Healing the Wounds of the Displaced

What would a pastoral approach to immigration, written by an immigrant working among immigrants on the front lines of ministry, look like? Zamora gives us not only a realistic picture of such ministry and its challenges, but a hopeful way to embody an ecclesiology of accompaniment and solidarity with immigrant neighbors today. Weaving together relevant demographics, storytelling, theological reflections, and pastoral experience, Zamora puts a human face on the traumas experienced by immigrant neighbors, their hunger for belonging, and the church's call to attend to their holistic needs and rejoice in their gifts. --Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M., professor of systematic theology, Concordia Seminary, and author of Sculptor Spirit (IVP Academic, 2019) and Immigrant Neighbors among Us, coedited with M. Daniel Carroll R. (Pickwick, 2015) Amid the multiple controversies surrounding immigration, the voice of an undocumented pastor calling for the church to minister effectively and faithfully to his community is a unique and essential contribution to the conversation. Pastor Zamora Avila's reflections are raw and real. Whether we agree or not, we need to listen. --Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra, academic dean, Centro Latino, Fuller Theological Seminary Framed within Francisco Zamora's own experience as an undocumented immigrant during most of his life, and based on his journey as an undocumented theological student and pastor for immigrant communities, Healing the Wounds of the Displaced offers us first a fresh account of the historical background and present-day realities of Hispanic/Latino undocumented populations. After summarizing the contributions of key Hispanic theologians to a ""biblical theology of migration"" and describing the psychological needs of the immigrant community, he invites us to consider what he sees as the new dimensions for doing pastoral ministry with those ""in the margins."" This invitation cannot be more pertinent for Christian leaders in this country who, independent of their political and theological positions, strongly believe in a God who ""protects the strangers who live in our land."" --Dr. Fernando Cascante, senior consultant with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Francisco brings to light the plight of the immigrant through his incredible personal journey and vulnerability. This material is a must-read for those in church leadership who desire a compassionate, Christ-honoring way to embrace the immigrant. It's also a must-read for those church leaders who aren't so sure how to respond to the immigrant in Christ. It is both compelling and practical! --James Gann, founder and director of Manna