New Vocab New Fire

I learned a new word, more than that though... a new condition millions around the world find themselves in which can be devastating.  A term born out of our need to control as much as possible, especially people.  Our governments need to know constantly what we are doing, where we are living or working, and our general status.  Without the proper documentation of who we are we can't get a job or see a doctor, go to school, or travel out of the country.  What if you didn't have this documentation?  What if you couldn't prove you were a citizen of anywhere?

You would be stateless.  There are an estimated 15 million stateless people in the world today.  Unable to work unless paid under the table.  Unable to travel, unable to vote, unable to provide for their families, unable to get an education to work past their present.  Alone and unaccounted for - and uncared for.

Some refugees are stateless, however many have citizenship simply in a state where their is conflict and war.  If given refugee status though they are allowed to travel and given aid.  Unlike a stateless person who may not be fleeing from any conflict, simply unable to prove where and to whom they were born.  (honestly not really their fault either is it?)

Without proper documentation (birth certificate, social security number, work permit, general ID's) people are denied everything.  This is a problem in many countries from Bangladesh to the Dominican Republic to Pakistan and the independent states that were a part of the USSR.  Imagine your government saying "No.  We don't claim you and we don't know who you are."

Sometimes this is done accidentally, in a state of chaos or upheaval, sometimes specific groups are targeted (ethnic, racial, religious), and almost always it is a generational inheritance.  If your parents don't exist to the government how do you?
So in response to this issue my heart cries - LEARN.  Learn as much as you can about everything you can so that you can go out in understanding and love.  I have 3 different colors of post -it's (yes I organize my life in colors and post it's) one for Issues I Want to Learn About, another for People to Learn About, and another for inspirational quotes from others.  There are many issues I don't know about, but much I can learn.  There are people who have gone before me asking the same questions and living out their lives in response.  I want to learn from them to better understand my own calling. 

My favorite so far -
When I feed the poor, they call me a saint.
When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.
Dom Helder Camara,
Archbishop of Recife, Brazil

Best of Luck with your passion -

your sister in Christ~Erin