“Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me”  Matthew 10:40

Each year on June 20 World Refugee Day, we celebrate the strength and courage of refugees and displaced people. Please make this a special time to pray for all people who seek refuge from harm and to share what you can with refugees who need food, shelter and care.

Hope Away from Home picks up this year’s international theme and offers resources for Refugee Sunday designated as June 25, for Methodist and Presbyterian churches and July 2 for Anglican parishes.  The kit includes stories from refugees, prayers, lectionary notes, activities and other material for worship, focusing on our responsibility to refugees and displaced people. A PowerPoint slide featuring Nataliia and her granddaughter Lia is available.

Operation Refugee is our annual fundraiser to support refugees – this year from Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria and Ukraine.  You can pick one of three challenges to do on June 20 or a day that works for you.  If you prefer, you can sponsor one of the participants or donate to the special appeal.

Earlier this week a fishing trawler sank off the coast of Kalamata, Greece.  The worn out vessel carried a human cargo.  Its passengers had paid a high price for their fares.  Two days later only 104 of the reported 700 passengers have been found alive.  According to a Greek official, the smuggler captain had declined help offered by the coastguard. The boat had come from Libya where the smuggling industry thrives on the desperation of people anxious to find safety, loved ones and new opportunities in Europe.  The obstacles to resettlement are great and the mental and physical toll of the process is immense.

In the same week the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) released alarming new figures stating that 108.4 million people were displaced in 2022, by May reaching over 110 million because of the conflict in Syria.  Many more people are leaving because it is no longer safe to stay at home.  They are trying to escape rape, torture, kidnapping, murder and persecution but getting out is harder than ever as more countries tighten their borders.

If you need further information or resources, please contact us on 0800 74 73 72 or at cws@cws.org.nz

June 16, 2023