By a member of SEND’s Diaspora | North America teamAs part of the English lesson I was teaching, I pulled out a world map to show the countries of the world. I showed them where the USA was on the map. Then I showed Ahmed where his country was. As he looked intently at the world map in front of us, he realized for the first time just how far he was from his own country.
“I can travel on the bus for two days and still be in Afghanistan”, he said. “
How is it possible that I was on the plane for one day and yet now I am so far away?” Tears began to stream down his face as he tried unsuccessfully to fight back the emotions sweeping over him.
“How will I ever see my family again?" he asked me.
My own heart broke for him and the pain he was feeling. It can be so lonely and isolating to be a refugee. I prayed with him, and for him, that God’s peace would minister to his hurting heart and that he would, indeed, one day be reunited with his family. His story is repeated over and over by many recent refugees. They are happy to be here and to be alive, but they miss their families dearly. We as Christians, have an opportunity to minister to these hurting and lonely people. We can pray for them and we can find ways to reach out to them. Perhaps it is through teaching English. Perhaps it is through taking them to the park or some other simple outing. It doesn’t need to be an expensive or big event, just hanging out with them and being with them is a big deal.
It is also important that we share God’s good news with them. It is very sad that they are separated from family here and now, but the bigger picture is that they are separated from God too, and that will be for eternity unless they are reconciled to Him.
“For God so loved the world, he sent his one and only son. That whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) I have to ask myself, what am I doing out of love for the lost around me? What is my church doing out of love for the lost around us? Are we sacrificing and showing love in tangible ways? Are we bringing the gospel into the discussions we are having with these new friends?
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