What Can We Do?
I have been watching the situation at our southern border over the last few months with absolute horror. I want to run down there and take all of those children held in "prisons" and put them back with their parents where they belong! Instead, I'm up here in rural Wisconsin feeling incredibly useless.
But, we live in a democracy and we aren't useless. Our government is for the people and by the people. We do have a say in what happens, even if the wheels of change move slowly.
Our first course of action is always to call our elected representatives. You can call the White House at 202 456-1111 or go to www.whitehouse.gov and make your voice be heard there. Granted, I'm not sure that the Trump administration is going to do much based on phone calls and emails, but it can't hurt.
Where we can really make a difference is calling our representatives and senators. Just do a quick Google search and you can find out how to reach them. You can call either their local office or their Washington office. In either case, the information is tallied and gets to the representative or senator. They are the ones who make decisions about budget and can hold hearings about the situation at the border. They can pressure the administration about their care of these children. We should probably be calling (best option) or emailing them every day to let them know how serious we are.
The Trump administration has argued in court that they shouldn't have to provide toothbrushes or soap to their detainees, which is appalling! Apparently, private citizens are not allowed to send such supplies to these centers, either. So, no sending care packages for the kids.
But, we can donate money to legal aid societies that are trying to get these kids out of these detention centers in a timely fashion (they are only supposed to be there for three days!) and reunited with family (almost all of them have family in the United States). Here are a few links that can get you started:
Most of all, though, we can pray. God calls us to "act justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God." As we go through our days, we can remember those who are suffering needlessly and pray that our merciful God will see them and release them back to their families. We must also pray for our government representatives, especially those who have enacted such unjust policies. We need to pray that God will change their hearts.
So, this week, remember that we are not weak or helpless. Even if all we can do is a little bit, that's OK. A small pebble can start an avalanche. A blizzard is made up of snowflakes (as my child likes to tell me!). Let's get after it!!
Catherine