The Divine Dream

By Ismael Ruiz Millan
This reflection was offered to a group of 35 ministers in Greenville, NC on May 19, 2009.

Millan (second from left) speaks with clergy in Greenville, NC

Without any doubt the immigration issue is a very sensitive issue at the present time. Consequently, it is not uncommon to see how some people take the easy way out concerning this issue, namely, to ignore it. I do not have that luxury. I am an immigrant myself, and it would be very disingenuous to ignore it. Therefore, I cannot help but to say thank you so much because the fact that you are here is evidence that you are not ignoring such an important issue. Moreover, if you are here you’re in some way reflecting Jesus’ example of confronting difficult issues.

Here, I will share how God’s power has been very real in my life as an immigrant as well as in the lives of the people at the church I currently serve: Unidos por Cristo United Methodist Church (near Greenville, NC). My hope and prayer is that at the end of the day you would see this issue from a different perspective, not from the perspective of our limited humanness, but from the perspective of the infinite power of Jesus our Lord, in whom all things are possible.

The main reason we, Latinos and Latinas, come to this country is to pursue the so-called “American Dream.” This “American Dream” entails, for the most part, escaping from poverty and lack of opportunities. Also, it means finding the way to provide a better life and future for our families. In my case, I came to this country wanting to learn English and work to save money, go back to Mexico, and get a better job and get married—it was a temporary thing. However, this is my sixth year here. Most people come here with the same idea, thinking that their time in the U.S. is only temporary. Many of them leave their children and families in their home countries because they plan on returning soon. However, what is originally a temporary thing often becomes indefinite. Once people realize they will never have the possibilities they have here, they postpone their return. At Unidos por Cristo, there are parents who have not seen their children and families for years. Furthermore, in many of the trailer park communities surrounding our church you will find several groups of men living alone because they had to leave their families behind.

In my case, what postponed my return to Mexico was God’s call. I came to this country pursuing my own “American Dream,” but I found something better, the divine dream. Now, my passion is to help others to find their divine dream. I really think it is worthy to make a confession. I am blessed because I could come here with a tourist visa. In other words, I did not have to risk my life walking through the dessert or crossing the Rio Grande river. However, I had to become “illegal” in order to get a job, and when God called me I experienced in a very real way the magnitude of God’s grace—God saw my potential for ministry over my immigration status or illegality.

Since then, my focus in ministering in Unidos por Cristo has been to offer the same grace I received from God, the same grace you have received too. As Jesus did to me, I have tried to do to others: I have seen first their potential over their sin and over their immigration status. One of the arguments today is that undocumented immigrants do not deserve education, health services, or any kind of benefits from this country. Interestingly, I have witnessed in Unidos por Cristo how God has given wisdom, healing, and the benefits of God’s grace to all.

For example, there is a young man who arrived to Unidos por Cristo not knowing how to read well, not knowing anything about Jesus, about Scripture, and about Christian life. Today, he reads better because he has practiced with Scripture and he has also begun participating actively in church. God saw his potential for ministry over his immigration status.

A woman who came to Unidos por Cristo with a lot of misconceptions about who God is. She is sixty and I remember one time she told me she never had communion because she was told she was not worthy enough to do it. When I explained her that she was worthy and that she could have communion, she started to cry, and eventually she testified how real was God’s grace in her life at that moment. In the eyes of U.S. immigration law she is seen as undeserving, but in God’s eyes she deserved everything—God did not see her immigration status over her need.

Another man used to be very shy and did not want to be very involved with church activities, today he plays in our praise group, he sings, and he has expressed his willingness to even preach the Gospel. His life has been transformed in a tremendous way. God saw his potential over his immigration status.

One of the best lessons I have learned about what real faith is was when there were rumors that several “road blocks” were going to go up across the state in order to catch undocumented immigrants. I decided to still meet at church for a time of prayer. I thought my wife and I were going to be the only ones attending. I was wrong. The people came showing me what it meant to really see with the eyes of faith. They came knowing they were risking a lot, but they also knew that the One on their side was bigger than the forces against them.

The tension and uncertainty in which families live is increasingly visible. There are few jobs, people’s drivers licenses are expiring and they cannot renew them. Most of them have children who are US citizens and do not know anything about the countries of their parents, which makes it difficult to go back. God’s power and grace keep these people walking the journey. They know God sees first their potential and need over their immigration status.

Without any doubt these stories bear witness that God’s power can overcome any human boundary, including immigration status.

Brothers and sisters, God’s power is real and can surpass any human limitation. I have witnessed that power, and so have the people of Unidos por Cristo. I encourage you to strive to see the issue of immigration through Jesus’ eyes. I encourage you to take into account in your ministries that God does not care about the immigration status of a person; God cares about their potential for ministry, about their need to experience God’s grace. If you don’t believe it, see my life, and see the lives of the people of Unidos por Cristo.

Finally, I just wanted to add that ministering with immigrants often makes one to face hard theological questions. For example, what would you do when someone asks you to pray for a relative that is coming to this country illegally? What would you do with the tithes and offerings of the people that are seen as criminals? If undocumented immigrants are considered criminals, is it right to let them be in positions of leadership? If undocumented immigrants are considered criminals, is it right to let them take communion? If undocumented immigrants are considered criminals, is it right to baptize them? If they are baptized already, should their immigration status prevent me from considering them my sisters or brothers?

I try to offer a response to these questions daily in my ministry. However, these questions are not meant to be answered only for one or few persons, they are meant to be responded by the church. Please remember, when one part of the body is hurt, the whole body is affected, we are here and we are part of the body of Christ. Please do not amputate us.

Originally from Sonora, Mexico, Ismael Ruiz Millan has lived in North Carolina since 2003. In April of 2004, he responded to God’s call by serving Unidos por Cristo UMC in Greenville, N.C.  He is also a student at Duke Divinity School.