January 26, 2006

Room in the inn?

Mary wrapped Jesus in cloths and placed him In a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7

Several years ago on the second Sunday of Advent, seven men arrived to worship with us at the Iglesia Presbiteriana Lirio de los Valles for the first time. They were disheveled and had gone days without a shower. One was on crutches, one had multiple stab wounds, another’s eye had been put out. Gathered in the back corner of the sanctuary, they were a tired, poor, huddled mass. They had come from various states in the south of Mexico and had attempted to cross into the United States—obviously without success.

As we continue to pour millions and millions of dollars into building up bigger fences, it seems as if we have replaced the Statue of Liberty’s burning torch of hope and welcome with a “No room in the inn” sign.

The seven men came home with me and some members of the Lily of the Valley Church. As we shared food and fellowship together, I asked myself: “Why are we so afraid of these brothers? Why do we spend so much money trying to protect ourselves from them?”

Often I feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the “border crisis,” yet I give thanks that God has called us to this place to struggle with the principalities and powers, and I’m grateful for the chance to witness to our Lord Jesus Christ, who has broken down the dividing wall of hostility.

I am continually learning from and humbled by the ways in which our sisters and brothers live out there faith. The Lily of the Valley Presbyterian Church of Agua Prieta and its members provide spiritual and physical nourishment for hundreds of migrants from both sides of the border—some seeking survival, some seeking a “mission experience.”

The Maldonados, a family of economic refugees from Chiapas, live in a “small” house twenty by forty feet. When I first arrived in Agua Prieta nine people lived there—their immediate family, two friends, and a cousin. By Christmas, 21 people lived in the Maldonado home.

During a Bible study, Pastor Rodolfo Navarrette went to each person and asked them what they had materially that could be used to serve God and their fellow humans. When he asked Hermano Pedro, Hermano Pedro began by saying that he was a humble and poor man but that God had blessed him.

When Pedro and his wife began to think of building a house, they first thought they would build a “casita” (a little house), but then they decided that they would put more work into it, spend a little more time, money, and effort and build a big house so that they would have room for family and friends from Chiapas and whoever needed a place to stay.

It was the first time I had realized that they had built a big house. Although they have few financial resources, they wanted to try to make sure that there is “room in their inn.”

The thought that came to my mind and continues to challenge me is: “Some folks can build ‘small’ houses, yet have such large homes; while other folks, can build such large houses, yet have such ‘small’ homes.”

May God grant us large homes filled with love and hospitality throughout this year!

Mark Adams

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 66