By Rev. Rhina Ramos, ACM
I was 9 years old when the civil war erupted in El Salvador. Pretty soon our lives changed because we learned to fear our own government. We knew of neighbors captured by the army at night. Their only crime was to oppose a repressive government. We knew of the disappeared and were afraid that our loved ones could be taken too.
My father had to go into exile in 1982, and my aunt, his sister, ended up in Nicaragua because of political persecution. In those times, anything we said in public could be used to label us as terrorists. So, we spoke quietly and resisted; whispering to one another. My family and I were some of the lucky people who left El Salvador and arrived in the United States in 1983. Repression is not new to me, but it is sad and terrifying. No one is safe when one’s own government starts killing innocent people. People who voice their discontent for the government’s cruelty should not be executed at the hands of federal agents. No one would be spared when one’s government tries to keep control by all means necessary. From those times in El Salvador, I also learned that people rise up and fight back and put their lives on the line because at the end of the day there is nothing to lose “but our chains” (line from Assata Shakur poem).
We all, people of faith, followers of Jesus, need to stand in solidarity at this moment. Our call is for a greater love that defeats exclusion because of borders, nationalities, sexual orientation, or sexual oppression. There are different ways we can stand together with faith leaders and congregations in Minnesota that have taken to streets and are supporting the immigrant community in their neighborhoods. Consider donating to St. Paul Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis whose Pastor, Rev. Hierald Osorto has been featured in the LGBTQ Religious Archives. Rev. Osorto states in a recent Facebook Post, “Despite forces trying to stamp us out, we continue shining. Even as my body strains under the stress of these weeks, my spirit remains strong and I have clarity about what this moment asks of us. The gospel is filled with risks, but it also offers a faithful promise of life.” To donate go to https://www.sanpablostpaul.org/give.html
