“Dios es nuestro amparo y fortaleza,” (“God is our refuge and
strength,”) – Psalm 46:1
On August 10, the ELCA Churchwide Assembly passed the AMMPARO strategy, acting as a church for the
sake of the world to bear witness to the conditions affecting children and
families being forced out of their communities in Central America. Voting
members gave
touching testimony about why the church must continue to accompany these
communities. Your voice is essential as our church calls on the U.S. government
to protect children and families today while ensuring that our foreign policies
help shelter the most vulnerable in the communities where people flee.
As Members of Congress visit their home districts this August, help us
make sure they know that our church is committed to walk alongside and lift up the
voices of children and families from Central America.
Currently, there are two bills in Congress that affect how the U.S. invests
in addressing the underlying issues that cause children and families to be
forcibly displaced. The Secure
the Northern Triangle Act (S. 3106/H.R. 5850) conditions U.S. support for
programs in Central America on the assurance that steps are taken to uphold
human rights and gives guidance for U.S. and Central American governments to
improve the systems put in place to protect vulnerable populations. The State
and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017 also
outlines guidelines for U.S. investment in the region.
Although providing funding to address the underlying conditions driving
the violence, poverty and lack of opportunities in the countries of origin is
important, we must ensure that this support is translated into improvements for
the most vulnerable communities. Please
join us in ensuring strong human rights conditions are included in any funds
going to Central America and Mexico. As people of faith who believe in the
God-given dignity of all, we must ensure that our policies reflect our values.
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