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For nearly 11 months now I have dreamt of home.
I have dreamt of being in America.
Having showers that are consistently hot. Having more than 5 outfits. Hugs from my family. Bar-B-Q and Mexican food. I have longed for you, America.
But right now coming home seems overwhelming.
You see as I type this I am sitting in a nation that has been torn by war. I went to lunch with a woman whose father is fighting for freedom for her and her husband. I have friends here who are internal refugees in Ukraine, who were forced to leave their homes, schools, jobs, and families for safety.
I see the pain in their eyes as they talk about these things that are so real to them and my heart breaks.
They want so badly for freedom and for the right to do things that I take for granted every single day.
So you may be wondering if that is where I currently am, then why in the world wouldn’t I want to come back to America. Let me tell you.
In the last few days my social media has BLOWN UP with fear and hate from people who I KNOW are Christians; and it makes me so angry.
I am not in any way claiming to be an expert on the Syrian refugee crisis, I don’t know what the best move politically is. But I do know this.
If you are a Christian then that has to come first.
We are told as Christians that we are to love our neighbor and in case you were wondering, Syrians are our neighbors. We are called to be the light of Christ in a dark and hurting world. We are supposed to be the sweet aroma of Christ as it says in 2 Corinthians.
And right now from across the world America doesn’t smell so sweet, and the root of this stench is fear.
As I read my friends’ facebook statuses and see articles posted about why we shouldn’t let these broken and hurting people into our country, all I can see is fear.
But Christian, God has not given you a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and self-control.
So I want to pose a question to you. What is it you fear so much from refugees?
“But they are all terrorist and we’re going to be attacked!!” I can hear this response on the tip of your tongue. This response is a little bit crazy unless you as a Christian are ok with being lumped together with Westboro Baptist. (Personally not where I find my beliefs lining up.)
But let’s for a second say you’re right. Refugees are going to attack us and kill us. As a Christian, why are you so scared? Paul says, “to live is Christ and die is gain.” You as a believer have nothing to fear in death.
However you do have a huge opportunity to show the love of Christ to a group of people who are scared, broken, and tired. All things our God can fix. God breaks the chains of injustice, He heals the broken hearted, He brings comfort, He restores joy, He gives rest. And we are supposed to be the reflection of Jesus to the world.
So as the Church, let’s start reflecting that. I don’t care what your political party affiliation is, as a believer the fact that there are so many broken and hurting people being rejected from all over should draw you in closer. Jesus went to the broken and rejected and so should we.
So what can you do? Romans 12:2 would be a good place to start, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
I’m not currently in America, but I will be soon. So besides praying for the refugees, could you say a prayer for a broken-hearted missionary who is scared to come home (and approximately 200 Racers like me)?
I’m scared to walk from a community that embodies love and freedom to one that is teeming with fear. I’m scared that I’m going to snap and yell at people for being insensitive jerks. I’m scared I’m going to be the only one who thinks like this.
So I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know where you fall when it comes to refugees, but I beg you brother/sister to consider where Jesus would be if he lived in modern day America. I would bet just about all the galleons in Gringotts that he would be sitting in a refugee camp somewhere, holding babies, healing the sick, and bringing hope not hate.
Love you all,
Audrey
