Before the hissy-fits begin, please remember that my sainted wife's family came over after WWII. Christina's dad helped Patton's troops. They lived in a Displaced Person camp and flew to America on funds they paid back over time.
ELCA and LCMS are busy declaring their joint disapproval of the elected President and Congress - no doubt with WELS involved. They are deeply involved in big money. Thrivent has bragged about US.AID, which alone is a pot of gold for those who milk the generosity of the posturing helpers.
"Without these resources, 6,000 newly arrived refugees we are currently serving may face the prospect of eviction and food insecurity at a time of critical need," said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge. "It is particularly shameful to leave newly arrived Afghan allies to fend for themselves after the tremendous sacrifices they've made in support of American interests. This is the antithesis of what it means for the United States to keep its promise of protection to the allies of America's longest war."
Federal support for resettlement nonprofits is a key driver of community integration. The sudden cessation of these services risks shifting the burden onto local communities ill-equipped to address the urgent needs that are likely to arise from this decision.
"Without this support, towns and cities across the country are poised to face greater responsibility with fewer resources to help families who have resettled here through this longstanding legal pathway," added Vignarajah.
For 85 years, Global Refuge has been a steadfast advocate for refugees, working collaboratively with federal, state, and local governments to provide life-changing services. While this stop work order limits operational capacity, it does not diminish the organization's resolve.
"We are urgently reviewing all legal and operational options to continue supporting the families we serve. We will not abandon our mission or the people who rely on us," Vignarajah emphasized.
Global Refuge urges policymakers to reverse this harmful decision and calls upon all Americans to stand in solidarity with refugee families.
"Refugees enrich our communities and contribute significantly to our economy. Upholding their dignity and ensuring their success is not just a moral imperative; it's a reflection of who we are as a nation," said Vignarajah.
As many of you are aware, General Mike Flynn (retired) publicly took to task Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and several other Lutheran social ministry agencies for receiving large federal grants for work with immigrants. That got the attention of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). I was surprised at the dollar amounts involved. The post on X accused LIRS and the other agencies bearing the name Lutheran of “money laundering.” I am writing to provide you with some facts about this complex and confusing situation.The LCMS is a law-abiding and patriotic church body. We don’t invite or support illegal immigration. We don’t say much to or about the government. We don’t have government contracts. Not one. We leave issues of government to our 1.8 million members and 5,700 active pastors, who act in the civil realm according to their Christian consciences as good citizens. We have spoken as a body to certain issues. The Bible and reason teach us that the unborn have the God-given right to life (Luke 1:39–45). The government has no right to infringe upon religious freedom, including the free exercise of religion. “Thoughts are tax free!” said Martin Luther. All our people are trained from Sunday school and catechism class, and every Sunday sermon, to be good citizens and advocate for just laws, punishment for evildoers and mercy for those in need. Specific views on the details of how the government is involved in this are left to the individual as a citizen.The LCMS uses legal means to fight for First Amendment rights when those rights are under attack.
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GJ - Thrivent, the nursing mother of ELCA-LCMS-WELS, has already published their boasting about working with the corrupt US.AID machine. Clergy love getting on the gravy train when so much of it falls into their laps, pockets, funds, committees, and deluxe world travels.
One sob-sister was telling my mother-in-law about how they suffered as a missionary family. I described the current "hardships" in advance. After the missionary lady made her work sound like Purgatory, my mother-in-law mentioned
- Free education for the children
- Cooking and cleaning for the family
- Shopping for the food for the family, and
- PS - They were totally spoiled and had trouble coming home to reality.
