OK, this is not the second time churches have had the opportunity to participate in refugee resettlement. But with the numbers of refugees expected in the next year and Houston’s large role in resettlement, it’s time to get ready, again!
Calling All Churches
A recent Baptist Standard article described the effort needed to rebuild the United States refugee resettlement system. At the end of the article, Travis Wussow of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission notes, “Pastors and churches are eager to serve and pick back up where they left off.”
Rebuilding the system will take more than a presidential executive order. More is needed than re-staffing by World Relief and other refugee sponsoring agencies. Churches will fulfill a major role in refugee resettlement by providing hospitality locally.
Hospitality can take the shape of churches sponsoring refugees in partnership with agencies such as World Relief and Refugee Services of Texas. Representatives from congregations can meet refugees at the airport, provide orientation to communities, provide welcome bags, and be available to answer questions for newcomers who may lack knowledge of appliances and other aspects of life in the United States.
Welcoming the Stranger
Since the influx of refugees following the fall of Vietnam, the United States has provided refuge for millions of persons fleeing war and persecution. That refuge has resulted from a team effort by the government, non-profits, churches, and individuals. Many churches in Texas and beyond have played a crucial role in helping refugees resettle in the past fifty years by meeting a variety of needs.
From the Panhandle to Palacios and from East Texas to El Paso, Texas, Baptist churches and others have taken seriously the mandate to welcome the stranger. Volunteers have provided instruction in English for refugees in many settings, but ministry has not stopped at the end of class. Caring volunteers have helped refugee families find jobs, furnish apartments, and provide for the educational needs of their children.
Let’s get ready to do it again!
On May 1, Literacy Connexus is hosting a free symposium called Response2Refugees. You’ll learn about the status of refugee resettlement in Texas and ways your congregation can provide hospitality.
Click the link for more information and to register. Contact me for more information: 817 455-5442/Lester@literacyconnexus.org.
Lester Meriwether has served as the executive director of Literacy Connexus for 17 years helping churches help people with literacy needs. He and wife Donna have three adult children and four grandchildren.
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