To my faithful praying, giving partners: I’m so grateful that you understand the needs of refugees and that you meet those needs with your amazing prayerful support!
One of the verses from the Bible I love to refer to is "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40 NIV). As a Christian, you and I have a choice to make. Respond to the unsettling needs you see in our world with fear or respond with love.
But who are “the least of these” Jesus was referring to? That’s a difficult question, but I believe they are those in need that are presented to you in your daily life. That’s why I started Refugee Relief. I sat face to face with hurting, hungry refugees who were many miles from home and struggling to survive. To me, they represented “the lease of these” or Christ himself. And now, I’m presenting them to you.
Being forced to flee your home due to bombs falling or soldiers brutally murdering people right outside your home is one of the most horrifying things I can imagine. Now imagine being handicapped or elderly or an orphan. You are totally reliant on the kindness of others to survive. If you get out of the country alive, you often arrive in a refugee camp in a poverty-stricken country with no social services.
In this issue of our prayer update, we focus on vulnerable refugees who are faced with unbelievable struggles. Schools don’t offer assistance for handicapped or special needs children. The elderly, with no way to care for themselves, are often victims of theft and abuse.
That’s why we ask our partners to focus relief efforts on the most vulnerable refugees in their community; orphans, widows, the handicapped, and the elderly. And those physically unable to care for themselves or their family.
Thank you for your continued prayer and gifts to help those who, to me, are the “least of these” in our world.