What made you decide to do El Camino?
When Noel mentioned the idea of El Camino last year at the CCDA conference, I sensed a nudge of the Lord to do it. Also, I am white male living in an African-American community, and I have very little interaction with immigrants of any kind. I do not want that to continue. I want to be intentional and proactive in learning about and engaging the immigrant community. I want to understand the issue of immigration from a Kingdom perspective, rather than from one of the polar opposite views of a divided America.
What do you hope to gain out of this experience?
I am walking to listen, lament and learn. To listen to God and to the cries of the people.To lament the brokenness of our immigration system and our slowness to change it.To learn how God’s people can love God and people in a way that honors both.
What kind of change do you wish to see happen in regards to immigration reform?
I believe it is possible, with God’s help and the cooperation of people, to accomplish the objectives of the Evangelical immigration Table:
“As evangelical Christian leaders, we call for a bipartisan solution on immigration that:
Respects the God-given dignity of every person
- Protects the unity of the immediate family
- Respects the rule of law
- Guarantees secure national borders
- Ensures fairness to taxpayers
- Establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents”
Sign in agreement with these principles at:
http://evangelicalimmigrationtable.com/sign-the-principles/
Andy has been married to Debbie for 31 years. They have 4 grown children and have been full-time in Christian Community Development ministry in Chicago and St. Louis for 31 years.
