People are most comfortable in situations that seem normal. We like familiar faces and familiar places. It's natural to become cautious when a stranger or an unusual situation disrupts our ordinary life. Fear often isn't far away.
Fear abounds on all sides of the immigration crisis. Americans have been warned that immigrants could commit crimes and cripple the economy. Fear both pushes and repels immigrants, who flee violence and poverty in their home countries, risk their lives as they migrate, then encounter harsh detainment policies, complex legal obstacles and discrimination once they arrive.
Fear will only fuel more conflict until we better understand what motivates migrants. Sisters are found at the heart of the issue, ministering on both sides of the border to neighbors on the move. They are discovering plenty of needs but nothing to fear.
Ask students to raise their hands if they feared the following characters as they were growing up:
- The bogeyman
- Monsters under the bed
- The Loch Ness monster
- Ghosts
- The abominable snowman
- Vampires
- Werewolves
- The Chupacabra
- Creepy clowns
Then ask:
- What stories did people tell to warn you about these or other villains?
- What evidence did you have to believe these stories?
Start by saying: "Scary stories often strike fear into the hearts and minds of people. Sometimes folks stir up a sense of caution about the danger that certain types of people, such as "strangers," present to us. Let's explore what we're told about the strangers coming to our borders."
- What stories have you heard about migrants who are coming to the United States? Why are they coming? What threat do they pose?
- Who is telling these stories, and do you feel they are motivated more by fear or facts?
Conclude by saying: "Caution becomes unhealthy when the truth is stretched and the myths that result divide, denigrate and destroy people. Our faith calls us to welcome the stranger in our midst. That challenges us to get to know them and their stories, so that we don't let fear prevent us from loving our neighbors."
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