Christmas Prayer Vigil at Googleville in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dec. 13, 2017 - PRLog -- The encampment is called Googleville, because Google and other tech companies have already caused thousands of Silicon Valley residents to become homeless. And unless it offsets the housing impact of its proposed San Jose development, Google will cause thousands more to become homeless in the future.

This Christmas, we pray for the Lord to heal the gaping wound that is the divide between haves and have nots in Silicon Valley.

We pray for our elected officials to remember that Jesus himself came into this world as a homeless child, and that he lived his entire life and ministry as a member of the working class.

This Christmas, we ask ourselves whether Jesus would even be welcome in today's Silicon Valley, or whether he would be turned away like the tens of thousands of other carpenters, laborers, and service workers who can no longer afford to pay rent in our community.

How long, Lord, must our people sleep on filthy sidewalks and under bushes in the dead of winter, while  Silicon Valley billionaires buy tropical islands and build mansions of marble and gold?

This Christmas, we ask our political leaders to choose: will they will serve money, or will they serve the Living God who calls us to care for the least of our people. No one can serve two masters.

We pray for elected officials to hold our tech companies accountable to benefit the people in their communities, not just to extract profits, with no concern or responsibility for the welfare of their neighbors.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  - Isaiah

TIME: 12 NOON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19

PLACE: GOOGLEVILLE, IMMEDIATELY OFF THE NORTH END OF FELIPE ROAD IN SAN JOSE

Learn more about CHAM at http://chamministry.com