Mother of Exiles...

statue_of_liberty_
Originally uploaded by ericblauer.

The New Colossus
-by Emma Lazarus, New York City, 1883

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
by Emma Lazarus, New York City, 1883


In partnership with World Relief, our church has had the privilege of welcoming 25 refugees to Spokane and our neighborhood in the last 9 months. Last night we welcomed our latest family at the airport at 12 Midnight. Thanks to awesome landlords, we were able to take them home and hand them the keys to their new apartment. Dinner was made, the beds were all ready and a new home sat ready for some tired refugees. I realize now the power of our American heritage and the beauty of our Christian faith that calls us to "welcome the stranger".

Truly the words to this poem speak life to those who come from lands that don't share our dream of liberty. These words remain the quintessential expression of America's vision of itself as a haven for those denied freedom and opportunity in their native lands.