Living Mosaic
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Hi Family,
I just spent the last week at Camp deBenneville Pines in the Pacific Southwest District where I was co-chaplain for YRUU senior high summer camp. This past camp was particularly special for me. It was my fourth senior high summer camp, which meant that I was present to see one generation of senior high youth grow up and grow out, which was the theme of this year’s camp.
While at camp I spent time talking with members and a youth advisor from the UU Congregation of Phoenix. During my conversation with the youth advisor I shared with him the shock and sadness I felt at GA while watching the Film: “Standing On the Side of Love in Arizona” and hearing members of our PSWD YRUU camp family tell the story of their mother’s deportation. The youth advisor recalled his memories of the Sunday morning when a member of his youth group shared during check-in that her mother had been deported. The youth advisor and I fell silent in our separate but shared experience of shock and sadness after hearing about these young people being separated from their mother.
As I wrote in my May newsletter column, people on both sides of the immigration debate believe their position is backed by the law, American values, human rights and/or love. I encourage you to watch the Film: “Standing on the Side of in Arizona at http://blogs.uuworld.org/ga/2010/06/27/film-standing-on-the-side-of-love-in-arizona/ and let your conscience be your guide on how you can stand on the side of love and support a fellow YRUUer.
I will end with a reflection attributed to Pastor Martin Niemoller:
In Germany, they first came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me—
and by that time there was no one left to speak up.
As always I would love to hear from you. You can message me on Facebook at Monica Cummings, email me at mcummings@uua.org or leave a comment for me on the YaYA of Color blog, UU Living Mosaic at http://uuyayaoc.blogs.uua.org/.
Living My Faith,
Rev Monica
