In this story which Jesus told to the crowd what precipitated the telling was the question an expert in the law asked Jesus “what must I do to inherit eternal life.”

This story, which Jesus told the crowd shattered the Jewish lawyers perception of class and division. Love knows no national boundaries. We are called to love…period.

The history of humankind is not one story but many stories, the collected events of many individuals who have walked this earth. Someone has once said that what joins Americans (persons living in the United States) is not a common ancestry, language, or race but a collection of dreams and desires for a better future. Often enough these dreams of various groups or persons clash and become not only scars but ongoing open wounds in our collective national USA history. Rudyard Kipling once wrote: 

                                               All good people agree, And all good people say,
                                               All nice people, like Us, are We, And everyone else is They:
                                               But if you cross over the sea, Instead of over the way,
                                               You may end by looking on We As only a sort of They! 

This has been the story of civilization since the beginning of recorded history. The struggle to see others as “They” who are not like “Us.” This is the story of the foreigner going back to biblical times and before.

One new group to our USA shores are the Afghan refugees…95,000 who are living at various locations throughout the United States. The goal is to resettle these men, women, and children by September of 2022. Most Americans, we assume, support resettling Afghans. Yet the ugly head of fear and prejudice has already been heard by some in our country. Words like: “They don’t belong here!” If that is true who does belong here?

Samaritas, formerly Lutheran Social Services of Michigan, is a non-profit, human services organization that serves the entire Lower Peninsula of Michigan with more than 70 programs sites. It is the largest faith-based non-profit human service organization in Michigan, and provides help for all people in need regardless of religious affiliation, age, sexual orientation or national origin. Samaritas is one of the largest providers of refugee services in Michigan and the fourth largest in the United States. Refugees submit to and pass vigorous vetting and testing prior to being granted access to the USA as refugees.  

Samaritas will be welcoming many of the Afghan refugees and helping them in numerous ways to find new homes and establish themselves in the United States. Based on the history of Samaritas of working with refugees through the decades, more than 8 out of every 10 refugees have achieved self-sufficiency within their initial six months in the Samaritas programs.

 Below is the website information to find out more about Samaritas and how it is fulfilling the call of God. “Who is my Neighbor?”

Every human being has been made in the image of God. Do we really believe that? Every human being has basic human rights and deserves to fulfill their dreams. All humans, all species, all life has a right to thrive and evolve. We are one earth community. Do we believe that and live that?

The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Leviticus 19:33-34).

www.samaritas.org