As I reflected on this month’s theme it came to me the complete loneliness and desperation of the young night women of Martinsburg’s streets. 
Drugs and the assortment of men overcome them and family ties are broken. Where do they go? Who truly loves them? 
They are the Alone…whether they know it or not. 
One gal in particular took my heart, and this painting is in honor of her. 
"Uncle Sam Needs You" is a phrase commonly implied as a call for duty to country through military service. It is easily applied to voting.
Voting is one of the many rights that we enjoy in this great country, with much thanks to our forefathers. Surprisingly so many people ignore the opportunity to exercise their right, in effect, by not voting you are saying that your vote doesn’t matter. Evidently you’ve elected to have no sense of obligation to our country or the life you enjoy within its boundaries. Voting makes a difference.
Voting is what this country was founded on. This is the opportunity for everyone to participate in democracy while supporting candidates of their choosing, you can stand-up for ideologies and concerns that continually shape our lives and the lives of our future generations. The election process our democracy has created is a very multi-faceted and multi-dimensional system to decide leadership, shape societal values and impact the roles and obligations of all of us.
We as United States Citizens have been blessed with many symbols of unity, strength and patriotism and through the acts of Congress, which were selected by voters, have adopted the motto “In God We Trust”. These words define so much of what America means, although when it comes to the election process we cannot merely leave it to God. We must actively participate: just as we must actively involve God in our day to day spiritual life. If we ignore our rights, our obligations to our Country, our monuments which represent freedom, leadership and responsibility to others: our country and our belief in God will begin to crumple. We will be left with nothing to close to what we have all taken for granted.
Human trafficking occurs daily in nearly every country on the globe, ranging from exploitive working conditions to out-and-out slavery. 
In an effort to escape or even just relieve the poverty they live in, individual adult and children and even whole families fall victim to traffickers. 
The victims of trafficking can be found not only in agricultural and industrial venues, but also in private homes. 
While hundreds of thousands of people are trafficked across international borders every year, millions are trafficked within their own countries. And the worldwide profit to the traffickers runs in the billions of dollars.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been a constant shed of tears and blood for many decades.
In 2002 Israel began building a concrete wall that is 25 feet high to separate Palestine, but as well confiscate land from the Palestinians that could be used for homes and agriculture. 
It is a hard issue to talk about. Where do we stand in it? The United States has played a role in financing the Wall. Do we then participate in the agony of Palestinians? How then can we discover and participate in the role of peace and justice as our Lord would require of us?
Individuals who arrive at the doors of centers like Shalom and the Mission, are living in the moment in a crisis. Some are just searching for a non-threatening human contact in a less chaotic atmosphere. Whatever fractures have occurred in their lives, I believe they were guided by God in their search for a safe haven in Shalom. The Coalition for the Homeless and the Shalom Resource Center developed a logical approach to deliver basic supports to help our neighbor succeed. And those who can’t succeed yet, because of so many failures, consistent patience and structure that can be offered to this human, could be the motivating force for a new beginning.
It was discouraging and frightful to sit through a BZA hearing, with hate expressed eloquently by neighbors who felt they were above reproach. It was heart wrenching to hear a young military man share his personal crisis that rendered him without a permanent address, and the joy he held in his heart for those that helped him. 
I felt deep anger as the BZA dismissed him and showed total disregard for this human. Blinded by power, the BZA lost control of their meeting, lost their direction for the task at hand, and resorted to personal opinions and gave an Oscar winning performance for the “nimby award”. (There but by the grace of God go I, I pray that the individuals in our community who celebrate nimbyism will listen and understand God’s message as they make decisions for others. 
I wanted to capture in my limited artistic way, the image of talking heads who have no ears to listen, no eyes to see, thereby keeping their hearts closed. I wanted the individuals who have no voice of their own, but listen and take in life through wide eyes. Who will they trust, There but by the grace of God go I. 
The nopal cactus grows everywhere in Mexico, and is a powerful image of national identity. The mythical image of an eagle perched atop a nopal with a snake in its mouth led the ancient Aztecs to settle Tenochtitlan, now known as Mexico City. Both the nopal paddles and fruit are eaten in Mexico. The fleshy paddles, which are carefully cleaned of their spines, then sliced and grilled, are reminiscent of green beans or okra, while the deep magenta fruit (called “tunas”) are eaten raw and taste similar to watermelon.
When considering the topic of immigration (specifically that of Mexicans making the dangerous journey across the desert to the U.S.), I wanted to depict the sadness, fear and isolation of the journey. I chose to paint the nopal cactus as a majestic figure, symbolizing national pride, abundance, and beauty. The figure of the nopal is appropriate for a topic as complicated and conflicting as immigration. While strong, beautiful and useful, the nopal is also quietly threatening and does not invite touch. In this painting, the prickly surface of the nopal is depicted by shredded documents. This use of materials alludes to the necessity for undocumented workers to piece together a new identity.
I also wanted to depict the journey from the Mexican viewpoint. The figures moving away from the viewer are leaving their homes and families. They would not be migrating if economic circumstances were not desperate. The loss of so many young, healthy workers is detrimental to Mexico’s economy and its farms. Americans who feel threatened by immigrants should understand that the crisis hurts both sides of the border.
