2008 U.S.A. Mission Experience

Beyond Borders

Commitment Statement

God’s will is that we, as the church and in our communities, live not as “strangers and aliens,” but recall that “the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:17–18). Scripture further commands us, saying, “You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deut. 10:19). God’s Word also says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

According to the Westminster Confession of Faith, “God alone is Lord of the conscience, and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men that are in anything contrary to God’s Word  ....” (6.109, alt.)

Embracing these concepts from our biblical and confessional heritage, we stand together in saying that current governmental practices will not dictate our gospel. We stand together with our sisters and brothers who are suffering because of violence, poverty, racism, exploitation and global economic policies related to immigration. We stand together with those who live these realities every day and are working for change.

As Presbyterian women who have participated in Beyond Borders, the 2008 Presbyterian Women U.S.A. Mission Experience,

• we will continue to heed the voices of our sisters and respond with compassion by
  
  
• listening to them and learning the truth about the root causes of immigration;
• remembering that we all are created in the image of God and that we act out of love for people, not love for politics or power; and
• recognizing that while borders are created by humanity, God created the world without boundary lines and in its entirety — this is how we will envision the world as well;

• we will continue to work for the end of all forms of violence by
  
  
• joining our sisters in crying out, “¡Ni una más! Not one more!” Not one more murder, not one more disappearance of our mothers, sisters, friends and daughters on the border, in Ciudad Juarez or anywhere in the world — we will join their call for justice;
• creating awareness in our communities about the devastating economic consequences of NAFTA and CAFTA*; and
• eliminating the fear-mongering and hate-speech that emerges when we allow ourselves to believe that people from other cultures are fundamentally different from us;

• we will advocate for the rights of women and children by
  
  
• committing ourselves to educating others about the devastating effects of immigration on family stability and unity;
• affirming and sharing the good work already being done by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) regarding its immigration policy; and
• calling on our governmental representatives and leaders in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to address the frightening and unjust circumstances in which many immigrant women and children live;

• we will support our domestic partners by
  
  
• finding the “Mission Experience” within our own communities — joining together with those in our local communities who are working with immigrants and helping to address their concerns; and
• creating a Mission Experience Network to support and encourage one another in our teaching and advocacy work;

• and we will allow ourselves to be transformed through partnership experience by
  
  
• acknowledging our own responsibility for the current situation and working to change our consumerist lifestyles and participation in racist attitudes; and
• receiving and affirming the gifts of the immigrant community.

In doing all this, we reaffirm that we are forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, committed to work for justice and peace and to build an inclusive, caring community of women that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and witnesses to the promise of God’s kingdom.

* North American Free Trade Agreement and Central American Free Trade Agreement