“I am telling you they are coming for you
And not just you
But your child
It is eminent
If you stay your family will not survive.”
“But this is all I know.
This is all I have
How will we live
Where will we go
How will we get there
We are poor
Shall I go on foot
With my wife
With my small child
Travel through dust and heat
Through dangers and perils
I’d prefer we stay
This is my home
My language
My food
My faith
My family
My home
This land is my home.”
“But if you stay you will not survive
YOU MUST GO!”
“And so we travel
We carry only what we can put on our backs
We move along
Suddenly becoming refugees
We are seen by most as less than human
We baptize our steps through our tears
Each footprint is a story of desperation
Day after agonizing day
Night after harrowing night
We move towards hope
We are forced to beg
We accept sleeping on the cold ground
Using outhouses or worse
Rationing all we have
Though we have heard stories of hope ahead
Finally we see the border
BUT it is closed
We pray for mercy
We plead for our lives”
But we are told
“This land is closed to you
We do not care
Your lives mean nothing
Joseph, Mary, Jesus
Return to Bethlehem”
Thank God Matthew’s gospel didn’t end like this.
Alas this is the story’s end for far too many.
Let those with ears hear and those with hearts offer compassion.
Clay Gunter
6/18/18