This is a silhouette of the lifeless body of Iraqi toddler Ayan Kurdi found on a Mediterranean Beach in September 2015. Pictures of him sent shock waves around the world and represent a tsunami of unstoppable migrants from Syria and elsewhere. They risk their lives and savings to cross the Sea or walk for hundreds of kilometers to safety. When some countries tried closing their borders, the appeal by the migrants was "treat us as humans".
In the fall of 2015 Canada was in the midst of an election. The party that won the elections promised to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year if elected. It was a bold move that paid off when Canadians' emotions were stirred by virtual images of people seeking refuge in Europe.
Government and settlement agencies with the help of Churches and individual Christians were involved in rescuing desperate 'boat people' in the 70's after the fall of Saigon. Years later many responded again to help resettle refugees from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Sudan, and Somalia. Millions of refugees are stuck in Refugee camps for an average of 17 years--usually very difficult places to raise a family. Kurdi's picture accelerated efforts to resettle many new refugees from Syria and hopefully streamlined the process for others. Today we have a new frontier--asylum seekers desperately trying to find a way to cross the border into Canada. They are risking life and limb to do this in frigid temperatures.
Pictures of desparate people have stirred the hearts of God's people. "I'd love for our church to sponsor someone" or "We are so glad our church is sponsoring a refugee family" are popular sentiments heard in church meetings nowadays. I'm grateful that compassion is alive among fellow believers.
Sometimes in meetings where evangelical church groups want more information about culture or religion of Muslim refugees we ask "Why are you sponsoring?" Sometimes we only get blank stares. It is possible that a committee was assigned to work out the logistics and was primarily implementing a decision. We challenge them "go ahead and bring a refugee family in but do what only the church can do". The government will not pray with newcomers or share the Good News that the only permanent refuge we or any refugee has in the world is the Lord.
What are realistic expectations when newcomers arrive? Should we expect that they will start attending church? Certainly not if they are Muslims. Sooner or later they will find their own communities. They will start meeting each others' needs. From our experience, many of the newly arrived refugees are quick to beg churches or Christian agencies to sponsor other family members stuck in hostile environments. Naturally they want to be reunited.
Each sponsoring church will benefit greatly from people in their midst with cross-cultural giftings and experience. Many Christians and churches have jumped on the band wagon because their emotions were stirred but have not had a track record of showing concerns for refugees who have settled around them. If we merely sponsor Muslim refugees and leave them to themselves, we may help the Muslim cause more than the mandate of the church.Dear Heavenly Father, as my brothers and sisters show your love to newcomers in practical ways, help them to also proclaim you. Amen.
