Like many of you, I was saddened by the deaths
caused by greedy and unscrupulous refugee/asylum seekers/economic migrants
trafficking groups located in the Middle East, who have taken advantage of
seemingly desperate people, and have
caused the deaths of almost 1,000 Men, Women and Children in recent days.
It’s very easy to act according to what the
press and the politicians tell us and response negatively
to those unfortunate people trying to break free from situations like
Civil War, Persecution because they hold
different religious and/or political views from those in authority or because
they live for us what would be in unimaginable poverty.
Many of those travelling from countries and
regions were those situations are happening right now have been taken advantage
of by people who have and are prospering from their misfortune and lives have been
lost because of the selfish greed of those people smugglers.
I believe we in Europe have no direct responsibility
to provide all who come to our shores ,
with shelter, support and subsistence without question, what I believe we need to do, is for us to have arrangements
similar to that are in place in
Australia. In essence a points based system
Up until recent times The United States Government operated a
facility in New York Harbour where those travelling to America to start a new
life, where they were assessed and those
passing the necessary tests would be welcomed to start a new life in America
this facility was called Ellis
Island
In conclusion
I believe that the best solution we in Europe
can take today to help those unfortunate people travelling to start a new life here
. Is that they should face an Australian type points system in modern European equivalents to
Ellis Island, and those passing the necessary tests could be welcomed with open
arms to Europe.
The Bible says the following
Isaiah 58 New International Version (NIV)
True Fasting
58 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise
your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and
to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2
For day after day they seek me out;
they
seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is
right
and
has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and
you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and
you have not noticed?’
“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you
please
and
exploit all your workers.
4
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and
in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and
expect your voice to be heard on high.
5
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only
a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and
for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day
acceptable to the Lord?
6
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the
yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor
wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from
your own flesh and blood?
8
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly
appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord
will be your rear guard.
9
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he
will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and
malicious talk,
10
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the
oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become
like the noonday.
11
The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in
a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your
frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters
never fail.
12
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old
foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with
Dwellings.
13
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please
on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day
honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please
or speaking idle words,
14
then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride
in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the
inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Be Blessed Today,
Blair Humphreys
Southport, Merseyside, United Kingdom
