The IAFR Blog

Why I Serve People Seeking Refuge

When asked why I work with the displaced, I instantly think of how deeply the Lord cares for each of these people seeking refuge. I can sense his sorrow at the size of the world's displacement crisis and His deep longing for these precious image-bearers to know they are seen, known, and cared for in their suffering and the loss of everything they've known.

For me, saying yes to the calling to walk alongside displaced people is a natural response to my understanding of how God views things. His sorrow and love compel me to act because I have been invited to the Lord's Table, where I have felt His care and love, and I want to invite others to mine. I find joy in the opportunities to offer relational hope through drinking tea together, offering warmth and safety, and being a familiar person who remembers a person's name. I pray that those I encounter experience a glimpse of the great hope and love we have in Christ.

A Global Community Of Hope

When I'm asked what sustains me in the work I do, I think of the deeply personal nature of the work. It is important for me to be able to tangibly live out my heart for people. When I'm actually interacting with people and not just sitting behind a desk, I find the most meaning in my work.

It's also significant to me to feel connected to a global community investing in walking with the displaced worldwide. In my relationships with IAFR colleagues and leaders, the community that supports me, and my relationship with the Lord, I am nourished and strengthened as I realize I am participating in something much bigger than myself - a community of hope and love in the body of Christ.

Video: Pastor Gatera shares his story of forced displacement (4 minutes)

I hope to feel at home as I visit a homeland I've never seen.

I spent my life in refugee camps until I came to the U.S. I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere. Now, I am going "home" to my extended family in Burundi for the first time. I hope that I will not feel like a stranger.

I feel uncertain.

My Father is a retired pastor. He is aging, and I feel visiting him while he is still living is important.

Because I left my family before some of my siblings were born, I will be meeting a couple of them for the first time. I will also meet a number of relatives for the first time, so it will be a family reunion of sorts. I hope our week together will be filled with sweet fellowship.

I am looking forward to going home, but I also feel uncertain because I don't know my family's expectations of me. I hope to feel at ease like one does when they are with their family.

Pastoring Full Circle

My father visited my family in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya shortly before we were resettled to the U.S. While with us, he took time to minister to my church in the refugee camp. Now, it is my turn to visit him and minister to pastors in my home country. I have been asked to teach at a conference for one hundred pastors while there.

Family Roots in the Future

As I visit my homeland, I am hopeful I will begin building a platform for my children to connect to their family roots in the future. When they travel someday, I want them to feel connected to their home and family in Burundi, even though their primary home is in the U.S.

It will be good to finally be home.

As I prepare to go, I feel both joy and uncertainty. I don't know what to expect. But I know my family will receive me, and it will be good to finally come home.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Pastor Gatera's story and work!