I was a stranger and you welcomed me. (Matthew 25:35)

Both the Old and New Testament are filled with verses reminding us of God’s command that we welcome the immigrant. These verses have been on my heart in the past few weeks. Two Tuesdays in a row, immigrant members of Ascension have had their final immigration hearings to determine their status. Being granted political asylum as an immigrant from El Salvador is an unlikely prospect under current immigration law. Yet despite the odds, both of our members received their green cards. My brother Carlos was one of these lucky individuals. He was verbally promised permission to receive his green card in January of 2018, but it took until this July for him to have his final hearing and approval.

I am also feeling extra aware of my own immigrant status as I prepare for my first Sundays of preaching in English as part of my internship. Part of the challenge is finding a Spanish-speaking pastor that can preach at our Spanish language service while I am preaching at the English service. There is not a big pool of Spanish-speaking substitute Lutheran pastors in Waukesha. I continue to practice my English pronunciation and reflect about how the message of the Gospel is shared in different contexts so that my English sermons are meaningful.

In the days and weeks to come, if you find yourself feeling like a stranger in a new situation, may you find yourself surrounded by those that welcome the stranger. May we all continue to work together to find ways we can all live out God’s expectation that we welcome strangers wherever we encounter them.

Edwin Aparicio
Spanish Language Minister