Saturday, November 7, 2020

SOCIAL JUSTICE =FOREVER FAMILY= VOICE. (Revised)

Wrote this in June 2009 for Dr. Reyes' "Pan Dulce Blog" while working at Buckner International (I no longer work for Buckner but deeply admire their work in adoption/foster care and have made some edits from original post): 


When I think of Social Justice, immediately my heart begins to beat faster and my blood begins to boil, as it is such an important focus of who I am and what I do. Growing up a as a Hispanic female in this country, from a low-income home and immigrant family, I have experienced and seen social injustice in many facets. It is because of what God has allowed me to survive that I believe He has called me to minister to the least of these. Today, as an advocate of orphans and at-risk children I will speak to the Social Justice as it relates to these children. 

Social Justice can be categorized in so many aspects, such as domestic violence, poverty, human trafficking, exploitation, systemic racism, marginalization, abandonment, women’s rights, etc. As we see each of these categories and think of those who have suffered these injustices we see that all of the mentioned and not mentioned have one thing in common, their VOICES are silenced. Social Justice for me is recognizing that everyone has a VOICE. When one does not value a VOICE  that one becomes VULNERABLE, WORTHLESS, HOPELESS and INVISIBLE. 

At Buckner I have had the opportunity to bring hope to orphans and at-risk children. I have led mission groups down to orphanages where children have lost HOPE, they have become INVISIBLE to society. These have become VULNERABLE to society’s corruption, leading them to live only on survival, survival is their only VOICE. When survival becomes the VOICE of children, they turn into those who have taken their VOICE. Those who give, travel or pray for these children are bringing HOPE to them, they are taught that they are WORTHY and not INVISIBLE to our God. 

I have had the joy and challenge to advocate for and seek VOICES for children-a Forever Family. A parent’s responsibility is to enable their children to live God’s purpose for their lives. Parents do this by being their child’s VOICE. Currently there are 143 million orphans who feel WORTHLESS, are INVISIBLE, HOPELESS AND VULNERABLE because they are with out a VOICE-FAMILY. I have had the privilege to work with some of the most amazing families, who are taking on the call to bring in a child into their family and becoming their VOICE. When I see these children come home to their forever families, where they are no longer “VULNERABLE, WORTHLESS, HOPELESS nor INVISIBLE”, I see Social Justice.  

As the Church we need more advocacy for VOICES-Families. We need your help. 

God has brought us into His family; we are no longer WORTHLESS HOPELESS, VULNERABLE, INVISIBLE. As children of God we all have a VOICE. 

Raising the the Voice of a child is Social Justice. 


I want to encourage you to lift the voices of children through Buckner at www.buckner.org

Wednesday, November 7, 2018


Voices: No justice, no unity As posted in the Texas Baptist Standard

As a youth minister, I find it essential to teach about issues happening in our culture. During a recent Bible study, I taught about racial justice. As I spoke, I did it with fear and trembling, because racial justice is an issue that can cause division. As I thought about that fact, I was saddened to think an issue that matters so much to God—because all humans are created in God’s image—still divides the church in the United States.
While I know it is well-intended, I see church leaders calling out for unity. However, from my experience, promoting that unity many times has turned into being quiet or passive, and we end up doing nothing to transform the world around us.

Putting a finer point on our understanding of unity

I ask, “Who and what defines unity?” Is it following the status quo that turns a blind eye, says there is no racism and claims brown and black people have equal access to their inalienable rights and to a just system? Who has the privilege to proclaim we have arrived at this utopic unity?
In reality, we have not arrived at unity because people of color are discriminated against, treated unfairly, judged unjustly and even killed, while the church continues to seek “unity” by remaining silent.
Recently, I learned about a Baptist university that posted this billboard message: “We stand for the flag and kneel at the cross.” As catchy as that quote might appear, one could argue it is dismissive, divisive and discriminative.
  • Dismissive of the pain of a community who is peacefully speaking out.
  • Divisive because it creates a negative space for black students who know the raw and up-close reality of racial injustice yet were more than likely obliged to sit painfully and quietly in fear of retaliation as the university and fellow classmates cheered such a statement.
  • Discriminatory, as I have no recollection of this university responding or standing up for our American flag when the KKK waved it around in hate in Charlottesville.
While it may be easy to point fingers at this university, I question if those same leaders who have proclaimed the need for unity also have encouraged, stated and posted such divisive statements.

The relationship between unity & seeking justice

We are called to love one another and to reconciliation. Yet, I continually see and hear Christians speak horrendous things about Colin Kaepernick. My fellow sisters and brothers, he is our brother in Christ, who chose to use his influence to bring attention to a sin that continues to haunt our country.
I see people ridicule the Nike commercial and change Kaepernick’s picture to that of Jesus or soldiers. That only causes further division between you and the community who hurts. It sends a message to people of color that they are not worthy to give up anything for justice.
Rosa Parks and Pastor Martin Luther King Jr. also were shamed and ridiculed for the way they protested for racial justice. Today, we might glorify them, but the church did not at that time. Instead, Parks and King also were accused of causing division.
You may not agree with how Kaepernick protested, and you are within your rights to do so but to shame your brother in Christ, who is also following his Christian principles and exercising his American right to speak up against injustice, goes against your message of “unity” and against Christ’s example.
Throughout Scripture, God calls on us to speak up for the oppressed, to treat others how we wanted to be treated, to love our neighbors as ourselves, to be kind, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. What if we practiced these commands when it comes to racial justice?

Suggestions for approaching racial injustice

How can you speak up for those who confront racial injustice and oppressive laws and systems in your community?
  • Treating people of color as you would want to be treated might look like hearing their narratives and being empathetic of their pain.
  • Loving people of color might mean you stand—or kneel—with them, believe them and cry with them when they say they are hurting because of injustices.
  • Be kind to them, even when you might not agree with how they cry out or protest, and offer mercy in the same measure you seek it from God.
  • Be humble enough to admit you do not truly understand racial injustice. Be humble enough to seek God and to ask for help from people of color for wisdom and guidance on how to be a leader when facing these issues.
Unity can happen only when all parties have equal value, rights and access. True unity can happen only if the church first acknowledges its sin in racial injustice, repents, gives voice and value to people of color, and finds ways to work together towards true justice for all.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31: 8-9).

From the Unborn


If you love the unborn, provide my mother access to health care and help her during pregnancy.

If you love the unborn, advocate for programs that will help me thrive when I am born.

If you love the unborn, be willing to pay taxes that will feed, shelter me and provide me affordable medical insurance.

If you love the unborn, VOTE TO protect my rights to an education, to citizenship, and to stay with my parents.

If you love the unborn, stand up for the injustices my black or brown parents face.

If you love the unborn, love my parents who are of a different religion.

If you love the unborn, let my parents seek refuge in this country.

If you love the unborn, pass laws that will allow my parents to stay legally in this country, the only country they have only known.

If you love me, truly love me, care for my life from conception to death.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
-A.Cano

Thursday, June 28, 2018

We Needed You....Will You Stay

“We needed you when they labeled us rapist, criminals, drug traffickers.
We needed you when they threatened to separate our families after years of working diligently in this country.
We needed you on November 8, 2106, when we cried in agony of what was to come.
We needed you to grieve with us on January 20 as we watched dreams fall away. 
We needed you when travel bans began, when the hope of safety from our countries began to die. 
We needed you when racists, Alt-right and white supremacists were being assigned to our country’s leadership.
We needed you before September 5, when lies of our DREAMERS ran rampant and you followed along in the blaming of their parents. 
We needed you when TPS was being slashed, and we were demanded to leave this country where our children were born. 
We needed you when the labeling was the justification of tearing our families apart, in our own homes.
We needed you when they kept saying that we were animals and criminals.
We needed you to listen, to hear our pain, to see our sorrow.
We need you to know we are thankful, but skeptical, it took you this long to arrive? And how long will you stay? 
When the media goes away, and a new crisis arises, please don’t go away. 
We hope you’ll stay with us to pray, labor, cry and raise voices each time our fears become alive.”
-Anyra
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9‬

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Suficiente Fe

¡El Día de la Madre puede ser hermoso!  La mayoría de las personas se emocionan solo en pensar en el regalo con el que podemos sorprender a mamá.  Nos esforzamos para que sea un día donde ella se sienta especial, alegre y amada. 

Pero para otras personas es un día difícil.  Puede ser porque su ser querido ya no está con ellas, o porque tal vez nunca tuvieron la oportunidad de conocer a la mamá que les dio vida.

Para mí es difícil porque por años mi corazón ha anhelado ser mamá. No digo esto porque yo quiera un reconocimiento o para causar pena. Lo comparto porque es un duelo secreto y no es común en nuestra cultura hablar sobre este tema, pero comparto esto pensando en aquellas familias que sienten lo mismo que yo.

Es un duelo secreto por que no es algo que muchos entienden.  Cuando mencionas este duelo sobre la infertilidad de inmediato recibes miles de consejos sobre remedios naturales, caseros y milagrosos.  Muchos en la iglesia te “exhortan” por no tener suficiente fe o por no orar de la manera correcta por ese milagro. Y lo mas común, ya que no tienen qué más decir, es que te dicen: “Espera en el tiempo de Dios”. ¡Como si yo no supiera eso!

“¿Cuando vas a tener hijos?”. “Ya es hora de que tengas tus hijos, ¿no?”.  Estas son las preguntas  que escucho cada año y en cada baby shower, ¡y, tristemente, de las mismas personas!  He aprendido decir: “Gracias por su preocupación; ya que lo está, hable usted con Dios y a ver si a usted sí le responde”.  Créanme que estas preguntas y esos comentarios pueden causar mucho dolor, y más si los sigues escuchando de las mismas personas.

Gracias a Dios en la iglesia donde mi esposo y yo somos pastores, muchos han aprendido a ser más sensibles, o simplemente me hacen sentir que ellos están orando por nosotros.  Pero, siendo personas públicas, dondequiera que vamos las preguntas y los comentarios siempre están a punto de reventar.  Se les hace muy raro ver una pareja joven de pastores, casados por casi 9 años y sin hijos. Es triste que a veces nos hacen sentir inferiores porque no tenemos la experiencia de ser padres.

En una ocasión, en el año 2009 un hombre vino a visitar nuestra iglesia; ese hombre se adjudicaba el título de “profeta”.  Me preguntó por mis hijos y le comenté que hasta ese momento Dios no me había bendecido de esa manera.  Inmediatamente me dijo que él me profetizaba  que “a fines de ese año estaría embarazada”.  Le di las gracias y me dijo: “Sin fe no vas a quedar embarazada”. Yo le respondí que yo sí tenía fe, fe en Dios.  Es el 2016 y sigo teniendo fe.  Esa no fue la primera ni la última “profecía” que he recibido de personas que no me conocen y que me hacen sentir que yo tengo que tener fe en ellas para que se haga el milagro. 

Hace un tiempo mi esposo y yo estuvimos sirviendo en un trabajo misionero en la República Dominicana.  La pastora que nos atendió era un amor y nos recibió con los brazos abiertos. Con mucha sinceridad nos hizo la pregunta del millón (la de los hijos).  En uno de los cultos en su iglesia comenzó a proclamar que alguien en ese lugar estaba embarazada y que ella iba a orar por esa persona.  ¡Me alegré mucho por esa persona!  Pero de repente pasó lo que nunca he querido que me pase: ¡Me pidieron que pasara  al altar porque, por fe, yo era la embarazada!  No sabía qué hacer, y en lo más profundo de mí, me pregunté: “Pues ¿qué pierdo al tener esperanza en esa fe que están proclamando?”.  Fui al altar; en primer lugar por respeto, y también porque anhelaba que fuera cierto.  Otra parte de mi decía: “Anyra, cuida tu corazón”.  Dejé que oraran por mí, y por fe decidí guardar esa esperanza.  Pasó el tiempo y mi corazón fue lastimado una vez más.  Créanme, no nos falta la fe.

En un Día de la Madre vino a cantar a nuestra iglesia una cantante de mariachi.  Ella pidió que todas las mamás pasaran al frente.  Pues, obviamente, yo no soy mamá y no pasé.  Después la cantante comenzó a buscar entre las que estaban en el frente a la esposa del pastor.  Como no la encontraba preguntó: “Bueno, ¿dónde está la esposa del pastor?”. Todas me señalaron con pena, ¡y yo ahí sentada queriendo salir corriendo!  No sé que pasó, tal vez ella no es buena con las matemáticas, pero si las mamás ya estaban paradas y yo sentada, pues ¡tal vez eso quiere decir que no soy mamá!  Después me pidió que la acompañara y yo, por respeto y para no causar un escándalo, me levanté y pasé.  Ella me comenzó a cantar una canción para mamás y empezó a pedirles a las hermanas: “Vayan a darle un abrazo especial por que ella no solo es mamá pero también es esposa de pastor”.  ¡Trágame tierra!  Ahí enfrente de toda la iglesia fui humillada y lastimada.  Solo tenía malos pensamientos para esa mujer. ¿Cómo pudo humillarme de esa manera?

Quiero compartir solo una parte de tantas historias que he vivido para ayudarles entender un poquito de lo que pasamos.

También he pasado momentos hermosos donde aprendí mucho de personas que son sinceras y amorosas. 

Hace unos años estaba en Colombia con una tía de mi esposo; una mujer sabia y de gran fe.  Ella, con amor y sensibilidad, nos preguntó si teníamos planes de tener hijos.  Nosotros le explicamos que ese era un anhelo de nuestro corazón, y le compartimos del dolor que hemos vivido.  Le compartí que era muy difícil escuchar lo mismo de siempre: “Espera el tiempo de Dios”, como si eso fuera un premio de consolación.  ¡Y ella me sorprendió!  Me dijo con mucha convicción: “No, no esperes el tiempo de Dios”.  ¿Que qué me dijo? “No esperes el tiempo de Dios, tú DESCANSA en el tiempo de Dios”. Me quedé callada y me puse a considerar cuál era la diferencia.

Días después, durante mis oraciones y mi tiempo devocional, Dios me reveló qué quiso decir la tía con eso de “descansar en el tiempo de Dios”.  Dios, por medio de su Palabra y de la tía, me dejó entender que esperar y descansar son dos cosas diferentes.  Me imaginé en una alberca, relajada y flotando boca arriba.  Ese es uno de mis pasatiempos favoritos porque en esos momentos solo me dejo ir, sin preocupación ni ansiedad.  Así me quería Dios. Dios me enseñó que no era que yo no tenía “suficiente fe” sino que él me estaba invitando a descansar en su tiempo, su soberanía, su plan, su voluntad.

Esto no quiere decir que ya no me duele o que ya me rendí; al contrario sí me duele, especialmente cada vez que escucho la noticia de un embarazo, o en el Día de la Madre, o en el Día del Padre, o cuando veo a familias jugando con sus niños, o cuando algunos padres no cuidan a sus hijos o se quejan de ellos. Y más aún cuando veo a niños sin padres.  Pero Dios me invita a batallar con él, a llorar con él y a descansar en él.  No sé por qué, no entiendo por qué, pero de algo sí estoy segura: que Dios en su voluntad sí sabe por qué.  Y yo tengo fe en que Dios, en su soberanía, no nos ha permitido ser padres (por embarazo o adopción) hasta ahora porque él así lo ha planeado, y si esa es su voluntad yo descansaré en ella.

Por  último, les dejo unos consejos:
·      Lo mejor que pueden hacer por personas que sufren de infertilidad es ORAR.  Oren por personas con ese duelo pidiendo que Dios nos traiga descanso en su perfecta voluntad.
·      Si han conocido a la pareja por bastante tiempo no les pregunten a cada rato.
·      No nos digan que no tenemos fe o que no tenemos suficiente fe. Jesús dijo que si tuviéramos la fe del tamaño de un grano de mostaza podíamos mover montañas.
·      Si usted se considera profeta, y Dios le ha iluminado, pídale a Dios que sea él quien nos de la noticia de un embarazo, ya que por medio de Cristo tenemos acceso personal a Dios para recibir sus mensajes. 
·      Iglesia, consideren a las familias sin hijos cuando celebran el Día de la Madre o el Día del Padre; consideren su dolor y sean sensibles.  También consideren a las familias que solo fueron padres por un poco de tiempo y que sus hijos ahora están con Dios.
·      Cuidado con sus consejos, es mejor no darlos si no se los piden.
·       Tampoco sugieran que adopten solo por que usted tiene una conocida que quedó embarazada después de haber adoptado. Yo trabajé con familias en adopción, y de todas las que adoptaron por infertilidad tal vez el 1% quedó embarazada después. 
·      No hagan bromas en cuanto a “regalarme a sus hijos”. Los niños no son para regalar; el dar un hijo en adopción es una decisión muy dolorosa y debe ser una de las últimas opciones para madres o familias.
·      No todos deben adoptar y no todos pueden adoptar.  La adopción de un niño puede ser complicada, y debe ser un llamado de Dios. 
·      No me traten diferente o no me hagan sentir inferior; todos tenemos duelos, pero sigo siendo una persona normal, como usted.  Compartan sus alegrías, su noticias, su amor de familia; invítenme a sus baby showers, fiestas, etc. 
·      Tal vez no soy madre pero eso no me hace menos persona, ni menos capaz de servir a Dios en el ministerio.
·      Recuerden que la infertilidad causa un gran dolor, a veces duele más unos días que otros.
Mujer: si tienes suficiente fe, descansa en el tiempo de Dios.  Estoy orando contigo y por ti.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Coming to America isn't as easy as you may think Part 1: Tourist VISAS


I hear a lot of:   "people should get here the right way". I agree 100%. However, many times its almost IMPOSSIBLE to get here the right way. I would like to start sharing about what it takes to get in the U.S. legally. I will do this by sharing real stories.  Today I begin with how difficult it is to come to the US as a tourist.

I have found it very amusing at times to hear my fellow Americans say things like the following when they have to travel to other countries,

  "Why do we have to get a VISA to go to ________?" 
  "Why do I have to pay $ so much to get a VISA to travel to that country?" 
  "Why do I have to go to that country's consulate in ____ city to get my VISA?"
  "Why do I have to mail my passport to get my VISA?"

I'm sure you've heard many other things as well.  It's amusing yet upsetting to hear these comments. I am going to share with you what other travelers from other countries have to do to come to America. I will share this information based on my experience on trying to have my in-laws come to visit my husband and I from Colombia.

A few years ago, my husband and I wanted his siblings to come to the USA to spend Christmas with us.  We thought it would be so fun to have all three of them come, they were all still single, in college or just graduated (they didn't want to stay in America).

As an American,  I prepared an invitation letter for them to take to the US Embassy.  My family lives in Barranquilla, Colombia so these were the steps they had to take:

1.  Get their Colombian Passport.
2.  Pay for a special required "Card" to make an appointment with US Embassy that cost $25
3.  Travel to Bogota, Colombia to go to VISA appointment.  16 hour trip by bus, or  a 1 1/2 hour plane ride which can cost you approximately $250 round-trip (in Colombia)
  In many countries you have to travel to the capital city of the country to go to your VISA appointment.  (Unlike getting a VISA to other countries you are obligated to go to consulate, you can't hire anyone to go for you nor can you mail in your application).
  You don't get to choose the appointment date or time.
  You have to take a whole dossier (compilation) of paperwork to prove who you are, how much money you make and sufficient evidence that you will not overstay your visit in USA.
  You have to arrive really early to the Embassy to get in on time.  You can wait in line for hours in order to get in so you better get there super early so you can get in on time for your appointment or you will loose your appointment and money.
4.  Pay $160 prior to your appointment.
5.  Go to appointment without ANY guarantee that you will be given a VISA.  

If you do not get a VISA you do not get your money back.

Well back to my family...so they did all they had to go to the appointment.  They went off to Bogota, to their appointment.  We prayed, they had all of their paperwork to prove everything they needed and paid their fees.  

Once they each got called to their appointment, they were asked 1-2 superficial questions and then denied their VISA.  They never took the time to look at any of the paperwork requested.  They were all simply told--NO.

In total each one of them spent approximately $500 to go to this appointment just to be told, NO, without any explanation, no real interview, just No.  BTW- $500 is almost twice as much the monthly minimum wage per person.  People live on less than that a month.

The following year my family thought they would try again, by this time my husband had become an American Citizen, (he had a green card prior to that).  This time we thought this would make a more positive impact on their case.  So my family did all that is required, again, and paid their fees. This time only two of them were going to try.  One of them had an excellent career in Colombia and the other was in graduate school.

So off they go, we are positive this time they will say yes, why wouldn't they, right?

We wait for their call anxiously all morning...

Get the call...they are crying as they were told NO again.  They were treated exactly the same way...

By this time I am very mad...I feel that as an American citizen I should have the right to have my family visit me!  After all I am writing a letter saying that I am taking the responsibility for their return to Colombia!  

I call my Representative... I live in Texas so you can imagine..
Representative clearly says, 

"Honestly it's up to the officer, what their mood is in order to give a VISA, there doesn't have to be a reason not to give the VISA, it's all up to the officer and how he feels that day."  -SERIOUSLY!  

Then she retracts and says "no I'm sorry I shouldn't be saying that."  She proceeds by saying, "well I think its because there is only a number of VISAS that can be given each month and they probably had already ran out."  

Um she just made it worse!  So you are telling me that the Embassy knowingly knows they can't give a VISA because of  the number of slots available,  yet you take the money of these people and know what it costs for them to travel to go to the appointment, wow very encouraging words. (Please know that if that is the policy to have only a number of slots per month, that is OK, but it is not ok to keep taking money from applicants when you know you can't give them a VISA).

So this gives you a glimpse of what the rest of the world has to do to come to the USA just as a tourist.  It's not as easy as you may think it is.  It can be very expensive and you don't have any guarantees.  

If it's this difficult to come as Tourist, imagine trying to come to work, study or even to live here.

As I said earlier, I agree, immigrants should come here the correct way, but before we use this as our banner for immigration policies please educate yourself on how difficult it is.  


“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:33-34 (ESV)

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Rejected by the World...

Why are we so surprised as disciples of Christ to be rejected by the world, Did Jesus not say that it would happen? Why are we so strung on our earthly rights when we do not belong to this land, we are children of God and our home is with Him. Everyone including His own went against Jesus, He had rights, but knew that this was not His home and that his duty was only to live out God's will in His life.

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” John 18:35-36

If we can't handle this, how will we do in the end times?