Posts Tagged ‘Displaced People’
Love Grows Greater
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places. But there is still much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps the greater.”
— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
The world is indeed full of peril, and there are many dark places within it. We find this to be true every time we turn on the news. Stories of displaced people, violence and natural disasters pepper our screens in a staggering display of devastation and loss.
Ebola has, once again, threatened the health of thousands throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Last spring, Cyclone Idai wreaked havoc across Malawi, and in the fall, Hurricane Dorian killed thousands more in the Bahamas. Ongoing conflict in South Sudan has forced millions to seek protection in camps encircled by barbed wire, with little hope of returning home. Yemen has become the world’s worst humanitarian crisis according to the U.N., with three-quarters of the population requiring basic assistance and protection. Renewed fighting in Syria has left 140,000 men, women and children displaced, and hundreds of thousands of the Rohingya people have fled violence in Myanmar to nearby Bangladesh, where they are still living in tent cities under leaking tarps and battling rampant disease.
The magnitude of this darkness, pain and loss can feel overwhelming. We weep at the suffering, injustice and pain felt by so many — the hatred, dehumanization and abuses of power that keep so many from achieving their God-given potential. We lament recent developments within our own country that have made it harder for those seeking refuge to find it.
Yet, we still have hope because there is still so much to hope for. One of the many miracles of this life is that what seem to be mutually exclusive states of being, actually mingle together to create an intricate web of human experience: joy and sorrow, light and darkness, hope and despair. Out of the greatest tragedies rise stories of love that defy all hatred. Despite all odds, hope still flourishes and love endures.
Together, we are bringing the love of Christ to suffering families around the world. We are witnessing love grow greater through the joy and hope provided by the thousands of World Relief partners, local church leaders and volunteers giving of themselves every single day.Â
Love is growing greater in South Sudan as tens of thousands of displaced children receive medical care, education and relief from malnutrition.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, volunteer trainings on health and hygiene are helping prevent the spread of disease in areas affected by Ebola.
In Turkana, Kenya, where one of the most hostile climates in the world exposes people to repeated droughts and famine, lessons in raising drought-resistant livestock and crops are enabling families to break the cycle of poverty and dependence in their community.
In Yemen, where millions of people are at risk of illness and disease due to ongoing conflict, thousands of vulnerable families are receiving lifesaving emergency provisions of clean drinking water and learning about cholera prevention and treatment, sanitation and hygiene promotion.
In Malawi, 650 families received livestock and farming materials and are now rebuilding their farms after Cyclone Idai’s devastation.
And in the United States, God’s people are fighting back against the rising tide of fear and division in our nation, building welcoming communities of love and refuge where vulnerable immigrants can begin rebuilding their lives and homes.
Love grows greater when we respond to God’s leading. It grows greater when we share stories of faith, endurance and sacrifice and stories of God doing impossible things. For every story of darkness we hear, a story of faith, hope and love springs up beside it. This is God’s tender mercy at work — His light dispelling the darkness. In the midst of disasters, injustice and conflict, “these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Christmas Gift Guide
This holiday season, we’re celebrating change that lasts. Every day, we hear stories of lasting change as people like you step forward to create communities of love and welcome in the U.S., and as churches across the globe step up to serve vulnerable people around them.
We know you care about refugees, immigrants and vulnerable people, and we know you want your gifts to friends and family to be special. That’s why this Christmas, we’ve created a fun, tangible way for you to serve people in need while also giving your friends and family a meaningful gift they’ll love: our Christmas Gift Guide.
Each product and/or company in this guide supports refugees and other immigrants in vulnerable situations through advocacy, employing refugees or donating a portion of their proceeds to World Relief.
From books to candles, and everything in between, there’s sure to be something for everyone on your list. Create change that lasts this Christmas by shopping our gift guide today!
When You Can’t Go HomeÂ
This beautiful book is perfect for the avid reader and art lover in your life. Seattle-based artist Karisa Keasey spent two years interviewing refugees and painting their portraits. She combined the stories and artwork into a stunning book you can purchase on her website. 50% of the profits will be donated to World Relief.
Pen + Pillar
For the writer and kind-hearted giver in your life, shop owners Taylor and Justin have created a series of notebooks, greeting cards and art prints that your loved one is sure to enjoy. Each gift is inspired by Taylor and Justin’s love of nature, travel, community and warmth. Pine and Pillar also donates 10% of their profits to World Relief!
Anchor of Hope Box
For the person who loves getting surprised every month, this subscription box is the perfect match. Founded by a World Relief volunteer, Anchor of Hope Box supports refugees and other vulnerable people around the world by giving them a platform to sell their products and make an income. Purchase the monthly subscription box or shop the online store for jewelry, household items and more.
Welcoming the Stranger
This gift is perfect for the activist and fervent learner in your life. Written by World Relief’s Jenny Yang and Matt Soerens, Welcoming the Stranger moves beyond political rhetoric to offer a Christian response to refugees and immigrants. This book provides insight into the U.S. immigration system and policy analysis alongside real-life stories from displaced people in the U.S.
Hawa Images
Need to update your Christmas card photo? Not sure what to get your grandparents or in-laws for Christmas? Then Illinois-based photography studio, Hawa Images, is for you! “Hawa” is a Swahili word meaning “these.” Hawa Images is about sharing stories of these people: near or far, foreign or familiar, similar or seemingly different. A portion of the proceeds each month goes to support World Relief.
Knotty Tie
Need a gift for the men in your life? Knotty tie has got you covered! This small-batch manufacturing company employs refugees resettled in the United States and creates playful yet professional neckties, bow ties and pocket squares.
Vickery Trading Co.
For the person who loves handmade clothing for children, this shop will deliver. Vickery Trading Co. supports women refugees in the Dallas area by teaching them to sew, then employing them to make stylish clothing and accessories for women and children. All refugees receive a living wage while also having access to mentoring and counseling services. Shop their collection and support refugees in Dallas.
RefuTea
Calling all tea enthusiasts! RefuTea is an eCommerce based social enterprise that aims to bridge the gap between refugee resettlement and integration by employing refugees to package and serve their teas. All their teas are ethically sourced and naturally flavored. Ten percent of sales at the end of each quarter are donated to refugee resettlement efforts in the Greater Grand Rapids Michigan area.
Three Pines Collective
Bring the spa into your home with specialty soaps and scrubs by Three Pines Collective. Founded by three friends who have a heart to serve refugees in their community, Three Pines Collective sells handmade lotions, scrubs, paper goods and more. Send them a message on Facebook or Instagram, or email them at collectivepinesthree@gmail.com, to place your online order. 75% of every sale goes to support World Relief!
Rachel Clair serves as a Content Writer at World Relief. With a background in creative writing and children’s ministry, she is passionate about helping people of all ages think creatively and love God with their hearts, souls and minds.
I Survived the Vietnam War to Become a Proud American
I was born in Southern Vietnam in 1953. I grew up just like any other boy in my country and had a happy childhood.
Then news about war in Vietnam gradually appeared on the front pages of newspapers in the 1960’s, and things began to change
Like many young men in wartime, I reported for military service in South Vietnam at just 18 years of age. I learned we’d be fighting alongside our American allies, which filled many of us with hope. Little did we know, however, that the war in Vietnam would carry on for 19 years and four months. It finally ended in April of 1975, and I was sent to prison for a year for fighting on the South Vietnam side. Afterward, I was told to relocate to a wild area of the jungle called the “New Economic Zone.” Instead, I went to my mother’s hometown in the countryside and made my living as a farmer.
As a former South Vietnamese soldier, I knew I couldn’t stay in the country. My children would not be allowed to pass high school education. They would be barred from being successful people in society. But escape was difficult, very difficult. People who were caught trying to escape would serve long prison terms. After several failed attempts at escaping by myself, I paid a local fisherman to smuggle me out in his boat. Two days after we left, the boat’s engine failed, and a navy ship from Malaysia rescued us.
I was placed in a refugee camp in Malaysia, where I volunteered to work as part of the camp government. It was there I learned that because of my background, I would be resettled as a refugee in the West. As part of the U.S. refugee process, I was sent to the Philippines, where I learned that my future life would be in the U.S.
I finally entered America for the first time in August of 1989 and was welcomed by volunteers from a local church community. They gave me a room to live in and assisted me in acclimating to life in a strange new country.
At first, I was intimidated. Life was fast-paced, and there was a lot to get used to. For instance, coming from a tropical country, I was terrified of the cold. I didn’t have a TV so I never knew the weather report for the day. I would stick my hand out the window in the morning to see what it felt like so I knew what to wear. When winter came, I made the mistake of washing my winter coat and then hanging it outdoors to dry. When I brought it in at the end of the day, it had frozen to ice.
I was also mistrustful of Christians when I first arrived in America. To my knowledge, the Vietnamese kings did not like Christianity when it first spread to Vietnam. In the late 19th century, the French army came to “protect” new Vietnamese Christians from persecution, which eventually led to the French colonization of my country, and that lasted for almost a hundred years. Growing up a Buddhist, I was naturally suspicious of Christians.
But then I came to America, and people who didn’t share my religion or language – people who had nothing in common with me – went out of their way to help me.
They helped me simply because they cared about me, a stranger, and that caused something to change in me. I wanted to know what this religion was that inspired people to care for me like that so I began attending church. Eventually I, too, became a Christian.
Today, I am a leader in my church. I am also a father and grandfather. My son became a U.S. Marine and is now a junior pastor. I work as a social worker for World Relief, helping other refugees adjust to life in the U.S. I feel blessed to be able to do this work. I understand that many refugees have survived harrowing ordeals and are skeptical of receiving help at first. I use my experience to help them regain their trust in people. I love the work I do.
My brother and sister also became U.S. citizens, but my 94-year-old mother still lives in Vietnam. In 30 years, I have only been able to visit her there four times. My heart aches from missing my mother, but I still don’t feel safe going back there.
When I was in prison in Vietnam, defeated and suffering, I never imagined I could have this kind of life. I want Americans to know how truly blessed they are. Here, we pursue the ideals of freedom and equality. In this country, the poor and the rich shop side-by-side at Walmart. No one is above the law. If people disagree with the government, they can voice their opinions and not be afraid of retaliation.
This is the United States I love and am proud to belong to. I appreciate the opportunity to live in freedom. I hope that by coming together, embracing the American ideals of freedom and equality, and shouldering our societal responsibilities, we can assure the American public refugees and other immigrants are worth welcoming.
Some people say what I endured as a young man, and my experience as a refugee, is remarkable. But I disagree. Living in this country – a country where people are willing to step forward and help strangers simply because it is good and right – that is the remarkable thing.
Chau Ly is a former refugee and social worker at World Relief.
Take a Number
People around the world are fleeing violence, oppression and poverty. I visited Tijuana in early October to get a firsthand look at what asylum seekers experience when they reach our border.
U.S. asylum law states that any individual arriving in the United States is allowed to request asylum, whether or not they have arrived at a designated port of arrival. Anyone wishing to claim asylum has historically been referred to an asylum officer who could then process their claim.
In 2018, however, things changed. The government instituted an informal immigration process known as metering. Under this metering process, rather than hearing the claims of asylees who arrive at the U.S. border, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents are stopping families and individuals at the border, assigning them a number and returning them to Mexico to wait until their number is called. Once their number is called, only then can they claim asylum and begin the immigration court process. Hundreds of immigrants and asylees wait months in Mexico, with no way to know when their number will be called or if their request will be approved.
CBP claims this unofficial policy was put in place to assist with the backlog of asylum claims. However, fewer claims have been processed since metering was enacted and there has been little effort to hire more claims officers. This has left me to wonder whether the process was actually put in place to help, or to deter vulnerable people from seeking the protection they so desperately need. It’s also made me wonder, “Is stopping an asylum seeker before they cross the border to make their claim even legal? Moreover, is it a violation of human rights, US immigration and international law?”
Like those waiting to seek asylum, my morning in Tijuana started early. Each day, asylum seekers gather near the border in hopes that their number will be one of the few called that day. Those who are called will finally have a chance to formally claim asylum. On this particular day, only eight numbers were called. On World Refugee Day this past summer, not a single number was called.
I arrived at 8 a.m., just as the metering process was beginning. I waited just beyond the huddle of asylum seekers and met a young man whom World Relief was representing in his asylum claim. As a university student in Venezuela, this young man had joined a group of protestors who were demonstrating against the Maduro regime. As a result, he was followed by Maduro’s men, attacked and beaten for speaking out. Sadly, this is a common story in places like Venezuela.
Fearing for his life, my new friend fled Venezuela and arrived at a legal port of entry in Tijuana in May 2019. He took his metered number and returned to Mexico to begin his wait. Two months later, however, the US government changed course and decided that anyone who had passed through another country on their way to the U.S. needed to first claim asylum in that country, before claiming it in the U.S.
Although my new friend had arrived in the U.S. before this rule was put in place, he couldn’t officially claim asylum until his number was called. Had he not been stopped at the border and forced into the metering system, he could have claimed asylum as soon as he crossed into U.S. territory. What may feel like a technicality to you and me, could drastically alter this young man’s future. It’s highly likely his claim will not be granted because he did not seek asylum in any of the countries through which he had passed. My friend had followed the rules. He had taken a number, and now he’d likely be told to go back home.
In the midst of my sadness and frustration, I visited a small Baptist church on the Mexican side of the U.S./Mexico border and found some glimmer of hope. This small church had become a safe haven for many of the brave individuals and families who have traveled to the U.S. seeking asylum. On a typical Sunday, this congregation of only a 100 people or so, shelters up to 40 asylum seekers, whom they call “guests” rather than “immigrants.”
This church had taken spaces that they likely needed for their Sunday morning programming and turned them into dorm rooms. I walked through the church and saw the most beautiful wooden bunk beds I had ever seen! They may not have been much, but they were a sign of the local church in action.
This church had become God’s grace to people in need. While I found myself so saddened by the stories of asylum seekers and frustrated by the “take a number and then go back” procedures, I left feeling a sense of hope after seeing a clear picture of what God’s people, his church, could be.
Mark Lamb previously served as the Partnership Director at World Relief .