Embracing people and Re-building homes: a Mission Agenda

Introduction

Migration and Human Trafficking have been grave issues rattling the human community in recent times. Migration is, simply put, movement from one place to another. It can be assisted or independent movement. It can be international or within a country. It can be by land, sea or air. It is everything from tourism to moving somewhere for work. “Expats” are also migrants. It can be motivated by a dream of a better life, and it can be something someone is made to do against his or her will. Migration can be for survival and for pleasure. It can be easy or very difficult. A migrant’s aims might be met, or s/he may face hurdles and unexpected outcomes. Migrants can be old or young, any gender, any race, any nationality. Migration is very much determined by economic and trade as well as by political relations. Globalization fosters conditions that push people to migrate in search of work opportunities. However, new security discourses have made that movement more dangerous and complex, particularly following increased counter-terrorism efforts.[1]

Human Trafficking:

A Definition of Human Trafficking:

“Trafficking basically means ‘trade’ especially illegal. It is also described as ‘the transportation of goods, the coming and going of the people or goods by road, rail, air, sea, etc. Trafficking in Persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or of receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another persons, for the purpose of exploitation.”[2]

Human Trafficking is prominent basically for three reasons namely, Sex Trafficking: using force, fraud, coercion, women and children are made to indulge in commercial sex and can be seen in brothels, dance bars, massage parlors, pornography etc, are moved from their respective places to another place for financial and political gains. Labor Trafficking: replacing people and children by use of force, fraud, coercion, a person is made to provide involuntary labor service or is paid less than what is due. Organ Trade: is another important issue shaking the Third World countries. Organ trade is one of the fast spreading illegal trades and it mainly targets Children, women, and others of the vulnerable sections of the society, since they are healthier.

Human Trafficking is a criminal activity against the State and against the Victim. It is against the state as it causes corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and forgery of documents. It is also against the victims as it leads to illegal detention; bonded labor; kidnapping; murder; injury; sexual assault; rape; torture; cruelty; forced abortion; forced marriage; sale of organs, etc.[3]

The 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report, released by the US Secretary State, Hillary Clinton said: “India is a source; destination and transit country for men, women and Children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation.”[4] The 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report observed that in recent years, there has been an increase of sex trafficking to sub cities and India is a destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. According to International Labor Organizations (ILO), Human trafficking in India is estimated around 12.3 million mainly for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation.[5]

Factors responsible for Trafficking:

a. Poverty & Economic Hardship; b. Increased wealth gap; c. Un-ending demand for prostitution; d. Free market but no effective laws to tackle trafficking; e. Growth of criminal networks; f. Technology especially Internet and satellite channels; g. Difficulty in prosecuting due to the silence of victims[6]

Magnitude of the Problem in India:

In India, a large number of Children are trafficked not only for the sex ‘trade’ but also for other forms of non-sex based exploitation that includes servitude of various kinds, as domestic labour industrial labour, agricultural labour, begging, organ trade and false marriage. Trafficking in children is on rise, and nearly 60% of the victims of trafficking are below 18 years of age (NCRB, 2005). According to NHRC report on Trafficking of Women and Children, in sex work, in India, the population of women and children engaged in sex work is stated to be between 70,000 and 1 million, of these, 30% are 20 years of age. Nearly 15% began sex work when they were below 15 and 25%, between 15 and 18 years. A rough estimate prepared by an NGO called End Children’s Prostitution in Asian Tourism reveals that there are around 2 million prostitutes in India (20% among them are minors).[7]

Migration:

Definition of Migration: 

Migration can be defined as "the movement of people from one place to another in search of better opportunities, better living and improved facilities. This process usually happens with people moving from the rural to the urban setting paving way for urbanization."[8] Migration could also be a result of natural calamity or any political, social or economical disaster.

There are two main types of migration: Internal migration, i.e. migration within one country and secondly International migration, which means the movement from one country to another. A good example of internal migration is the movement from East Germany to West Germany. A good example of international migration is the movement from third-world countries to Europe or America.

Reasons for migration can be divided into two main aspects. They are, ‘Push’ and ‘Pull’ factors.

‘Push’ factors are those in their own place, which force people to move away. For example, there may be civil wars or wars in general in the country, but political or religious oppression, climate changes, lack of jobs or simply poverty are all important push factors.

‘Pull’ factors are factors in the target country which encourage people to move. These include peace and safety, a chance of a better job, better education, social security, a better standard of living in general as well as political and religious freedom.

Movement for Migration:

The movement towards a destination may be either internal or external migration. In the case of movement across borders, the need for various documents, immigration and border checks influences the nature of the trafficking process. Greater resources and planning are needed for trafficking to be successful and so there is a great likelihood that organized crime networks across borders, smugglers and forgers are involved. Traffickers may use legal or illegal means of entry and exit.[9] Migration has been part of human history since its origin. The Biblical tradition is steeped in images of migration, from the migration of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.[10]

Causes for Migration:

1. Conflict-Induced Displacement:[11]

People are forced to flee their homes for one or more of the following reasons and where the state authorities are unable or unwilling to protect them there is armed conflict including 1.civil war; 2.generalized violence; and 3.persecution on the grounds of nationality, race, religion, political opinion or social groups.

A large proportion of these displaced people will flee across international borders in search of refuge. Some of them may seek asylum under international law, whereas others may prefer to remain anonymous, perhaps fearing that they may not be granted asylum and will be returned to the country from whence they fled. Many of the recent conflicts all over the world have been internal conflicts based on national, ethnic or religious separatist struggles. There has been a large increase in the number of refugees during this period as displacement has increasingly become a strategic tactic often used by both sides in the conflicts. In recent years, there has also been a dramatic increase in the number of internally displaced person (IDPs), who currently far outnumber the world’s refugee population.

2. Development-Induced Displacement:[12]

These are people who are compelled to move as a result of policies and projects implemented to supposedly enhance ‘development’. Examples of this include large-scale infrastructure projects such as dams, roads, ports, airports; urban clearance initiatives; mining and deforestation; and the introduction of conservation parks/reserves and biosphere projects. Affected people usually remain within the borders of their home country. Although some are resettled, evidence clearly shows that very few of them are adequately compensated. This tends to be the responsibility of host governments, and interventions from outside are often deemed inappropriate.

3. Disaster-Induced Displacement:[13]

This category includes people displaced as a result of natural disasters (floods, volcanoes, landslides, land degradation, global warming) and human made disasters (industrial accidents, radioactivity). Clearly there is a good deal of overlap between these different types of disaster-induced displacement. For example, the impact of floods and landslides can be greatly exacerbated by deforestation and agricultural activities.

Types of Migrants:[14]

Refugees: The term ‘refugee’ has a long history of usage to describe ‘a person who sought refuge’ in broad and non-specific terms. However, there is also a legal definition of a refugee, which is enshrined in the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

Article 1 of the convention defines a refugee as a person residing outside his or her country of nationality, who is unable or unwilling to return because of a well founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a political social group, or political opinion’. Some 150 of the world’s 200 or so states have undertaken to protect refugees and not return them to a country where they may be persecuted, by signing the 1951 Refugee Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol.

Asylum Seekers: Asylum seekers are people who have moved across an international border in search of protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention, but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined.

Internally Displaced Persons: The most widely used definition of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is the one presented in a 1992 report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which identifies them as ‘persons who have been forced to flee their homes suddenly or unexpectedly in large numbers as a result of armed conflict, internal strife, systematic violations of human rights or natural or man-made disasters, and who are within the territory of their own country’. Sometimes referred to as ‘internal refugees’, these people are in similar need of protection and assistance as refugees but, do not have the same legal institutional support as those who have managed to cross an international order. There is no specifically mandated body to provide assistance to IDPs, as there is with refugees.

 

Migrants-A Growing Concern:

There are a lot of Syrian migrants dying every day in different parts of Europe and a whole Tamil race who went as migrants from India to Srilanka were destroyed ruthlessly. All over the world migrants suffer humiliation, abuse and even face death due to the mentality of the native people and their retaliation towards these vulnerable minorities. “The long standing, rapidly growing reality of global migration presents another opportunity to ground theological analysis in a specific social location that emerges from the “joys and hopes, grieves and anxieties” of many marginalized people today.

The various councils and Episcopal conference have notable writings about the Pastoral Care of the Migrants. Pope Francis has spoken out frequently in defense of migrants worldwide since taking over as head of the Roman Catholic Church nearly three years ago. On Francis’ first trip outside Rome, the pope visited the Italian island of Lampedusa, where migrants from Africa trying to reach the European Union, frequently drown in rickety boats. “He has deep interest in the plight of migrants”, His visit to Lampedusa is a very palpable way of showing his solidarity with immigrants. In September 2013, in honor of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis called for “a change of attitude towards” immigrants away from “attitudes of defensiveness and fear”, urging greater acceptance.[15]

This has to be dealt with proper care and awareness has to be given both to the migrants and the host countries. Since migration cannot be stopped and the issue of migration has been prevalent from age old days, the society can be educated to handle such crisis situation. A helping hand by the Church can make things get smoother and even solve many issues. Thus the issue of migration is closely knitted with the issue of human trafficking.

Relationship between Trafficking and Migration:

Trafficking uses the process of migration. This usage occurs at the structural (conceptual) level as well as at the process (operational / action) level of the two phenomena. At the structural level, the migration phenomenon involves a shift in the physical space from a place of origin to a place of destination and its multiple associative aspects provide the basis and the context for trafficking. It is this population movement, moving for different duration that provides the backdrop for trafficking. The circumstances and situations that influence migration are usually examined in terms of push and pull factors.

Embracing people and Re-building homes: A Mission Agenda

‘Embracing and Re-building’ are important aspects in Christian mission. This has also been the core value of the Holy Bible. The struggle of the people is where the quest for God begins. The visibility of people on the streets begging to every vehicle that passes, is a sign the Church has ignored or less addressed the issue of migration and human trafficking. The homeless on the streets, for example, are the ones through whom one can see God as based on Matt 25:35-36.[16] How has the church responded to the issue of homelessness in India? Yes, the church has projects for the poor, orphans, persons with disability, girl children etc. However, the increasing number of persons on the roads lying at night and in search of shelter has shown that the Church is doing either nothing or very less in this regard. What about those trafficked and abused in various manners and left to beg on the streets? If Jesus was that man who was hungry, thirsty and naked lying on the road, then is it not the responsibility of the church to move out of its comfort zone and reach out to that person outside the Church's gate? On the other hand, Should the church respond to this issue only because of Jesus’ portrayal as a homeless?

It is an imperative of the church to respond to the crises of the world with diligence and precision. The world has seen humongous number of people migrating, and deaths caused by and for various reasons. Will the Church in India open its door and ‘get dirty’ as in the words of Pope Francis, who called the church to become dirty and embrace people and give them shelter to re-build homes? Jesus poses this as a challenge to the notion of how to serve God. The mission to the migrants and the survivors should be the mission agenda. This mission agenda will enrich the church’s mission to the margins into a mission from the margins that the church often speaks. A church as taught is not merely the physical structure or the institution, but we ourselves. It is in our renewal of minds and constant participation in the struggles of the people that we will understand what and how God wills us to be agents of mission in the world today. Therefore, let us join hands as one church to reach out to the migrants and the victors of human trafficking and embrace them and help each other in re-building this beautiful home we call ‘earth’.

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[1] Beyond Borders: Exploring Links between Trafficking, Globalisation, and Security. GAATW Working Paper Series. Bangkok: GAATW. 2010

[2] Bir Pal Singh & Gargi Rajvanshi, “Trafficking in Human Beings: A Critical Analysis” in Trafficking of Women and Children in India, edited by Awashesh Kumar Singh, Atul Pratap Singh and Parvez Ahmed Khan (New Delhi: Serials Publications, 2012), 170. 

[3] Singh & Rajvanshi, Trafficking of Women…, 171. 

[4] Singh & Rajvanshi, Trafficking of Women…, 173. 

[5] Singh & Rajvanshi, Trafficking of Women…, 173. 

[6] Singh & Rajvanshi, Trafficking of Women…, 174. 

[7] Singh & Rajvanshi, Trafficking of Women…, 175. 

[8] D.P. Singh, "Poverty and migration-Does moving help?" In india Urban peverty report 2009(New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 20019), 50-51 

[9] Goenka, Immoral Trafficking of…, 9. 

[10] Prema Vakayil, “Migration: The Marginalized Context of Jesus’ Birth” in Borders and Margins: Re-visioning Ministry and Mission, edited by Dexter S. Maben ( Bangalore: United Theological College, 2015), 350. 

[11] Vakayil, “Migration: The Marginalized…, 354. 

[12] Vakayil, “Migration: The Marginalized…, 355. 

[13] Vakayil, “Migration: The Marginalized…, 356. 

[14] Vakayil, “Migration: The Marginalized…, 356 – 358. 

[15] Vakayil, “Migration: The Marginalized…, 359. 

[16] 35. "For I was hungry, you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36. I was naked and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me."

Journeying together: Prophetic witness to the truth and light in India: A Disability Perspective

Introduction:

I was introduced to the term disability, during my childhood days, as my mother started her career as a teacher in Arpana.[1] Life since then had a very naive notion about disability. This soon turned into a cliché. Disability, I then, assumed to be a charitable approach for social workers and a program for the church during Christmas and other outreach ministries. This notion seeped in to settle for a long time since then. As I grew and committed to ministry, I started to question myself. Is disability just a mode of charity? Does it have to remain just as a program of church? Or could there be much more than the church can do in regard to the persons with disabilities (PWD's)? These questions kept me struggling. Working with IDEA to a major extent helped me in my quest for answers. Hence, I carry it through this conversation as well.

An ‘abled’ person, I am, in the stereotypical conditions that the society has constructed around, makes me less qualified to elucidate a perspective of the ‘disabled’. Therefore basing my view on the words of Nancy Eiesland, who puts it this way: "disability is a) a punishment; b) a punishment; c) a test of faith; c) the sins of fathers (sic) visited upon the children; d) an act of God; or e) all of the above. If these were the only choices, I would have to agree that religion has no relevant answers."[2] On the other hand disability is, in Merriam Webster, defined as "a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition that impairs, interferes with, or limits a person's ability to engage in certain tasks or actions or participate in typical daily activities and interactions."[3] These are the two contrasting views that come from two different groups of people, where the former defines disability experientially whereas the latter defines it with an 'abled' perception of the PWD. Even though both seem equally poised in rendering meaning about practical living, the experience of the person with a disability cannot be undermined. The world is evolving and is surely not static in nature. Thus the meaning that is rendered should evolve as well. In a regular understanding of disability, everyone can be considered as a person with a disability. But is this the reality? Do we see all as persons with disability? Surely not; we have claimed a right over being called 'able' and differentiated ourselves from the persons with disabilities. This is the reason; disability concerns have been invisible for a long time now.

This is certainly because of our cultural upbringing. Where the persons with disability are looked at as a 'hindrance', 'curse from God', 'insignificant', 'bad-luck' etc.; this made the PWD's a vulnerable group often burdened with stigmatization, isolation, abuses and so on, making them feel their lives are less important from others. The persons with a disability find themselves part of a small group of people, mostly, isolated from the rest. Hence the attitude of the society and the church is this regard needs notice. This group of people is either looked at as channels of charity or taken for granted, and their existence is made subtly invisible.

Socially, the persons with disabilities are confined to charitable organizations, to be taken care. They are kept away from the so-called ‘abled’ people so that they do not spread their disability, bad luck, or disease to others. Thus, becoming a program for civil organizations, corporate companies, and religious institutions to reach out to the PWD’s, for their missional endeavors in a portrayal of ‘doing’ charity.

The charitable mission, however, was primarily an outcome of the Christian missionaries who took this radical step to reach out to the persons with disabilities who were isolated due to stigmatization. The radical step, in the dues course, continued to stay for a long time until now, where it has made the persons with disability as mere objects for programs of the charity. In 2004-2005 it was estimated that more than 300 million people live in poverty in India and the World Bank report estimates that people with disabilities make up 20% of the poorest.[4] This alarming number questions the Christian community[5] with two major questions. How does society look at persons with disability? How does the Church respond to the issues of persons with disability? These two pertinent questions linger in this conversation on disability.

The church has been charitable towards PWD’s and initiated many homes and hostel to accommodate PWD’s with health and personal care. But this act of the church has made the church become even more insensitive towards persons with disabilities. This insensitivity has become more visible in worship practices and church services. In being insensitive, the church sends across a harsh message that the persons with disability are not allowed to worship along with the so-called 'abled' people in the same space.

This insensitivity is because of the interpretational practice that the church has followed ever since with regard to persons with disabilities. It is when the church understands the way in which a PWD would theologize God and interpret the Scripture, that the church will become more sensitive towards persons with disabilities, toward becoming more inclusive.

A Disabled God: Through the eyes of a PWD

While developing her theology of disability, Nancy Eiesland was waiting for a mighty vision of God, like that of Elijah at the Seder meal. What she got was much different than expected. Instead, she …" saw God in a sip-puff wheelchair, that is, the chair used mostly by quadriplegics enabling them to maneuver by blowing and sucking on a straw-like device. Not an omnipotent, self-sufficient God, but neither a pitiable, suffering servant. In this moment, I beheld God as a survivor, unpitying and forthright. I recognized the incarnate Christ in the image of those judged ‘not feasible,’ ‘unemployable,’ with ‘questionable quality of life.’ Here was God for me.”[6]

Eiesland in her articulation of the disabled God begins with 2 fundamental insights

1. All human beings are embodied

a. Our embodiment is a fundamental part of how we relate to our world.

2. Religious symbols point individuals beyond their ordinary lives. Religious symbols not only prescribe or reproduce social status, but they also transform it.

a. Symbols establish and maintain beliefs

b. Symbols legitimate social and political structures (both oppressive and empowering)

Thus in line with her understanding, a liberatory theology of disability must incorporate political action and re-symbolization.

a. Political action involves “Acting out” and “Holding our bodies together.”

a. Acting out: Refusing to comply with the acceptable role(s) for people with disabilities (in both church and public life)

b. Holding (PWD) bodies together: The work of solidarity with our own bodies, other people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups (in both church and public life)

B. Re-symbolization entails the deconstruction of dominant symbolic meanings, reconstitution of those symbols and making it Liberatory for the marginalized group and unsettling for the dominant group.

Mission by… with… PWD’s: Journeying Together

The traditional understanding of mission is identified by preaching the gospel to the so-called ‘unreached’, ‘unheard’ and ‘heathens’ whereas, mission should start from the margins by identifying with the PWD’s who are socially, religiously, economically and politically neglected, excluded and discriminated communities who are pushed to the margins? The bottom-line of the mission should be seen as prophetical. Since the gospel of Christ directly confronted the social injustices and identifies with the socially, religiously, neglected, excluded and discriminated communities that are pushed to the fringes of society.

Therefore a mission to the PWD's will never be a solution to the missional issues involved. However, a mission ‘with’ the PWD's must become a mission ‘by’ the PWD’s to make the world know their issues and their reflection of God, as a model that would challenge the existing mission models. For such a time as this, Mission movements should take a valiant stand to employ both, the ‘Great Commission’ and the ‘Great Commandment’ in regard to the communities in the society that are in the struggle. The Christian mission movement in India is called to be Prophetic in its service and public witness, journeying together in solidarity with those who are marginalized, the PWD’s in this conversation, and to be fearless in its stand to overcome the evils that haunt.

Inclusive Ecclesia: Prophetic Witness to the truth and light

Burton Cooper says "I propose that we imagine God as disabled. I need to say at once that I am not a disabled person or the parent of a disabled person or one who works to any great extent with disabled persons. But I have learned some things from listening to Christians with disabilities, and I am persuaded that by thinking of God as disabled—metaphorically, of course—we can deepen our understanding of the nature of God's creative and redemptive love.[7]

1. Ecclesia should engage itself in the Liberatory theology of the PWD’s by:

-         Acknowledging that people with disabilities constitute a discriminated minority group.

-         Incorporating people with disabilities at the center of developing theology.

-     Challenging the social institutions and attitudes rather than stigmatizing the non-conventional bodies of people with disabilities.

-      Critically engaging the fundamental theologies of the Christian tradition in light of people disabilities, and moving forward to reconstruct these concepts in a life-giving way.

2. Ecclesia should be Disable friendly by:

-         Developing a non-judgmental, stigma-free attitude toward PWD

-         Reconstructing the understanding of PWD, GOD, Church, and all aspects of ministries             in the light of the reflection of God through the life and experience of the PWD’s [8]

-      Amending governing policies incorporating representative of the persons with disability.

-         Re-instating the leadership quality within the persons with disability.

-         Encouraging persons with disability to pursue theological education.

-         Making the church disable friendly in terms of mobility of the persons with disability.

-         Introducing worship resources in brails and sign interpreters.

“Jesus Christ the disabled God is not a romanticized notion of ‘over-comer’ God. Instead here is God as Survivor. Here language fails because the term ‘survivor’ in our society is contaminated with notions of victimization, radical individualism, and alienation, as well as with an ethos of virtuous suffering. In contradistinction to that cultural icon, the image of survivor here evoked is that of a simple, un-self-pitying, honest body, for whom the limits of power are palpable, but not tragic. The disabled God embodies the ability to see clearly the complexity and the ‘mixed blessing’ of life and bodies, without living in despair. This revelation is of a God for us who celebrates joy and experiences pain not separately in time or space, but simultaneously [with us].”[9]

The above-mentioned quote pushed me into discomfort and stirred the urge within me to look at God differently. The Interfaith Roundtable on ‘disability’ held in Nagpur at the beginning of August, pierced me through. The statement made by a PWD delegate “I am crippled, but you have no right to call me so, God made me this way, therefore, ‘I am’”. As I read through the lives of PWD's the meaning of disability and their perception about God. It completely shattered my existing faith drove me to re-construct my faith in their faith expression. This re-construction of my notions on disability, called me to commit to espouse 'for' and 'with' persons with disabilities for their rightful space in Church and in Society. It is in this manner I would partner with the persons with a disability to engage with the society and the church in a journey towards an inclusive society and church by bearing prophetic witness to the truth and the light not only in India but beyond.

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[1] A school for the mentally and physically challenged in Bangalore (CSI-KCD)

[2] Nancy Eiesland, “Encountering the Disabled God,” PMLA, 120/2 (March, 2005), 584-586. Published by: Modern Language Association, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25486188

[3] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disability

[4] Elwan A. Poverty and Disability: a Survey of the Literature, Social Protection Unit, Human Development Network. 1999. 

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/280658-1172608138489/PovertyDisabElwan.pdf

[5] I say “Christian community” because Christianity has been a pioneer in charitable endeavors which the society had noticed and borrowed. In this regard too, Christianity is expected to lead the way to mainstream disability concerns.

[6] Nancy L. Eiesland, The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability, (Michigan: Abingdon Press, 1994), 89.

[7] Burton Cooper, “Disabled God,” Theology Today, 49/2, (July 1, 1992)173-182. 

[8] Anshi Zachariah, “Churches’ Response to Disability: Is the Church Adequately Addressing the Issue?” Sprouts of Disability Theology, edited by Christopher Rajkumar, (Nagpur: NCCI, 2012), 99.

[9] Nancy L. Eiesland, The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability, 102-103

Revelation of Jesus in the “homeless”: A Call to ‘do’ Mission

Introduction

The issue of people migrating and the problem of refugees is an important matter of investigation in the present times. However, the fact that migration is not a new phenomenon cannot be denied. Migration has been in existence since the day humans came into being, even among the fauna too. The primitive humans too felt the sense of belonging like the way it is today. Nevertheless, in a few theories we can see that they were more welcoming than what is seen in our societies today. The way in which nations handle this issue of migration is more on the dehumanizing side. Human beings lose value when they migrate to another nation when there seems to be a threat for survival in their own land. However there seems to be a great number or migrants for prosperity as well, but in one way or the other, they too go through discrimination in a land in which they are aliens or strangers.

Being placed[1] in the Netherlands, and interning with Inlia[2], has given a wider knowledge on the issues of migration and the way in which the various governments have handled it, and also the response of the church towards this important and raging crisis. This study in and with the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, especially with Inlia has given a wider perspective to elaborate on the theological understanding of Eucharist and the shift of the missiological base from Matt 28 to Matt 25. The "great commission" as we call it, will be more meaningful if we can derive it from Matt 25 than from 28 in such a context.

Method of study

This study is purely based on interviewing method, talking to migrants who have got asylum and as well as refugees who have not got permission to stay in The Netherlands but are taken care by Inlia and the Protestant Kerk en Netherlands (PKN). The understanding of the issue, is based on the basic readings and the lectures on culture, biblical interpretation and the issues of migration, refugees, and human trafficking. The daily reflections have paved way for interrogations with the different contexts and cultures.

Context: Setting of study: The social study is based in the Netherlands. The working environment is Groningen. It is to be understood the setting is purely European in nature, and Dutch to be precise. For a person who visits any nation for the first time will find very strange things, behaviours at the first sight.

Of the many strange sights on the first note, time and informality took the top place. Time as it was portrayed was seen as holy and un-adjustable. It seemed so hard for a Dutch person to accept the delay by a minute or two. They would rage in fury to see if it went even beyond that. However, when encountered this notion of time, questions rang, as to, why would they not understand the situation of the other? What if the other person had an unavoidable reason for delay? That seemed nothing when compared to the self-time spent to make it on time at the location.

Informality on the other hand was strange, to see men and women hugging and kissing (thrice) was rather shocking to see as in the Indian context that is rarely possible or maybe if based in a metropolitan / cosmopolitan city. Tea and coffee were not served but was kept on the table and guests were asked to join. There was an offer to drink coffee and tea along with them but was not being served. The bread was such a common food that was found prominent in all gatherings, offered to anyone who came to visit. For sure, the Europeans would find it hospitable but people from other countries would find it very rude especially the people from the hotter regions of the world.

The milieu of the migrants encountered

The refugees who have migrated to the Netherlands find several sights that are strange to them. But, because they have no other option, they force themselves to accept and adapt to the culture of the Dutch. The food, being a prominent factor they need to adapt. Most refugees come from a land where there is more of rice, wheat and barley, and bread is not their primary food. When they arrive at the Netherlands, they have no other option than to adapt to the food habits of the land. They find it hard to find food that would suit them.

Climate is another aspect of adaptation for the refugees. Even though it is a natural phenomenon, the migrants find it hard to adapt to the climate of this part of the world, as many of them come from a very hotter regions above and around the equator and from tropical regions. Hence, it makes it hard for them to adapt to a colder and freezing climate, compared to their homeland.

The official language of the Netherland is Dutch, and all the legal procedures, and official, Government related documents and conversation is in Dutch. This is a clear sign of discrimination of the people who would like to migrate, as they are forced to learn the language, which most of them do, but still find it hard to cope with. After speaking to a few of them about their struggle to learn the language, it is noted that the understanding of hospitality was known to have been understood only from the Dutch’s perspective. The people at the Government of the Netherlands did show tremendous hospitality according to their knowledge and as days and years passed by, there were more people who were coming in, the hospitality deteriorated. This is when the Church stepped in and opened the doors of the church to give shelter to the ones in need of it.

Environment of the work

Inlia - International Network of Local Initiatives with Asylum-seekers is an initiative of the churches in Groningen, Netherlands. They have an office where the documentation process is taken care, a shelter "Formula A" and a new emergency shelter (Half way Home) being setup at Eeldawolde. The refugees go to the government and apply for asylum, a permit to stay and work. However, many a time they are rejected and suggesting to be deported to their own land based on sources that the Dutch Government has, say that they can go back as there seems to be no threat for their lives in their land. However, the Dutch Government fails to understand the society of the migrants to understand their actual struggle. Therefore, they are not given place to stay, but because they cannot go back to their land, they escape and stay on the streets.

This is what the church felt was not a solution but a huge threat to the social life of the citizens of the nation and the guests. Therefore, they have come up with this initiative to give minimum facility for those who are thrown on the streets. Inlia finds a way to challenge every case legally and works with the municipality and the police department to ensure there are no people on the street.

The police and the local muncipality appreciate the work of Inlia. The migrants feel a lot like home because of the warmth they receive. They receive a small sum of money on a weekly basis that they use for their expenses. This is not enough for the whole week but it a lesson being taught to them to work in groups to get things that helps build communal harmony. The speciality of the work here is that the shelter is open for the guests (refugees) for 24 hours which is not a common sighting in the Netherlands. The inmates are addressed by name and are given a special identity that they can show to the police when asked. The police do not get to interrogate them as and when they need, they would seek permission from Inlia and the officers would be requested to do their work in civil dress so that it does not bring fear to the other guests living in the shelter. The police department are happy and very cooperative with Inlia as their work has brought a tremendous change in the irregularities in the locality.

During their appeals to the government repeatedly for the permission of the government to permit guests to stay, Inlia takes measures to do an extensive research about the person and the information that they give, to make it easier for the inmates to get the procedure done as soon as possible. The migrants feel secure to confide with Inlia and most of the cases they have re-registered are on a positive note on the procedural status.

A critique of the Dutch Culture

As a person coming from India, with basic theological education in one of the premier colleges in the country it makes it very hard for me to be judgemental on the cultural context of the Netherlands. However, the comments made would rather depend on how strange and different it is from the Indian context. In my opinion, the culture seems imposed on those who you need to treat as guests. The language food n clothing attitude, form the basic elements of culture. However, the guest on the other hand is more of a person who would love to learn the culture but not practice it because of the sacredness of his/her own culture.

As a participant of the program, we were taught by many in words, deeds and food, the culture of the Dutch, but, there was not a place where one could see the culture of the 'other' being learnt by the Dutch citizens. This on one hand is how Euro-colonialism functions, or even to see it as cultural-colonialism. This is more of using the vulnerability of the 'other' or the 'guest' to impose upon the culture of the Dutch, assuming this would be the language of the future[3]. Yes to an extent, it would help them survive in the Dutch society but the expectance of a complete shift to perpetuate into the Dutch culture is more of executing the dominance in a subtle manner.

The land becomes more Dutch and a closed society where diversity in not accepted or seen as a threat. This can be a serious threat to humanity in subliming the 'other's' culture. What can be achieved by this? Nothing; but a society being closed to the outer world and assuming the richness within and not in the other. This could also be because of xenophobia -the fear of differences. How much ever the claiming of the liberalization may remain, there seems to be a subtle conservative thought within the liberalization of the Dutch.

Reflection:

Revelation of Jesus the homeless

The struggle of the people is where the quest for God begins. The preferential option is always the poor, vulnerable and the ones in need. In this context, the refugees fall into this category of being the preferential option. When we refer to this issue in the context of India, it is easily visible that the homeless on the street are the ones through whom one can see God as based on Matt 25:35-36[4]. How has the church responded to the issue of homelessness in India? Yes, the church has projects for the poor, orphans, differently-abled, girl children etc. But. what has the Church done for those lying on the road every day? What about those who are neglected by everyone in the society? What about those trafficked and abused in various manners and left to beg on the streets? If Jesus was that hungry, thirsty and naked lying person on the road, then is it not the responsibility of the church to move out of its comfort zone and reach out to that person outside the Church's gate?

The Church often disguises itself in and angelic attire with all the people coming to worship dressed well and groomed extremely well. This makes the church more of white washed tomb than a place of prayer and comfort for the poor. The passage mentioned does not have the meaning of sending people out. It nevertheless, is Jesus' indirect way of asking the people to do to the hungry, thirsty, and naked and in prison, as they would want the other to do if Jesus was that hungry, thirsty, and naked and in prison.

The Church(es) in India is more concerned with the process of 'evangelization', which is a prominent mode of 'outreach' as based on Matthew 28:19. This has made the Church not only drift from the gospel but has also made an harsh impact on the society, which has in turn implanted in the mind of the people that Christianity is all about forcing one to 'accept Christ'.

Is this all what God wants from us, to 'accept him' and focus on a 'personal' spirituality? Or has God made the Church a called-out community to be a channel of peace and comfort to the nations and its peoples? Truly, the latter is the mission of Christ as seen in Luke 4:18 the Nazareth manifesto. On a positive note, the church has made a great impact in the past and has continued to do so until the present. The contributions in the fields of education and social reformation are indeed impeccable. The zeal was so high that the society changed in the process of this reformation. However, one needs to question, why has the reformation not continued, and stagnated as the years rolled by? Is the Church really reflecting the preaching? Or is it mere words being preached?

These questions are hard to answer, as the contexts of the churches differ. In this situation one question rises, as to, who is the church? Is it a mere building or the gathering of the people of God? The latter is the meaning. If so, what have we done to reflect Christ in our social setting?

The Poulos Kerk, PKN, Rotterdam was an inspiring place to visit. It is a church on Sundays and a home for the homeless during the other days in the week. They provided the guests with unlimited coffee and bread, access to internet to contact people at home etc. The Church is this context is making itself dirty by opening the doors of the church for the homeless. This is a striking example of how Christian-fellowship ought to live out in the society. This is one way the church celebrates Eucharist.

What is the crux of the celebration of the Eucharist when it invites 'all' irrespective of whom or what a person is?

The pain of the people in struggle reveals the suffering-Jesus to us. These revelations of a suffering Jesus needs addressal through the various people in the society. Matthew 25:35-36 poses a serious question to the missiological understanding of the gospel. To a person who is hungry, thirsty, dying, or in pain; what is the gospel that can be preached? To this, if the love of God that needs to be preached is the answer then it would be a very fundamental attitude towards the preaching of the Gospel. Instead, food, water, medication and healing of the wounds would be the reply for the same, then the gospel seems more practical and worthwhile sharing. This is expected of us as the gospel writer mentions of in Matt 25. Jesus not only poses this question to challenge the notion of how to serve God, but also implies God’s revelation to all as a person suffering in front of our eyes.

A Call to ‘Do’ Mission

There is a need for a shift in the way in which mission is done. In such a context, it is not in the preaching but in the doing, which we would be serving the Lord as expected. The analogy of Jesus breaking bread sounds relevant for this reflection, where Jesus takes bread and breaks it; in this we see that the bread, being the body of Christ is silent, but when broken a subtle noise is made to denote the breaking. It is in this way that the church is expected to be silent, and in its silence, allow God to break it so that the world would experience the love of God.

On the contrary, we see the church preaching a lot about the love of God and that we all are the people of God but still end up showing the difference in various manners, like caste, class gender, hierarchy etc. There seemed to be a lot of difference shown among the people. There always have been minority elite and the majority oppressed. This disparity is because of the greed of dominance, accumulation of wealth and money and the coziness of the luxury enjoyed by those in power.

The message of Christ through the breaking of the bread is quite simple yet strong for the Christian community. Christ calls us, the Church to be silent and allow ourselves be broken by God to show love to all of creation. However, most of the time we end up with just preaching of the Gospel that God is love, forgetting to follow what that love truly means. Are we ready to be silent and work silently for the good of creation? Are we ready to obey the voice of Christ that cries out when broken on the cross, like the bread at the table of communion? Let us therefore change our missiological view that, preaching alone is the God given mandate and be transformed by allowing God to take us and break us and show us that doing to the ‘least of these’ who reveal God to us, would be encouraging others around to be Christs in their own contexts.

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[1] For a short term of 45 Days, with the CWM Face to face program. (April- May 2016)

[2] INLIA , Groningen, Netherlands the International Network of Local Initiatives for Asylum Seekers, is an organization dedicated to providing assistance to asylum seekers in need, explained in detail below.

[3] A statement made by one of the Ministers of a church we visited.

[4] 35. "For I was hungry, you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36. I was naked and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me."