How You Can Help a Refugee Before the End of the Year

During this political election, refugeeism was a hot topic. How could America help people from foreign countries who were displaced from their homes? Should America help them? Political parties - and the American public- remain deeply divided over this issue.

A refugee is “a person who flees for refuge or safety, especially to a foreign country, as in time of political upheaval, war, etc.”

J. Calvin Holsinger writes about immigration in the last century (many of whom were also refugees):

“Europe is a much more compacted area than the United States, and in the postwar [World War II] period, governments had to adapt to the strenuous period of reparations and recovery in an intense multinational climate. Government spending drove up national debts, leaving each nation to determine how it would pay back those debts. When Germany had to cut jobs, it found it far easier to send immigrants home than continue to accommodate them and risk laying off its own employment force. It was a successful move. 

The United States is currently embroiled in similar concerns over illegal immigration. Those opposed to the presence of illegal immigrants cite the lack of available jobs for America’s own labor force, while others argue that America was founded by immigrants. To send the illegal immigrants home would only betray our heritage as a rich melting pot of cultures and a refuge for the poor and struggling. Something could be said for Germany’s strategy. However, we must not forget that Germany and other European nations also have ongoing struggles with xenophobia and discrimination against those who ‘don’t belong.’”


Refugees In Today's World

Consider these statistics about refugees from the UN Refugee Agency:




Yet despite the fact that there are more than 65 million refugees worldwide, the general American public is wary of helping them. Pew Research reports:

“In the aftermath of the November 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, 53% of Americans said they didn’t want to accept any Syrian refugees at all, and an additional 11% said they would accept only Christian refugees from Syria, according to a Bloomberg Politics poll. A look back at U.S. public opinion from previous decades shows that Americans have consistently opposed admitting large numbers of foreigners fleeing war and oppression, regardless of official government policy.”

Interestingly, although Pew Research’s poll revealed that the some Americans only wanted to allow Christian refugees, Newsweek reports, “The United States has accepted 10,801 Syrian refugees, of whom 56 are Christian. Not 56 percent; 56 total, out of 10,801. That is to say, one-half of 1 percent” (September 2016).

Why are Americans hesitant to accept refugees? Some believe that a terrorist could easily pose as a refugee. Others believe that the influx of refugees could negatively impact the economy.






Author Roy Beck explains in the video below the perspective that the U.S. is unable to help all the refugees in the world, even if we wanted to. The. U.S. is limited in resources.

Jesus Was A Refugee

However, it is important to realize that we just celebrated a holiday about a refugee family...Christmas.

Here is an excerpt from The Village Church Blog that provides a good summary:

"Almost immediately after His birth, as an infant, Jesus and His family were refugees. Much like Moses, Jesus’ life was at risk due to a tyrannical madman (Exod. 2:1-10; Matt. 2:13-23). We don’t know much about Jesus’ flight to Egypt, except that Matthew recounts Mary, Joseph and Jesus escaping the grip of Herod as he sought to kill the young child. However, you can use your imagination to begin to understand how harrowing the journey must have been. Even after Jesus and His family return from Egypt, they are afraid to return to Judea because of the danger of living under Archelaus’ reign, so they took refuge in Nazareth. 

Not only was Jesus’ early life marked by a refugee-like experience, He also endured similar circumstances during His ministry. He had no place to lay his head (Matt. 8:20), He was unwelcome in His hometown (Luke 4:14-31), He was dependent on others for financial support (Luke 8:3) and He suffered outside the gates of the city (Heb. 13:12)."

God Loves Refugees

As a Christian, it is incomprehensible to me for a fellow believer to remain indifferent or hostile to refugees. The fact is that throughout the Bible God commands believers to do good works toward refugees. After the Israelites were rescued from slavery in Egypt and preparing to enter a new country, here is what God told them:

"You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt."

Exodus 22:21 (NLT)

"The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

Leviticus 19:34 (NIV)

Christians can disagree on the methods of helping refugees, but we must agree that we need to help refugees. Compassion is a distinguishing mark of those who follow Jesus Christ.

Here's How You Can Help

You may never meet a refuge. To my knowledge, I have only met three myself by accident. When my roommates and I were hiking in the mountains of Colorado, we met three children who were adopted from the country of Ukraine. They had fled due to the civil unrest in that country. My roommates and I played chess with them and watched YouTube videos at the camp on the mountain. Their English was not as good as mine, but they had just as much right as I - a natural born U.S. citizen - to enjoy peace and prosperity in the land that they lived.


So how can you help those whom you may never meet?

You Can Pray and Give.

Prayer changes things. God responds to human petitions. Jesus told us to pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven."

I invite you to pray for the general refugee population around the world. Pray that God will give homes to those who are displaced. Pray that God will provide for basic needs like food and clean water. Pray that Christians will be placed around refugees to show them the love of Christ and share the Gospel.

The other action you can take is to give financially. Below are links to two Christian organizations that I have donated toward in the past. Your gift will directly help refugees.

Samaritan's Purse












World Vision





The End Goal

In the movie Gladiator, the general Maximus tells his troops, "What we do in life echoes in eternity." Your prayers and financial gifts toward refugees will bless them for eternity. Here is what Jesus said on the matter of helping those less fortunate:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:34-40 (ESV)




References

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/refugee
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/figures-at-a-glance.html
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/05/key-facts-about-the-worlds-refugees/
http://www.newsweek.com/us-bars-christian-not-muslim-refugees-syria-497494
http://www.thevillagechurch.net/the-village-blog/jesus-was-a-refugee/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE
Holsinger, J. Calvin. 2009. Civilization Past and Present II. Springfield, MO: Global University. Textbook.