Posts Tagged ‘U.S.’
CHURCH LEADERS: A Call to Prayer for Refugees and Immigrants
For the better part of my life in ministry, churches, including that ones I have served in, have taken the very reasonable view that they should not dive into politics. Politics are divisive. Political rhetoric eschews with “alternative facts,” and our role as church leaders is to extend welcome to anyone seeking the grace of Christ—we do not want to alienate based on party. Pragmatically, this makes sense.
But what is the role of the Church when politics and clear Biblical teaching collide? How do we respond when the explicit commands of Scripture—to respect the sanctity of life, to welcome the stranger, and refugee, and care for the poor, but up against discourse in the public square?
For many church leaders, including myself for many years, we choose to direct attention elsewhere, avoiding the thicket of these issues, citing with resolute pragmatism that we do not want to be a stumbling block. This has weakened our voice and done a disservice to our congregations.
When politics and the Bible collide, it is an opportunity for discipleship.
I do not think that it is the role of the church to endorse politicians or political parties. But the Church must teach the Scriptures and provide practical ways for its community to reach the lost and hurting in the world. In this way, many of us have failed. I have failed.
Take the recent crisis with refugees and immigrants. Right now there are more people forcibly displaced from their homes than at any other time in recorded human history. The Bible speaks clearly to the issues of human suffering, welcoming the stranger, and the role of the Church to provide relief. But a recent survey by Lifeway Research shows that only 21% of American Christians have been challenged by their pastors to explore the Scriptures and to reach out and serve refugees and other immigrants in our midst.
Let’s take the most uncontroversial thing that a church can ever do—pray. A survey conducted at the end of 2016 by World Vision, found that only 19% of committed Christians prayed for Syrian refugees in the previous 12 months. Only 1 in 5 people from the most well-educated, most well-resourced group of Christians to ever live, took a moment and prayed for the world’s most needy and violent areas last year.
This is a crisis of discipleship.
This is thorny, it’s complicated and like almost everything in life, there are many shades of grey. But what is clear, is that the Bible is clear.
Church leaders—your job is hard and the number of things you have to navigate is astounding. So, we are going to make our call simple. Will you sign this letter saying that you will commit to praying for refugees and immigrants during your services over the next few weeks? If you want to teach further on this—GREAT—and we have resources below for it.
We cannot stay silent and abdicate our responsibilities as leaders of the Church to deepen discipleship in our congregations by addressing issues that the Bible clearly and unequivocally addresses—even if those issues have political dynamics.
Sign on now!
Additional Resources:
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Livestream Recording with World Relief’s Jenny Yang, Matthew Soerens, and James Misner
Changemakers in the U.S. — Love is Our Mission
Gicheru Njoroge, Case Specialist at World Relief’s Atlanta office, assists a recently arrived refugee family from Syria.
The Changemaker series features stories from our work around the world. It is our hope that these stories will inspire, encourage, and enrich you. The following post was written by Emily Gray, SVP of U.S. Ministries, World Relief.
Over the last year, the word ‘refugee’ has come to symbolize much of the fear, uncertainty, and division plaguing our nation. As our country struggles to grapple with ever-evolving international complexities and rapidly shifting political tides, refugees have, in many ways, become synonymous with this messy, somewhat chaotic and confusing environment. Used as scapegoats, singled out as potential risks to our security, criticized as drains on our economy, and intimidated with threats, their presence in America has too often been devoid of the peace they’d hoped for. In seeking refuge, many have instead encountered hardship, isolation, and even overt hostility. And as the world confronts worsening headlines on a daily basis, often provoking greater impetus to stereotype, the plight of the refugee in America is intensifying.
Despite our nation’s long and proud tradition as an open and compassionate society, many people now see refugees as a problem rather than as vulnerable people who have suffered horribly in often horrific circumstances. These are people who have needed considerable strength and courage to make the journey to a new beginning in a foreign land, people whose presence can enrich both our culture and society, as well as the individuals and churches that come alongside them in love and compassion. Refugee resettlement touches a deep nerve, but one all too often untouched by the personal experience of befriending and welcoming these vulnerable people.
But there is another narrative about refugees, one that we see everyday at World Relief. It is the story of churches who partner with us to welcome and befriend these refugees. It is a story of love and compassion, one that replaces fear and distrust.
Because of Christ’s command to us, to love our neighbor and to welcome the stranger, churches across America are responding to the plight of hundreds of thousands of refugees with compassion and hospitality. Through joining Good Neighbor groups, donating welcome kits, and hosting ‘Refugee Sundays’, our church partners are providing hope, light, and transformational love to this uniquely vulnerable group of refugees and immigrants.
Glen Ellyn Covenant Church, in Illinois, answered God’s calling to step out in faith and welcome over 150 Burmese and Bhutanese refugees to their congregation in 2013. They did so in striving to follow the example of Jesus, who left the comforts of heaven for the messiness of this world. And something remarkable happened. Pastor Mike Langer explains,
“It was the most powerful thing I’ve ever been involved in. They taught me so much, gave me so much, and I am so grateful to God that He placed them in our midst. We love to see ourselves as a church become more aware of what it truly means to trust God, to be citizens of God’s kingdom, and to understand the radical implications of Jesus’s teachings. Our Bhutanese and Burmese friends helped us to do that.”
In this journey, lay the opportunity for positive transformation not only for immigrants themselves, but for the community that welcomes them and ultimately for the church and the growth of the Kingdom of God.
Love is our mission. We are called by Jesus to welcome and to love. And we respond in love because we were first loved by Him and because we know that “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18.) We offer compassion for those who need our help, stand up as champions for those who are marginalized, and love sacrificially.
Now more than ever, we have the opportunity to answer God’s call to be good Samaritans, and to welcome the stranger. Regardless of what lies ahead, the church must always be ready to educate others about refugees and immigrants, advocate on their behalf, and give to organizations who work directly with these foreign-born individuals and families. We have the chance to step out in faith and literally change the future for refugees and immigrants. Let us answer this calling with courage and conviction.
“The Lord watches over the foreigner, and sustains the fatherless and the widow” (Psalm 146:9 NIV)
How Much Is Enough? Thoughts from Jeff Shinabarger
“It’s better to give than receive.” In a world that’s commercialized and in a season that’s oftentimes defined by excess, it’s important to get back to the heart of what the season is all about: Christmas is always a great time of the year to think about giving to others, to both family and friends, and to vulnerable people around the world.
In the book More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity, author Jeff Shinabarger shares practical stories of people who combat personal excess with heartfelt and generous giving. Jeff is a social entrepreneur, a designer, and a creative director. He is the founder of GiftCardGiver.com and Plywood People, an innovative community addressing social needs.
At this time of the year, many of us want to do all we can to stand with the vulnerable. But it’s also easy to feel like we can’t do as much as we’d like—or anything at all. But what if, as Jeff suggests, our ability to make a difference could be impacted by asking ourselves the question, “What is enough?”
Out of our excess we can address needs. But it begins with defining what is enough. What is enough?
It’s a subjective definition that we all have to ponder at some point in life. Unfortunately we’ve diminished the idea of generosity to money; too often we think we are generous only when we are giving money.
But what might you have in excess that has nothing to do with money? Excess clothes? Excess social capital? Excess amount of square footage?
We can ask the question, “What’s enough?” in every aspect of life. And if we choose to live with less, we gain the opportunity to give more.
Consider these easy moves:
- Look into your kitchen pantry or cupboard and set aside five cans of food. Deliver them to the nearest food bank in your area, and have a conversation with the person receiving your donation. Chances are, you will learn something new, and it will make you think differently about your next meal. Share your experience with a friend. Food is a basic and essential need for survival, and it’s one of the best things you can distribute to those in need. In Africa, there is a concept known as ubuntu—the profound sense that you are human only through the humanity of others; that if you are to accomplish anything in this world it will be in equal measure due to the work and achievement of others. Part with your surpluses and overloads, and feed your soul.
- Go to your closet and drawers and pull out every piece of clothing that you own. Count the items. Sort them. How many days could you go without wearing the same thing twice? Are you satisfied with your number, or do you have excess? If you feel you have too much, then decide what is enough for each category of clothing. Then pare down your garments to meet your reasonable number, and donate the rest to a charity or sell them at a resale shop and use that money to make a donation to help the vulnerable. Kelsey Timmerman says, “The people who make our clothes are poor. We are rich. It’s natural to feel guilty or apathy or reject the system that does nothing to help. This quest is about the way we live; because when it comes to clothing, others make it, and we have it made. And there’s a big, big difference.”
- Dump all the change everyone in your family has accumulated. Count it up, organize it roll by roll, and give it to an organization that’s working to help lift someone out of poverty today. G.K Chesterton wrote, “There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.”
- Keep an ‘excess bin’ in your house. Keep it for anything that you are not actively using anymore, and that could contribute to fill the needs of others. This bin can then be used for garage sales to raise money for orphans or charities. Committing to a place to gather your excess on a consistent basis will challenge how you live regularly. “If we value things of the world, we will miss the things of true value,” Kim Biddle says.
Generosity is a chance to experience freedom in a world obsessed with gaining more. And as we near the end of the year, let’s consider how making a few simple changes can increase our capacity to stand with the vulnerable, and to be changemakers in our world. As we bring significant change to others, we’ll be changed, too!
For more from Jeff, watch his TEDx talk and follow him, @shinabarger.
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Join a community of Changemakers—ordinary people who step out in faith to do extraordinary things. Visit worldrelief.org/change to double your impact during the month of December, and join us at World Relief as we stand with the vulnerable.
A Unique Moment for the Church
Since the presidential election in the United States on Tuesday, we’ve received many questions from church leaders and other concerned friends regarding the path ahead for World Relief’s work with refugees and immigrants. While this aspect of our work is only one part of our larger global mission to empower the local church to stand with the vulnerable—including our aid and development work in communities throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East—we believe that this is a unique moment for the Church.
Tuesday’s election concluded a presidential campaign season that was uniquely divisive. That division is being felt within the U.S. Church as well. Despite differing on political issues, however, what can and needs to unite followers of Jesus is our commitment to living out His commands and the teachings of Scripture. While we respect and collaborate with governmental authorities, our ultimate trust is in God, who “watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow” (Psalm 146:9 NIV). Throughout the Old and New Testaments, followers of God are repeatedly called to “do what is just and right; rescue the oppressed from the power of the oppressor, [to not] exploit or mistreat the refugee, the orphan, and the widow” (Jeremiah 22:3 CEB).
The Church is called to “practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13 NIV)—literally, to practice loving strangers—mindful that Jesus Himself was once a child refugee, forced to flee from a tyrannical genocide. Whenever we welcome one of “the least of these” in Jesus’ name, we welcome Him (Matthew 25:40).
That’s why—even as we anticipate the impending Presidential transition in the U.S.—World Relief’s mission remains to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable, including the displaced and the persecuted.
As has been the case for decades, today teams of World Relief staff and volunteers from local churches in cities, suburbs, and small towns throughout the United States will be gathering beds, sofas, and household items to furnish new apartments for arriving refugees. At airports across the country, our teams will welcome newcomers who are weary from their travel and nervous as they arrive in a country and culture they have never known. Our staff and volunteers will walk alongside these newly arrived refugees, helping them to rebuild their lives.
Many refugees and other immigrants feel uniquely vulnerable right now. We believe that this represents a unique moment for the Church. Today, local churches have the opportunity to demonstrate moral courage by standing with the vulnerable in new and unprecedented ways—offering a warm welcome, a reassuring smile, practical assistance, and consistent advocacy for more compassionate policy towards carefully vetted refugees and their families.
We deeply value our longstanding relationship with the U.S. State Department, and we look forward to working with the new administration to welcome and resettle refugees, just as we have with the past six presidential administrations. And regardless of the course the new administration sets, World Relief’s mission remains the same—to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable.
President Reagan once called the U.S. “a shining city on a hill” for those searching for freedom. On one hand, we ought to be proud of our country’s history as a beacon of refuge for those fleeing persecution, and we pray that the brightest moments of our national history of welcoming refugees and immigrants are still ahead of us.
But we must also remember that when Jesus first spoke of “a city on a hill” (Matthew 5:14), he was not speaking about the United States. Rather, Jesus was addressing His personal followers, those who would become the earliest Church.
In the face of the greatest global refugee crisis in recorded history, World Relief’s prayer is that the Church—the largest social network on the planet—will seize this unique moment, letting its light shine like a city upon a hill, so that millions of displaced people around the world will find great love and compassion—both of which are at the heart of God.
Please donate today to help us seize this unique moment to serve refugees, immigrants, and the vulnerable around the world.
How To Actually Welcome Refugees
World Relief Atlanta Office Director Joshua Sieweke welcomes Malik, a 9-year old Syrian refugee, at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
For almost 40 years, World Relief has been proud to resettle over 270,000 refugees from across the world here to the United States. On average, our offices resettle 650 refugees each month.
Next month we are projecting that World Relief’s local offices will resettle 1,350 refugees.
That means that in October, we’ll be resettling over TWICE as many refugees as normal. The challenge ahead for our local office staff and volunteers in the next month is nothing short of monumental. Which means we’re doing all we can in the next week to make sure local offices have everything they need.
Why?
We know that when we welcome refugees to the United States, the lives and futures of refugees are—quite literally—changed forever.
But we can’t do it alone. We need your help.
Donate to World Relief by September 30 to help support the work of resettling refugees in the month of October.
This week, I was invited to attend President Obama’s Leaders’ Summit on Refugees. It was an invitation I felt humbled and grateful to accept, knowing that my attendance represented the tireless work of thousands of World Relief staff and volunteers for almost 40 years. And as I sat at the UN, surrounded by dozens of leaders from over 30 different countries, I was struck by a simple thought…
Without the dedicated efforts of the thousands of staff and volunteers from World Relief and other resettlement agencies, the commitment of these world leaders to refugees would go unfulfilled.
Without our local staff and volunteers, refugees would arrive at airports—often scared and confused—with no one to greet or guide them. But instead, small groups of smiling faces welcome them onto U.S. soil.
Just last month, staff and volunteers welcomed Hashim, Mariam and their two children to Atlanta’s international airport. Having fled their home in war-torn Syria, Hashim and Mariam arrived to the United States longing for safety, stability, and the promise of brighter future for their two children, Malik (9 years old) and Muna (18 months old). As Malik reached up to shake hands with World Relief Atlanta’s Office Director Joshua Sieweke, Josh leaned down and said, “Welcome to America. We’re so glad you’re here.” (pictured above)
We believe that compassion and security are not mutually exclusive. We can honor both. We know that after being displaced from their homes, refugees are vetted by multiple agencies, including the UN and U.S. Department of State, for up to two years. So when refugee families arrive, it is our great privilege to welcome them here.
We don’t just say refugees are welcome, we make sure they actually are welcomed, and feel welcomed.
In the next seven days, you have the opportunity to help us welcome refugees during one of our busiest months to date. If for any reason you’ve been waiting to become a part of the solution, now is your moment.
Since my time at the UN, I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of attention refugees have been receiving in the news. At times I’ve felt discouraged, as voices of fear have tried to convince us that refugees should be seen only as a threat. But other times I’ve been profoundly encouraged, as voices of compassion and hope have risen up. These voices have reminded us that not only is it a moral and Scriptural imperative that we welcome refugees, but also that refugees have the potential to contribute to and enrich our country in countless ways. It’s simply unthinkable that we wouldn’t welcome refugees.
Through all of the events of the past week, I’ve sensed that God is clearly at work, moving people in new ways to care for refugees.
I invite you—even as you read this email—to stop for a moment and prayerfully consider if God might be moving in you too.
If so, there’s never been a better, more effective time for you to give than there is between now and September 30.
Give today to ensure that we do all that we can to rise to the challenge of wholeheartedly welcoming refugees.
For the sake of the refugees and the displaced,
Scott Arbeiter
President, World Relief
Four Ways You Can Make a Difference Today
Looking for something you can do today to make a difference in the world? Here’s four:
1. Write for Refugees
Last month, World Relief partnered with ONE and Save the Children to collect handwritten notes from attendees of Together 2016, the largest Christian gathering of its kind in over 20 years. Hundreds of notes were written to encourage President Obama to continue welcoming refugees to the United States. One of the notes was even personally delivered to the President! We’re continuing to collect notes to deliver to the President later this fall. Add your voice to the growing number of people standing with refugees.
Write a message to President Obama
2. Pray for South Sudan
On July 9, new violence broke out stationed in South Sudan, a country which is now on the brink of civil war. A World Relief team member in South Sudan shared his firsthand account of the unfolding situation, along with prayer requests for safety and peace in this vulnerable nation.
3. Learn About the Global Refugee Crisis
This month also saw the release of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis, co-authored by Stephan Bauman, Matthew Soerens and Issam Smeir. We’re thrilled so many people have read the book! Download a free chapter and begin learning how you can better engage the global refugee crisis.
Download a free chapter of Seeking Refuge now
4. Practice Courage and Leadership
We’re grateful for those around the world who are practicing courage and leadership, and honored to share their stories. This month on our blog, we shared about those who are welcoming refugees, delivering food to families on the front lines of war, and seeking to establish God’s kingdom in their daily lives. Hearing their stories, we’re moved to practice courage and leadership in our own spheres of influence.
Read stories of courage & leadership
[This blog post originally appeared as an update to subscribers of our email newsletter. If you’d like to receive regular email updates from us, please subscribe for free today.]
In Celebration of Courage and Leadership
Messengers at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention cast ballots for a resolution during the afternoon session Tuesday, June 14 in St. Louis. Photo by Chris Carter, Copyright © 2016 Baptist Press, Southern Baptist Convention
As we in the United States look towards next week’s celebration of Independence Day, we are mindful of the millions around the world whose daily experience does not include many of the same rights and freedoms we enjoy. As we remember them, we recommit ourselves to standing with these vulnerable people groups. We also celebrate those who are working to bring hope and help to so many vulnerable people.
We are especially grateful in this season for the commitment recently expressed by the Southern Baptist Convention in their resolution to welcome refugees who are resettling in the United States. As the largest denomination in the United States, we know that the effects of their resolution will echo not only throughout their own churches, but throughout countless U.S. churches of many denominations. We are grateful for, and celebrate the moral courage and leadership the Southern Baptist Convention has shown in this area.
We also celebrate the ongoing work of Preemptive Love—an organization of individuals who continue to risk their lives to deliver food and aid to Iraqi families caught in the crossfire of the operation to liberate Fallujah from ISIS control. This week, Preemptive Love team members encountered more danger than at any other time in their organization’s history. We are inspired by their courage to risk everything in order to meet the essential needs of those in and around Fallujah.
Finally, we are grateful for and celebrate each of you. At World Relief, we know that you not only faithfully support our work to stand with the vulnerable around the world, but that you also faithfully stand with the vulnerable in your day to day lives. We remember Jesus’ words that as you serve “the least of these,” you serve Jesus himself. For the many ways in which you work to bring freedom, hope, health and love to the lives of those in your churches, schools, places of work, and neighborhoods—we celebrate your courage and leadership.
Mourning and Standing
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
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[The following blog post was written by Tim Breene, CEO, World Relief.]
We began this week with heavy hearts over the unimaginable loss of life in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday. Fifty lives lost is a tragedy in and of itself. Fifty lives taken by violence is a tragedy on multiple levels. So we, like so many others, mourn on multiple levels.
First and foremost, we mourn the deaths of the victims and for their friends and family who are experiencing overwhelming loss and grief.
We mourn that the LGBTQ community is suffering grievously as a result of violence targeting them.
We also mourn that there are some who will use this tragedy to fan flames of fear against foreigners in general, and refugees and immigrants in particular. We mourn that many of our Muslim friends and colleagues may receive threats, or feel threatened by neighbors unable to look past their nationality and religion.
While we recognize that this tragedy represents a multitude of complex issues, and while we respect rational, healthy debate across the political spectrum, we at World Relief will not shrink from our calling to stand with the vulnerable.
We are committed to being careful not to create more division and fuel the chorus of fear. This was an attack designed to spill terror and manifest hate. Instead, we will love.
We will stand with those around the world who live daily with the reality of war, violence, intolerance and hate. We will continue our work to create a safer, more peaceful world.
We will stand with our Muslim friends, believing that a threat against any religious community is a threat to us all.
We will stand with refugees and immigrants who are facing increasing levels of discrimination in a country they hoped would provide safety and opportunity.
We will stand against bullying, hate and violence of any kind.
Why? Because we believe that Jesus has called each of us to be his hands and feet, working on his behalf to bring order, peace and healing to a chaotic, war-torn and broken world.
Our hope is found in the life-giving, life-affirming message of Jesus, who said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10, NIV)
The Refugee Crisis is My Problem
[The following blog post was written by Mark Lamb, World Relief’s Church Partnership Director. Mark recently returned from a trip to the Middle East with Eugene Cho and One Day’s Wages.]
Just a few weeks ago, Eugene and I along with a translator, walked a little girl home from one of the schools that One Day’s Wages has been sharing about this week. It was a beautiful, sunny, 75-degree day and this little girl with her pink backpack and her hair in a ponytail reminded me of my two daughters. As we walked, she got turned around and so we wandered through the streets enjoying the day together.
Eventually we got back on course and found our way to her home where we were warmly invited in by her mother and grandmother. It was a small two-room cinderblock apartment which looked like a construction project that hadn’t quite been finished. The ceilings were low and a small 1980s TV was playing in the corner. We sat on the floor around the edges of the room on thin cushions and talked about our hopes for our kids. (There was a future Syrian doctor in the room, we were told.) Even with the stop-start cadence of communicating through translation, it was easy to forget we were talking with refugees. They were people. Parents with hopes for their kids and kids who love to play with their friends at school.
This encounter, along with many others I had over two weeks, has forced me to confront my own apathy. Is this crisis my problem? Is this your problem?
At every turn, it seems like people around the globe are saying, “Not my problem.” Countries around Syria are erecting fences and even shooting refugees who try to cross. The EU is paying Turkey to keep refugees from migrating to Europe. At its highest number, 31 U.S. governors said they would not take Syrian refugees in their states. The Governor of Texas sued a refugee resettlement agency and the Governor of Georgia temporarily refused State services to Syrian refugee families.
At World Relief, we’re a group of Christians striving to follow the example of Jesus, who left the comforts of heaven for the messiness of this world. He entered into our reality, ultimately offering up his life for us. We fail at following his example a lot. You may too. But, we think it’s worth it to step into this situation and say, “This is my problem.”
We’re partnering with One Day’s Wages because both organizations are passionate about saying, “This is my problem.” We invite you to join us. You can give to our joint campaign, but we hope you won’t stop with that. More than giving, we hope you’ll find refugees where you live. We hope you’ll enter into their lives through relationship and advocate on their behalf. I think you’ll find little girls with pink backpacks, future doctors, and moms with high hopes for their kids.
[World Relief provides various opportunities to serve refugees locally across the US through Good Neighbor Teams. Check with your local World Relief office]
The Refugee Crisis is My Problem
What Will You Leave Behind?
For almost two thousand years, Christians of many denominations have observed the season of Lent, beginning with the observance of Ash Wednesday. While the exact practices of Lent vary from one individual to another, one common practice has been to fast, or give up something, between Ash Wednesday and Easter. By abstaining from a vice, a specific indulgence or luxury, those who follow Christ give up something we would otherwise rely upon, letting our hunger for that thing drive us towards deeper dependence on God as we prepare for the redemption we celebrate on Easter Sunday.
In a sense, we who fast in some way during Lent leave something behind for a period of time. We know that at some point we may return to that thing. But for 40 days or so, we do not take it with us, do not rely upon it in the same way we otherwise would.
As is the case with many of the practices (like Lent) that our early church fathers and mothers introduced, the work God might do in us during throughout this season will look different for each of us. There’s no exhaustive list of what God does when we leave something behind, letting its importance to us diminish, allowing room for the Holy Spirit to increase God’s importance and form us spiritually.
And yet this year there is perhaps a particular quality to our practice of leaving something behind. Since last Easter, the Church has been moved by the stories of millions in the Middle East forced to leave behind almost all that they own. As bullets and bombs that were once miles away suddenly advanced to the streets where they lived, they fled for safety. Fleeing in the middle of the night, they took next to nothing with them, leaving behind homes, cars, family photos, precious heirlooms and more.
This lenten season, as we leave behind things of varying importance to us, perhaps the Holy Spirit will introduce yet another way in which we are spiritually formed. Perhaps God might give us a subtle yet profound reminder of our brothers and sisters forced to leave behind their very lives, a reminder that moves us to new levels of compassion. And perhaps we might even practice—in some small way—the spirit of dependency our refugee friends practice on a daily basis, a practice that would lead us throughout Lent and beyond to experience true justice with ourselves, with our neighbor and with God.