Fr. Goni of PNG
Only this week I was able to come into real understanding about migration as the term is defined by the dictionary. Immigration prior to this module was an abstract concept for me. Yes, there are many names, approaches, and views on migration. What follows is my personal reflection and feeling on the subject.
God was and is and will be. He has given everyone a place to stay and also enough food to eat and land to cultivate and go on living the way he has originally intended men and women to be.
Unfortunately greed has over taken a certain few so wealth and resources were not shared equally; consequently, some people are left out in the process.
This means that, those who can not afford suffer very much. This includes men, women and children as people begin to cross borders to seek better living. In the process a good number encounter many problems, like rape, murder, starvation and sickness.
I looked from a window thinking that I am not a refugee, maybe because I am not suffering as much like they do. I am living a better kind of life at this time, but the future remains unknown to me (known to the unknown).
I must admit that, I am a refugee too since I am moving from my place of my mission in the parish as the people rightly call me “wamumu” – “foreigner” … …..
PRAYER
THEY SAY THAT I AM
Dear God:
… They tell me that you are always and will be ever good…
… yet only yesterday, word come around and little did I know that the other is the migrant…
… I pondered and pondered … suddenly, little did I know that I am an immigrant too…
… No …! No! … No! … ! I protested as tears of wonderment and brokenness rolled down my cheeks that refused to step … I am an immigrant.
… I lamented that this should not be … but that fact remains (always the fact!) … I am an immigrant from the known to the unknown…
… The coldness of displacement and the pain of hunger never wants to depart from me, yet no one dares to share with me what they have … it seems that nobody cares or understands …
… I am an immigrant … as darkness embraces me for her own…
… Yet deep down I lament that night must depart and light must come soon and soon… and it happens only slowly and gently that I embrace the coat of hope trusting that light will come down on me soon but soon is always soon…
Yes, I am truly an immigrant on a journey from the known to the unknown,, a journey that is never ending…We pray to the Lord… Shalom!
0 responses so far ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.