How You Can Support Refugees

Many times during home assignment, someone has approached me after a deputation service and thanked me for putting real faces and personal stories to the refugee crisis. "We just aren't hearing about this here," is the comment I've heard repeated time and time again, referring to how the media and politicians are painting all refugees as extreme Muslim terrorists that need to be feared, when the truth is that the refugees are fleeing those extreme terrorists.

While the political response is very complex, the Church's shouldn't be. But many times we don't know how to help in such an overwhelming humanitarian crisis.

Below are a few links you can use to become better informed about the Church of the Nazarene's Refugee Response and how you can support it.


Start by visiting ncm.org/refugees
Learn more about how Nazarenes are responding to the refugee crisis. Church resources are available for small group study. There's also a link to give to the global refugee and immigrant support fund.
For even more small group studies (for adult and youth), click here.

Check out the Special Edition of Where Worlds Meet
In October, a special edition of the Eurasia Region's newsletter Where Worlds Meet was devoted to how Nazarenes in Central Europe are responding to the refugee crisis. Click here to read this newsletter. Click here to give to support Nazarene refugee response in Central Europe.

Give.
In addition to the NCM Global Refugee & Immigrant Support Fund and the NCM Central Europe Refugee Response, there is also the 2016 NCM Christmas Project.
Almost 2 million Syrian refugees are living in Jordan and Lebanon. Many do not have access to education in Syria. This year's NCM Christmas project will provide scholarships for refugee children to attend the Nazarene schools in Jordan and Lebanon. Please join me in giving to help these children. For more information, visit www.ncm.org/christmas

Follow Updates.
For updates from Central Europe, follow Missionary Teanna Sunberg's blog https://centraleuropenaz.org/ and the "Courage for the Journey" (Central Europe Refugee Response) Facebook page and Tumblr.

Check out these Articles & Videos:
Here are a few of the articles and videos I've linked to over the past few months on Facebook regarding refugees:

• Regional Conference offers reflection, discussion and expertise for way forward (Eurasia Region) - November 2016
• In their own words (video): Syrian Refugees Share Their Stories (NCM)
• Nazarene Schools in Middle East teach refugee children to hope (NCN News)
• Amira’s Story: Children Caught in the Conflict (NCM)
• Caring for Children in Crisis (NCM)
• Tarek’s Story: Children Caught in the Conflict (NCM)
• 5 Questions About the Syrian Civil War You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask
• Are Refugees Really Dangerous? (Relevant Magazine) 
• Running for refugees: Nazarenes partner to fund education for Syrian children (NCN News)
• The European Refugee Crisis and Syria Explained (YouTube Video)
• Kosovar Nazarenes remember their past as they visit refugees (Engage Magazine)
• Orivan's Story
• The Greek Refugee Puzzle (EuroNews) 
• What the Bible Says About How to Treat Refugees (Relevant Magazine)
• Zeinab's Story (Time Magazine Video)
• Ministry of presence: Church continues refugee response in Balkans (NCN News)
• Stranded Refugees Struggle to Keep Hope Alive on Greek-Macedonian Border (EuroNews)
• Fear Not - The Church and the Syrian Refugee Crisis (YouTube video)
• The Immigrant Among Us (Holiness Today, by Jerry Porter)
• Caring for Refugees (my blog post from June)

Pray.

Last, but certainly not least, pray. Pray for those who have been displaced, for those who have lost loved ones, for a quick end to the conflict, and for the Church to be the hands and feet of Christ in this humanitarian crisis. Click here for a list of specific ways you can pray (from Relevant Magazine).