The United Nations has declared June 20 World Refugee Day. I have decided to use this post to bring this matter to your attention. I believe the international migration of peoples (which includes refugees) is a major global reality shaping the face of the Church.
The following is an excerpt from Strangers Next Door on refugees and the Great Commission. I hope this post will be of assistance to you and your church as you think missiologically about your world–and respond accordingly.
There are numerous opportunities to serve and share with the refugees who are now living in our communities. Do we see the people? Will we respond to their needs? Do we recognize the potential they have in reaching others with the gospel?
The Century of the Refugee
The twentieth century has been called the century of the refugee. The wake of World War II was the catalyst that led to the development of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). While the original plan was for the office to exist for three years and assist displaced Europeans, the refugee crises of the world continued to increase, and thus the Office continues sixty years later. In its first year, the annual budget was the equivalent to $300,000 (U.S), yet it now exceeds $2 billion (U.S.). As of this writing, the UNHCR deals with 34.4 million people of concern to the UNHCR.[1]
The official definition of a refugee embraced by the UNHCR is related to someone who has:
well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.[2]
Of all of the people on the move, these are the most in need of compassion, assistance, and good news. Some are internally displaced within their own countries, others have fled their homes and properties, and sometimes families, to find asylum in safer countries. The majority seek refuge within their homeland or a nearby country. Others attempt to move far from home. Those who flee great distances, often have no language or job skills once they arrive at their destinations. They come from Majority World countries, only to find themselves in extremely unfamiliar social environments. Some will leave home and have to live for years in refugee camps, waiting to be relocated to another country. Those seeking refugee status experience an enormous amount of social, psychological, and emotional upheaval. Even physical harm is commonplace from the time someone departs their home to the time they are relocated to a safe environment. The plight of those seeking refugee status is great and offers a great opportunity for the Church to take action and help the helpless.
The Global Realities
The UNHCR notes that in 2009:
- There were 15.2 million refugees
- There were 983,000 asylum seekers
- There were 27.1 million internally displaced persons
- 5.5 million of the 15.2 million refugees were living in 21 different countries
- 4/5 of the world’s refugees are hosted by developing countries
- Pakistan hosted the largest number of refugees (1.7 million), followed by the Islamic Republic of Iran (1.1 million), and the Syrian Arab Republic (1.05 million)
- 1 of every 4 refugees in the world was from Afghanistan
- More than half of the world’s refugees reside in urban contexts
- The United States accepted the highest number (80,000) of refuges for resettlement from the UNHCR
- South Africa was the largest recipient of individual refugee applications, followed by the United States and France[3]
- The Asia/Pacific Region had 37% of the world’s refugee population, followed by Europe at 19%, and the Americas at 8%[4]
- Children comprised 41% of refugees and people in refugee-like situations[5]
[1]Taken from http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cbc.html; accessed 23 January, 2011.
[2]UNHCR, “Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees,” 16; http://www.unhcr.org/3b66c2aa10.html; on-line, accessed 23 January 2011.
[3]UNHCR, “2009 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced and Stateless Persons,” (Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2010), 1. [on-line] http://www.unhcr.org/4c11f0be9.html; accessed 23 January 2011.
[4] UNHCR, “2009 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced and Stateless Persons,” (Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2010), 6. [on-line] http://www.unhcr.org/4c11f0be9.html; accessed 23 January 2011.
[5] UNHCR, “2009 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced and Stateless Persons,” (Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2010), 15. [on-line] http://www.unhcr.org/4c11f0be9.html; accessed 23 January 2011.
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If you are interested in a previous post on this topic, please see HERE.
Here is a helpful interview by Justin Long with Trent Deloach. Trent and his wife have many years of experience serving and assisting refugees in the United States.
Here is a searchable table of the global statistics for refugees as compiled by the United Nations.