Blog on Chapter 15 Caribbeans, Central Americans, and Soviet Jews

            Haiti is a country of great interest to me because I was quite involved in fund-raising for them after the earthquake in 2010. One of my former teachers has been a committed activist in Haiti for many years and he has a multitude interesting and quite harrowing stories of his experiences there. He goes there frequently on mission trips, often with students and his parents were missionaries there when he was a child. We have spoken numerous times of the dire circumstances of poverty there and of course the various political and social problems for the people. He has developed a special relationship with schools there and his life gives such voice to what one person can do and how their life’s work can impact so many others, such as students like me. The plight of the unwanted refugees is so compelling, and of course, they are not from Haiti alone. I don’t know what the best policy is for these people – but I think often of the work Seth is doing and I think in some ways his approach is very good. He has developed strong relationships with people – such as school administrators and he knows with as much certainty as possible where funds he has raised are going. Often, he is there doing the work of rebuilding and educating right in the villages himself Funds that go directly to organizations dedicated to putting them to the best use possible gives those funds a very good chance of being well-invested in those who need to benefit from them the most. He is trying to build them into stronger communities right their in their own country – it would be impossible to bring every needy refugee here and give them the support that they need.  Investing in their futures right in their own countries seems like one effective way to improve their lives and maybe hope for the future. A child at a time. A village at a time.

            Immigration policy is just that – policy. It is challenging to make policy when human lives and their very futures depend on the generosity of humanity. Imagine a life expectancy of somewhere in your 30s and living in what the World Bank calls absolute poverty. But there are hands reaching out for help across the globe and of course, you do not need to travel very far from here to see hands reaching out close to home. So, which hands do you reach out to? It will always be necessary for our government to make immigration policy and we must elect officials that we believe will be just and balanced and informed in their decisions. I also believe that I have my own responsibility to make a difference in some way – in whatever way I can. Big or small. But every action matters – we can’t just let it be everyone else’s problem.