sure you do too.
Those thoughts are exactly why He is God and I am not. I’ve always said without reservation that the world is lucky I am not God because I am not nearly as grace-filled, nor merciful as He.
Thus, in my weakness, I have occasion to boast. I will boast of 2 Cor. 12:9-10. “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
As I recount the story I pray. I pray for the hardened hearts that put money before the dignity of man. I pray for the family across the ocean who lost their son, daughter and grandkids because of man’s greed. And last but not least, I ponder and wonder at the same time. I wonder when man will start to protect man instead of looking at them as victims to fill their own need and greed.
The root problems are not policies. Those can be changed. Those can be improved. The problem lies within the human heart. Even policies are used as dice, tossing them like weapons as a means of manipulation. Heaven forbid we solve a few of our problems. If we do, we might not have a platform from which to deflect blame onto others…creating more chaos which simply veils the real issues. Accountability might mean actually confessing our sins and admitting we all have a part to play in the deaths of this family.
And I pray, Lord, have mercy. Amen.
