The Homer United Civil Engagement Group held a ‘Vigil for Immigrant Justice’ in front of the Homer United Methodist Church on East End Road Wednesday afternoon to QUOTE: “stand in support of the immigrants suffering in the U.S. due to unjust, inhumane treatment, and for those who courageously stand with them.”
The organization suggested that signs with the names or images of immigrants, refugees or asylum seekers who have suffered or statements/verses about welcoming strangers would be appropriate or hear shaped signs would be appropriate but requested no anti-ICE signs.
About 40 people showed up to show support, sign cards and other documents to send to Alaska politicians. Opening remarks and a prayer were led by Rev. Blake Langston as well as organizational commentary from Gary Lyons and Hal Neace, members representing the Civil Engagement Group.
The focus of the event was to provide prayerful advocacy for Sonia Arriaga and her three children, who were taken from their home in Soldotna to be held in Anchorage last Tuesday, February 18th. Three of the family members were flown to Mexico except for the oldest son, age 18, who is still held in the Anchorage jail. Attendees, approximately 50, were also encouraged to provide remarks if interested.
Rev. Langston provided opening commentary:
“We are here to remember that our call, and this is for those of us who are here at the Methodist church, but here, those of us who are humans in this world to love our neighbor, Arriaga Ramos family, are our neighbors. There's a question posed to Jesus in the Bible, and it was about who is our neighbor. What you do here today, on this cold, snowy day, is a demonstration of your compassion and the honoring of the humanity and the unrepeatable miracles of those who have been abducted, of those who've been taken, of those whose voices have been silenced, but our voices will not be silenced, because we do love our neighbors, we love our communities, and our desire is to walk closer together. So let this be a reminder to all those who watch, all those who listen, all those who drive by on this snowy, cold day that there are people in this world with compassion and our desires to grow closer to each other. Thanks for letting me be here with you and among you.”
Though the cold weather may have inhibited participation, one comment reported Wednesday morning came from Michael LeMay:
“I want to thank all of you for turning out today. It's my great honor to hang out with people that care about other people. I'm a Buddhist, but I love Jesus's beautiful message, and I wish that more Christians would adhere to Christ's message to welcome the stranger. And of course, we've heard this. It's great to repeat that there are. There's no such thing as illegal people on stolen land.”
The Homer United Methodist Church (UMC) Civic Engagement Group stated in a public email announcement that this event was part of "Faithful Resistance: A Public Witness for Immigrant Justice," a national UMC event in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere on the same day. Hal Neace reported that Homer’s civic engagement group was formed last fall and meets every Wednesday in the basement of the Homer United Methodist Church.
“The group is growing, and we welcome all of you to attend any Wednesday that you have free from 11 till about 12:30. It's a very powerful group of people, and that group of folks has organized this event.”
Reporting from Homer, this is Emilie Springer.
