Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)has maintained a visible presence in both Portland and Lewiston for several months, with a noticeable increase in activity in recent weeks. It is true that ICE has arrested individuals who have committed crimes and pose a threat to public safety, and we recognize the legitimacy of those efforts. At the same time, we have also observed individuals with no criminal history being arrested and detained. In recent weeks, at least five adult English students connected to The Root Cellar have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As we turn the page into a new year, our hearts at The Root Cellar are overflowing with gratitude. This season has been a powerful reminder of how faithfully God provides through the generosity and partnership of our community.

This season invites us to reflect on the Christmas story: Mary, "great with child," and Joseph desperate to find a safe place to give birth, they end up in a stable. It is natural--and worthwhile--to draw parallels between their experience and the realities of people who find themselves on the margins, searching for home and belonging.

But what if we are looking at the story backward--using our present circumstances as the lens through which we interpret the birth of Christ?