Winter/Spring 2012

Newsletter – Winter/Spring 2012

Name That Country!

I’ve got a little Immigration Quiz for you to take right now. It’s called “Name That Country.” Don’t worry —- these aren’t trick questions and you won’t get a grade on it. Here are the rules of the game:

Below are actual statements taken from recent newspapers and other publications .
Read each excerpt carefully.
Then, guess the country about which the statement is made.
All of these quotes are verbatim except, to keep from giving you hints, I have changed the name of each country to ‘Anymanland’ and each leader will be named ‘Mr. Powers.’

Do you understand what to do? Okay…now Name That Country!

1) Mr. Powers has ordered the expulsion of illegals and itinerant immigrants…warning that illegal immigration threatened the implosion of [their country]

2) Anymanland has stepped up the deportation in excess of 1,0000 [immigrants] a month.

3) Approximately nine million people have traveled through the four crossing points on the Anymanland boarder.

4) Anymanland said on Monday it has begun to construct a 7 mile fence along its border with [a bordering country] intended to curb illegal immigration. The fence will be 13 feet tall.

5) According to Mr. Powers’ estimates 9,000 to 10,000 immigrants try to pass through Anymanland every year.

6) With thousands landing in Anymanland in recent months, the government wants to move the immigrants on to other Anymanlands.

7) Anymanland has seen over 20,000 illegal immigrants make their way to their country…The government has ordered the security of its border be tightened to prevent illegal immigrants from entry.

8) Mr. Powers is ramping up election season rhetoric over illegal immigration. So far, proposals include cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants and forcing migrants to take exams in Anymanland language, literature, history and culture.

9) . . . Immigration has now become a major political issue and one that is set to be considerably aggravated as the recession in Anymanland deepens.

It might surprise you to know that none of the quotes above are spoken about or referencing any situation in the United States. None. (The correct answers are at the bottom of this page.) So…what does this mean?

Wow, I’m just not sure. My initial impression is it seems like NO country is actually ‘happy’ about having immigrants in their country, especially those immigrants who are non-documented. It is not like there is just one group of people desiring to leave one particular country for another—it is randomly widespread throughout the world.

My next question is…why is that? What is the common factor that makes immigrants in any country unwanted or disliked? Without even considering the dozens of reasons that cause immigration, we all have heard harsh comments about people who “don’t belong” here.

I don’t have any answers. I do not know the solution for such a complicated situation. But to me, the wisest words concerning ‘strangers’ in our land come from God.

Suppose an outsider lives with you in your land. Then do not treat him badly.

Treat him as if he were one of your own people. Love him as you love yourself.

Leviticus 19:33-34

This is what we want Multi-National Ministries to be all about.

To read entire newsletter: Newsletter Winter Sprintg 2012 PDF

Answers to “Name That Country:”

1. France re: Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants

2. Saudi Arabia re: Somailian immigrants

3. Illegal immigrants from Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Bangladesh crossing through Bulgaria to Greece

4. Greece building a fence along its Turkish border

5. Hungary referring to Asian , Nepalese, Indian, and Afghan immigrants

6. Italy re: Tunisia immigrants.

7. Yemen re: Ethiopian and Somali immigrants

8. Russia re: immigrants from former Soviet republics

9. Spain re: immigration from Eastern Europe and Africa