Migration 1 - Where to go and live? ...

Monday, September 6, 2010. Migration is a very important topic everywhere in the world today. We see heavy discussions surging through the public area in many countries today. Who is going where? Where to go and to live? How to live in a foreign country or how to live in the country I live in for a while now already, which still seems to see me as a stranger? How to deal with strangers living in my environment?

The challenges of a different country …

Going to another country can be quite a challenge. Often the decision to go somewhere or to stay somewhere is not completely free. Humans are driven by wars, by economic problems, by family bonds. It is not a “free” decision at all to live here or there, usually. We are looking for work. We need to support a family. We try to search for a good solution for us … and then we end up somewhere.

There are so many people living abroad today - that means they live in another country where they have not been all of their life or where their parents have migrated to some time ago. Some of them have fully become a part of the country they live in. They speak the language, they know how things are done, they find their way, follow their profession and enjoy the community. What would Britain be without all the Indian restaurants, without the many French people living here, the Germans, the Polish people, the Africans, the Chinese. Britain always has had a Commonwealth, an international community which integrated many different people from various countries.

But there are many countries in the world, which have problems dealing with the migration issue, among them highly developed countries as well as developing ones. The Netherlands had new political groups rising, who opposed particular migrant groups. In Germany, currently a strong public debate is going on, with very strong opinions on all sides, in particular targeting those Muslim immigrants who stay outside of the German society.

Migration is a biblical topic! …

Migration is a topic which is highly biblical. The Old Testament is full of migration stories. It starts with Abraham, who moved from the area of today's Iraq to Palestine. Josef went to Egypt and lived there most parts of his life. The Jewish people migrated to Egypt and back into the area where Israel is located today. Jesus' parents had to go to Egypt as well and lived there for quite a while.

The bible deals with migration from all sides. When Abraham starts his journey, it is God himself, who is guiding his friend and follower into a new life. Migration seems to be an issue of faith here. The same happens to the people following Jesus. “Follow me” he tells them. And they leave their house and ground.

God also talks about the topic of strangers among the Jewish people. Strangers should be treated with care and consideration (Exodus 23). God points to the experiences of the Jews of being a stranger themselves. Migration has been a fact throughout history and it is a fact today. So we need to find balanced and sustainable ways to deal with it in our environment and in our country. Here, the bible can be a fantastic guide. ... more texts