"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me. I assure you, as often as you did it for the least among you, you did it for me."
— Matthew 25:35-40
According to the UNHCR, an unprecedented more than 70 million have been forced from their homes to escape war, persecution, terror, or disasters. Here's an even more sobering fact: every minute in 2018, 25 people were forced to flee.
The journeys of those men, women and children don't always make headline news, but their plights are often long and dangerous. Some find safety within the borders of their home country, making them internally displaced persons. Others seek refugee in other countries and become refugees and asylees.
June 20 is World Refugee Day, a day to recognize the plight of refugees around the world, and work toward long-term solutions for them.
Refugees are victims of violence but, more importantly, they are also the strongest voices for peaceful solutions and a loud call to put our faith into action.
Manuel Noriega, 21, from Venezuela, holds his baby, Mattias, and waits to apply for refugee status at the Peru/Ecuador border. (Photo by Morgan Arnold, for Lutheran World Relief)
World Refugee Day 2019: Step with Refugees
The theme of World Refugee Day for 2019 is "Step with Refugees," and challenges us to take steps - big and small - in solidarity with refugees.
Your support of Lutheran World Relief is already reaching refugees in several countries.
- In Uganda, your support helps South Sudanese refugees in the Palabek refugee settlement to grow food and build livelihoods.
- In Lebanon, your gifts have helped Syrian refugees and their host communities grow crops and build community.
- In Peru, you reach out to those fleeing the crushing economic crisis in Venezuela by helping families connect to the vital services they need to survive.
Akwanga Paulina (30, r) sells vegetables in the market that she cultivated with seeds and training from Lutheran World Relief in Palabek Refugee Settlement in northern Uganda. (Photo by Jake Lyell, for Lutheran World Relief)
You can help
You don't have to wait for World Refugee Day to reach out to refugees. Lutheran World Relief and its partner, IMA World Health, work with refugee communities to reduce poverty and improve health. Consider becoming a part of this work with a gift to the World of Good fund. This fund allows us to respond quickly and efficiently when needs arise around the world.