Bible Reflection on Feminization of Migration

We realize the need on the protecting human right of migrant workers and the church has to protect them for humanizations.

Then, what say the bible on  women migrant workers?

Teaching of the Old Testament regarding Women Migrants

The Old Testament  teach us that we should treat the foreign women migrants as our people.  We can find the suitable model on  ethic for women migrant workers through the Ruth. The Ruth is a text about aliens woman. In the text bible says that people of God must have not racism, nationalism and classism, on the contrary we have to protect the poor migrant.

1. Ruth stood at the both side; as a residents and a migrant. Ruth as a resident gave up her comfortable security from her home and she decided to live with a powerless woman who has hopeless. She had the solidarity with powerless people in the sisterhood. Ruth stand by side her lonely mother in law, even giving up her religion. We can learn the solidarity between migrants women and the residents through th attitude of Ruth.

2. Most of important teaching is that we should treat the migrant woman as our people. It was according to the spirit of Israelite community which Boaz allowed the gleaning. According to Deuteronomy Chapter 24 : 5-21 Israel Community didn't allow to take to gleaning to his home "When you reap your harvest in your harvest and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. Leave it for the migrants, orphans, and widows; then the Lord your Guard will bless and prosper all you do."  It was same case with the olives and all kind of the crops. These things was forbidden in God's order."Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt-that is why I am giving this command.(22). Through this command Israelite has the tradition which do not pick the gleaning and leave for those in need. This law related to social welfare law for oppressed people in Deuteronomy chap. 24. This law is follow. "Never oppress a poor hired man, whether a fellow Israelite or a foreigner living in your town. Pay him his wage each day before Sunset, for since he is poor he needs it right away; otherwise he may cry out to the Lord against to you and it would be counted as a sin against to you.(14-15). According to these laws Boaz didn't discriminate the foreign migrant woman and not only allowed the gleanings, but also gave the food for her and her mothers in law. and he forbade his young men to bother her. Such kind of attitude become a good model for us toward  migrant workers. Today lot of people come to korea from their land like Ruth. These people work so harder than Ruth. They need the warm hand and heart as like as Ruth need. We must give the comfortable place for them and sharing our food with them. Most of important fact is that Boas treat the foreign woman as his people.

3. In this section we can notice the ask of Ruth's rights and the attitude of Boaz. the wedding story of ruth and Boaz reflected on the demand of the poor's life existence rights and, the community's ethic on the protecting rights for the oppressed and accept the demand of the poor.

The rights recovering of the poor comes from the struggle of the poor as like Ruth demand  the rights to Boaz. We can see through the activity of migrant workers of Korea. the labour condition was improved when migrant worker demonstrated against their dehumanized situation. In a word it is very important that church have to develope the program when church work for migrant workers.

4. However lot of  Receiving Countries don't respond to the migrant's voices. In  many cases the people reject their crying like the nearest relative of Naomi. But Boaz's case is positive. Boaz take a part in solidarity with Naomi and Ruth's struggle for their rights. He gave up his profit and protected Naomi and Ruth's family through marriage a foreign woman. What is the meaning Which Boaz has today?  Boaz is a symbol of the solidating people with migrant workers for their rights  in this land without any condition.

5. All people  who were looking there blessed Boaz, "May you be a great and successful man in Bethlehem!" Because they know that the community of God is based on the compassion and justice.

The story of Ruth reject racism. nationalism and classism. In this text we see a life style of saint community which is harmonized with a foreign people and practice the justice for the poor. The Ruth tell us what is a true life of the community in the time of global village toward receiving country people who oppress and exploitable the migrant workers and are exclusive for  the foreigner who left their land and family in the third world.

Teaching of the New Testament

1)According to Luke chapter 10: 25-37 " The neighbor is the one who had mercy on the man who fell into the hands of robbers". Therefore we have to love women migrants as our neighbor who are discriminated by the racism, sexism and classism in the receiving countries as well as who fell into the hands of robbers.

2)According to Galatians chapter 3 : 28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ." Therefore we do not discriminate to women migrant workers, because we are one in Christ ,and every people are "Image of God".

Justice, Peace and Life with Women Migrant Workers!

We should try to help and protect for human rights of women migrant workers in Asia  following God's oder in which "when an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The an alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as your self( leviticus 19,33-34).  We have to help the women migrant workers physically, economically, politically, and spiritually. It is not simply help to migrant workers. We try to make partnership between women migrant workers and Korean and Asian for Justice, peace and Life in this world. There is neither migrant nor national resident in God.