How can we help? (pt. 6)
Jun 29, 2022
- Tom Albinson
The escalating global refugee crisis is among the defining issues of the 21st Century. Many are asking if there is any way they can help. Let's see what we can learn from the example of Jonathan. It might surprise you. We find this story in the book of 1 Samuel 23.
The Example of Jonathan and David
David was a refugee before he became king.
In 1 Samuel 23, we read how David was a refugee before he became king of Israel. It begins with David fleeing persecution from king Saul.
Like many refugees today, he fled into a harsh semi desert wilderness. And that’s when Jonathan shows up in the story. Jonathan went out into the desert to find David and help him find strength in God.
Jonathan knew that David could not come to him.
So, he set out to find David.
Many refugees in the world are like David - in remote places that are difficult to access. It is not safe for them to return home. And there are not many countries eager to offer them permanent refuge. So, they are stuck, traumatized, and isolated.
A former refugee once shared with me what it felt like to be in a refugee camp in Malawi. "I felt forgotten".
"I felt forgotten." -A former refugee in Malawi
Humanitarian agencies look after their bodies, providing just enough aid to keep them physically alive. But refugees tell me that one of their daily struggles is to keep hope alive.
Our bodies need food, water, shelter, and medical care. But our souls need hope.
Delivering hope is not on the agenda of humanitarian agencies. But hope is the currency of the Church. That’s why we must not fail to show up in the lives of refugees and asylum seekers.
Hope is the currency of the Church.
When Jonathan went out to visit David in the desert, he went to help him find strength in God. Jonathan knew that hope is rooted in God. For hope rises up in our hearts when we learn that God sees, hears, and cares for us. We can strengthen hope by becoming a tangible expression of that reality to our displaced friends.
We can be a tangible sign of God with us.
Many years ago, God used the story of Jonathan to stir my heart to visit Kakuma refugee camp in remote northwestern Kenya. Like Jonathan, I knew I could not solve all of the problems and challenges confronting the people there. But I could still show up and let them know that they were not forgotten. I could listen to them. I could pray with them – and help them find strength in God.
Some of us can help break isolation.
Like Jonathan, some of us can go to remote places and into detention centers to break the isolation of our forcibly displaced friends.
IAFR is looking for Jonathans to join our team and show up in the lives of refugees and asylum seekers in life-giving ways.
We are looking for Jonathans.
Several of our ministry locations are praying for reinforcements to join their teams.
- Athens needs medical professionals to join the work.
- Minneapolis/St. Paul needs teammates to help provide shelter and community to asylum seekers.
- Northern Colorado needs teammates to join in the work of helping former refugees integrate into their new community.
- Our Ukraine Response work needs a full-time person to coordinate our long-term response.
We are also praying for God to call people to develop an IAFR ministry among asylum seekers along the US - Mexico border in Texas.
Perhaps you or someone you know has a burden for a specific refugee context in the world. We would love to hear about it. Several of our existing ministry locations began when a person came to us asking if we would be interested in starting a ministry in a specific place.
