Migration is not an uncommon Biblical theme. Migration is so central in the Bible because it is central to human experience. In fact I would say that we humans are a migratory species.
In the old Testament we have Abraham and Sarah who are commanded to migrate from the land of UR to the land of Canaan (Gen 12 : 1 – 2). Whether following the “pull” of a promised future or the “push” of conflict economic distress or famine, Abraham and Sarah’s descendants also lived lives shaped by migration. Joseph the grandson of Isaac was sold by his brothers along the trade line that went to Egypt only to be rejoined by his father Jacob and his brothers later because of famine. The Israelites had their own migration experience for over forty years and God wanted them to recall this always, “You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you and you shall love him as yourself.” (Leviticus 19 : 34).
In the New Testament we see Mary and Joseph before Jesus’ birth running from pillar to post to find a safe place to deliver the babe. Every door of civilization was shut on them and finally they were led to a stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. He had no fixed place and moved from Bethlehem to Egypt and back when King Herod died. He moved to Nazareth where He had His childhood and spent His adolescence. He traveled to Jerusalem with His parents. Jesus performed His miracles outside His hometown because of their lack of faith – Luke 4 : 24 “Truly I say to you no prophet is acceptable in his own country.” So Jesus was truly a Migrant, a Refugee.
The dictionary meaning of ‘Migrant’ is a person who moves from one place to another specially in order to find work or to better living conditions. Keeping this definition in mind we can make this observation that at least one member of the family if not the entire family can be classified as a ‘Migrant’. In India the natives from one State move to another State looking for jobs in order to help their families at home to have a shelter and a descent living. Some years ago large exodus of Indians traveled to Gulf countries to send home big remittances. In March – April 2020 huge exodus of migrant workers back to their hometown was witnessed due to the lock down and closure of factories which resulted in loss of jobs.Migration today sometimes is voluntary and other times unfortunately forced by wars, persecution or by difficult living conditions. We move for positive reasons such as to go to schools or to begin a new job. And we move for negative reasons to escape poverty or oppression. Due to lack of jobs and difficult living conditions, the migrant worker is forced to take up menial jobs and the derogatory term “Gantti” is used to describe him/her.
I would like to quote here the words of Vikram Patel, Professor of Global Health at Harvard Medical School, in the Indian Express dated 19/01/2022 “I have no doubt that our Nationalists love India, but it baffles me that they cannot see what is staring at us in our faces. Hate and othering will extinguish the flicker of hope for our young people craving for the country where the diversity of personal identities are a marker of a country’s maturity, magnanimity and modernity. Worryingly, in the three years from 2016 to 2019 the numbers of Young Indians who fled the country to study abroad increased by 40% and I expect that the numbers will climb further in the years ahead. Most will become migrants and will undoubtedly further swell the ranks of ‘Indians’ who ‘rule the world’.”If we are Christ’s followers should we not follow Christ’s command, “Love one another as I have loved you” ?
Terence D’Souza