Fires, Homelessness, Immigration - Challenges We Are Called to Meet

 Friends, 

 

A lot of things are happening all at once, demonstrating how much we need one another as a community that walks intentionally toward justice, earth care, and compassion. 

 

First, for anyone who has family or friends who have been displaced by the recent fires and are staying in Newport Beach: Newport Beach staff and community groups are hosting an informal gathering on Saturday, January 25 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the OASIS Center (801 Narcissus Ave.) to provide information and answer questions over coffee and snacks. 

 

Second, every year United to End Homelessness gives an update on the state of homelessness in Orange County. The next presentation will be online on Wednesday, January 29, from noon – 1:00pm. You can register for the event here.

 

The topics of those displaced by the fires and the ongoing challenge of homelessness overlap. I met with some Newport Beach city councilors this week, who anticipate that the need for housing will rise at every level of home values and, as a result, the housing market will be squeezed. As is often the case, those who can least afford housing will probably be most affected long-term. So, while there is immediate work to be done – temporary housing, clothing, etc. - the long-term work will endure, and we will be looking for meaningful and effective ways to respond. 

 

For those who want to make a monetary donation, we should be aware that scammers are shamelessly notorious for exploiting moments like this. So, our challenge is to find donation sites that we know are trustworthy and whose work is most helpful. One site, of course, is the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, to which you can donate by clicking here. Another site – which I have not personally vetted but was recommended by the L.A. Times – is directed specifically toward domestic workers, over half of whom are women of color. You can donate to the National Domestic Workers Alliance here.

 

Another looming challenge for the church has to do with immigration. The incoming presidential administration has promised to ramp up efforts to deport as many non-documented immigrants as possible. However we are inclined politically and however we might feel about the legal processes surrounding immigration, the biblical call to ensure justice to the aliens/foreigners among us is consistent and clear. In our context, we ought to be thinking about domestic workers, caregivers, landscapers, farm workers, food service providers, and day laborers, whom many of us employ and rely on. Likewise, we ought to be thinking about students, from Glenn Martin Elementary to UCI and our local Community Colleges, many of whom may suddenly lose their family and support systems. 

 

I attended a workshop this week by the U.S. Immigration Law Group, to see what kind of resources we ought to gather and distribute to those who need them. I heard lots of good ideas and am gathering some resources that we can make available. I will try to keep you posted as we gather them, so you can take advantage of them as well. Please stay tuned. 

 

As I said, there’s a lot going on right now and the church is ever called to be a place of practicing justice, earth care, and compassion. Your pledges and contributions to the church continue to enable us to support our networking partners, educate, and amplify the good work that is being done, while trusting in God to empower us. 

 

Thank you for being the church,

Mark of St. Mark