Welcome!

My wife and I attended an open house yesterday celebrating the purchase of a new home by one of our parish Burmese families.  We took our shoes off outside the front door.  We delivered a "house-warming" present (a set of pliers and wrenches for the new Harry homeowners), then sat down on the carpeted floor (no furniture yet).  We listened to several speakers (in Burmese).  The language barrier made me appreciate how these new-comers must feel in our world of English-speakers.  In their own community, I observed them listening with understanding, keeping their little children quieted, with smells of cooking emanating from the kitchen.  Ellen and I were the strangers now! (the only -- save one -- native Americans then present).

After a couple of speakers finished, I asked if I could say a few words.  A translator was found, I stood up, and thanked everyone for the invitation to visit their new home.  I told them I appreciated how important a home is, and that I well remembered our own first home that we purchased for $35K, now less the price of many new cars!

I reminded them that all of us in the US are immigrants, or children of immigrants. Even the American indians came from somewhere else!  I told them that my mom and dad hailed from Colorado and our ancestors emigrated from Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and French Canada.  Everyone, it seems to me, had (and have) very similar dreams and aspirations: a job, a home, a family.

I told the group that, speaking for myself, and for my parish and community, I was very happy that they had come here to be our new fellow-Americans.   I said that their presence was inspiring and invigorating in several ways.  They are hard working.  They show courage and perseverence in struggling with their new language, new jobs, and new culture.  And they continue to live their own cultural heritage, which helps me see its richness and value. I said I felt blessed to be included in their community celebration, that I wanted them to know they were welcome in our community, and that we wanted to help them transition to their new homes.

It's easy to see that the path of emigration/immigration is an uphill climb.  Emotions are mixed toward home country and new homeland.  The challenge is not only to move geographically, but to transition from a sense of exclusion to one of inclusion, from rejection to welcome. 

I want to help that transition by being hospitable, welcoming.  "Welcome" is more than a word.  It means to extend a hand to our new neighbors.  And that hand becomes a handshake, blessing us with friendship in our nation of immigrants.