Responding to the Growing Refugee Crisis
By Michael Ireland, Senior Reporter, ASSIST News Service
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (ANS, November 12, 2015) –
The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Arrive Ministries is calling on
churches across America to respond to the growing refugee crisis in the
Middle East.
“There
are many wonderful opportunities for churches, small groups and
individuals to come alongside some of the 400+ refugees Arrive
Ministries is resettling each year in Minnesota. Now is the time -- to
welcome the stranger and bind the wounds of the broken-hearted,” said a
spokesman for the ministry in an email update.
Arrive
Ministries says the tragic reality is that there are more refugees
today than after WWII -- some 19 million (there are also 35+ million
internally displaced people).
The
ministry states that Syria has 7.6 million internally displaced people
and 4 million refugees who have fled the country. That means that more
than one-half of the Syrian population has been displaced. That is like
everyone in Minnesota and Wisconsin having to flee their homes.
The
spokesman continued: “Sometimes we hear people say that the U.S. has
received too many refugees. In actuality, only one refugee is currently
welcomed in the U.S. each year for every 5,000 residents in our
country.”
The
spokesman added: “We believe that every human being is made in the
image of God. The Bible can serve as our moral compass when facing the
desperate situation of refugees. Scripture contains many accounts of
God’s people who were forced to migrate due to physical and security
needs. It reminds us that God’s people too, have been strangers in a
foreign land, and we as believers are called to love the foreigner as
ourselves.
“As
Christians we are all spiritual sojourners on earth and by welcoming
today’s refugees into our homeland, we are showing compassion and
hospitality to God’s people in need. May the Church in Minnesota rise up
to welcome the "stranger" and restore hope to the hopeless.”
The
Arrive Ministries spokesman concluded: “With all the heartbreaking news
surrounding refugees right now, Arrive Ministries wants to remind our
friends that we are resettling refugees almost daily in the Twin Cities
(Minneapolis/St.Paul). In the month of September alone we helped nearly
70 refugees start their new lives in our communities. While we wish we
could help many more, there is real transformation taking place as we
help those who have experienced loss, trauma and dislocation.”
How is Arrive Ministries responding to the Middle East refugee crisis?
IN
THE UNITED STATES: Arrive Ministries is already welcoming refugees from
the region (Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria) to Minnesota and will continue to
do so.
IN
JORDAN: Through our partner, World Relief, children and youth who have
been separated from their families during the crisis and are in danger
of being trafficked are being helped. Through World Relief’s office in
Jordan, and its local partnerships there, displaced Syrian refugee
families and their host families are being provided with hygiene kits,
cooking utensils, bedding and blankets.
IN
COLLABORATION with Refugee Council USA: Arrive Ministries is advocating
for the US Government to take an active role in helping address the
Middle East refugee crisis.
What can you do:
**
PRAY: Download the seven major prayer requests that begin to encompass
the vast, often immeasurable needs of this vulnerable group (click on
the word "pray."
**
GIVE: Please consider donating to support the work of Arrive Ministries
as we stand with Syrian, Iraqi and Afghani refugees coming to
Minnesota. To help internationally, donate to our partner World Relief.
**VOLUNTEER:
Consider helping to resettle a refugee family or providing
transportation help to a newly arriving refugee family in Minnesota.
For more information go to: www.arriveministries.org
Ways for churches to get involved:
Image One: Welcome to America. (Arrive Ministries)
Image Two: Refugees in a Syrian camp (Arrive Ministries)
Image Three: Where Syrian refugees are settling in America (Arrive Ministries)
Bio Image: Michael Ireland (ASSIST News Photo).
About the writer: Michael
Ireland is a Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, as well
as a volunteer Internet Journalist and Ordained Minister who has served
with ASSIST Ministries and ASSIST News Service since its beginning in
1989. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel,
Jordan, China, and Russia. Click http://paper.li/Michael_ASSIST/1410485204 to see a daily digest of Michael's stories for ANS.
** You may republish this or any of ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net).
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