Why you should care about the refugee crisis
According to Time magazine, there are over 59.5 million displaced people in the world, enough to become the 24th largest country. More than half of those being displaced from their country of origin must flee to a foreign land. They will take nothing or almost nothing with them.
Displacement means that families flee their homes under threat of violence or oppression. They will lose income, security, possessions, schooling for their children, and relationships. Most will never be able to return home. On top of those losses, the emotional damage to refugees is incalculable–most flee from religious persecution and terrorist activity–with no security of a future. They may live insecure for decades–sometimes, for their entire lives.
America is a country of refugees and immigrants. Unless we have Native American ancestry, we can all trace our lineage back to other countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, or South America. Today, many people confuse understanding the immigration and refugee crisis with being opinionated about it. Generally, we are mistaken, not to mention, woefully self-absorbed.
Refugees today flee one horror, only to land into a myriad of other horrors–perilous journeys, refugee camps, slums, separation from family, exploitation, starvation, disease. If displaced persons are fortunate enough to be welcomed into another country and find housing, they are generally not allowed to take jobs; they don’t understand the language, and their children will suffer socially and educationally.
To maintain our status quo, we overlook the overwhelming opportunity to make peace with refugees and peace for refugees by sharing, providing, comforting, and befriending. Through sheer neglect, we make enemies of our wanna-be neighbors.
So you may wonder–Why care about the refugee crisis?
- God requires it. “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 )
- Decency demands it. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.” (Luke 12:48)
- Humanity needs it. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.” (Matthew 25:34-46)
Pray. Give. Go. Welcome.
A good place to start is World Relief.com. Get your facts straight about the world’s refugee crisis. You could change someone’s life for the better. And that will most certainly change yours.
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