By Alexandra Nyoni
At the end of 2023, 117.3 million people were displaced, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). If those people were a country, it would be the 12th most populated country in the world. Each year, that number has continued to grow and grow. While there are many reasons people become refugees or internally displaced persons, including but not limited to, war, disaster, and climate change, those who are forced to flee their homes share many things in common. They all leave home unwillingly, forced to change location, and often language, culture, and customs. They leave behind what they know hoping to find safety, community, peace, and hope. As INcontext, we work with and support many partners and organisations that work tirelessly to support those who have fled their homes, primarily because of war. In the following synopses of war situations around the world, we provide stories and testimonies of the impact these partners are having on the lives of refugees they interact with, as well as continued challenges that refugees are facing. This year’s Global Refugee Day theme is “solidarity with refugees.” If you would like to get involved by praying for or supporting any of the partners or projects discussed below, feel free to reach out to jeremiah@incontextinternational.org for more information.
**all bolded stories provided by INcontext partners**
GERMANY – STORIES OF REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE AND OTHER COUNTRIES
Since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022, 6.5 million Ukrainians have become refugees, located throughout the world. More than 3.5 million are displaced within Ukraine, and approximately 14.6 million people (40% of the total population) are categorised as needing urgent humanitarian assistance by the UNHCR. When hostilities began causing people to flee, those left behind included the elderly, the disabled, and those without the financial means to leave their homes behind. This population of Ukrainians remains very vulnerable as the war has little to no end in sight. While the war emptied many Churches, an INcontext partner who stayed behind to serve those left in the country testifies to the growth the Church is seeing among those who stayed. Churches are full of new converts who came to know the Lord in the midst of war.
Of those who fled Ukraine, 1.1 million ended up in Germany. Germany’s accommodating refugee policies has led to refugees from all over the world resettling there. From Ukrainians to Syrians and Afghans, the German and missionary Churches present there have taken the opportunity to reach out and care for the physical and spiritual needs of those they find in their midst.
These stories originate from one of the ministry hubs in Germany, who serve refugees from Ukraine and various other countries.
“We have a group of young people all from a Muslim background who gather here on a Wednesday evening and they are all seeking. They’re now at a point where they are starting to believe that Jesus has died for their sins – this is a huge leap for them. They are starting to pray with us. They even join us in prayer when we pray for someone to be healed because they see Jesus is at work. They still need to make the decision that they are going to fully commit and follow Him, but actually they are already walking with Him all the more.”
“Tuesdays we pray with the new believers. There are two new believers – ladies from Morocco who were baptised the past two months. Earlier this year we went to the baptism of the first two Kurds from our Kurdish group who became followers of Christ recently and there are now two or three more Kurds who want to get baptised. About three months ago in the Farsi group coming from Iran there were 15 who were baptised and they all became disciples so they all journey together and are part of groups where they study and discover the Word together.”
“Just recently, we had a man visit our cafe [ministry centre] and he prophesied over some women and prayed for many people. All of them were experiencing healings and one man was completely healed from cataracts. The evangelical believers in this group responded in amazement, “We can’t even remember the last time we saw God move like this among non-believers!”
A story of a woman from partners in Germany: “I would never have grown in Ukraine as I’ve grown in Hamburg. The challenges I’ve faced here with who I am, where I get my strength from and being outside of my comfort-zone, have grown a different part of my character that I never thought existed.”
Please join us in prayer for the following:
- For Ukrainian refugees, wherever they find themselves, to find true healing and peace by encountering Jesus and coming to know Him as their personal Lord and Saviour
- For the new believers, especially those from a Muslim background, who were baptised to solidify their identity in Christ and persevere as true disciples of Jesus, even leading others to find Him
- For the German Church and missionaries working there to be strengthened, encouraged, and persistent as they work to be the practical hands and feet of Christ to those around them
SOUTH SUDAN/UGANDA
South Sudan has been embroiled in conflict since its inception in 2011. Not only has the country produced over two million refugees and another two million internally displaced people, but it also hosts refugees, mainly from Sudan, since war broke out there in April last year. South Sudan’s warring parties signed a peace deal in 2018 that has led to approximately 500,000 refugees returning home. While repatriation is often the long-term goal for those who have been displaced by war, returning too soon can cause further trauma and instability. South Sudan, while arguably safer in some areas than it was when war began, is still an insecure nation with little to no operating infrastructure outside of major cities. Refugees from rural areas are returning to Juba, the capital city, where lifestyle and culture differs vastly from their home villages.
“What I experienced when I went to South Sudan and observed returning refugees, is that after all these years of living in refugee camps, when they go back home, the safety and security systems [infrastructure] are not very well established. So now when they are returning back home, they feel like foreigners in their own land because they are not returning to their rural villages. They have lived out of support from the UN for many years, and now they are going back to city life in which the economic lifestyle is very different. They not only feel like foreigners, but they also feel like foreigners to the economic systems in their own country as well. They now need to start working, while not having worked for maybe five to seven years. Many of them are experiencing another kind of trauma because it’s like they are starting everything again. They have to start learning how to live life in a new place. So they are overstretched in every area of life. They really need help in getting settled and support from the local communities to welcome them.”
Please join us in prayer for the following:
- For those returning to South Sudan to find peace and stability as they return home and for the Lord’s grace as they navigate new lives and new responsibilities
- For the continued provision for South Sudanese refugees both in and outside their country, and for the Church to fill the gaps where resources are lacking
SYRIA/LEBANON
Lebanon, a small middle-eastern country with a population of just 5.49 million people, is the country hosting the most refugees per capita and square kilometre in the world. The UNHCR estimates Lebanon to be hosting 1.1 million Syrian refugees and approximately 12,000 of other nationalities. Many Syrians fled to Lebanon at some point during the 13 year civil war in their own country, and despite Lebanon facing an unprecedented crisis of its own, displaced people are still making their way to Lebanese borders to seek safety and refuge. Due to Lebanon’s economic decline over the past few years, it’s estimated that more than half of the Lebanese population currently lives below the poverty line and 90% of Syrians in the country require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. Lebanon’s unique political structure allows for a more prominent Christian community than many other nations in the region, and this thus allows the Church to operate a bit more freely in most areas of the country. The Lebanese Church, along with foreign missionaries, have helped many Syrians integrate into their new communities and introduced them to Christ in the process. INcontext has heard many testimonies of Syrian refugees coming to know Christ while living in Lebanon.
The following are testimonies of what the Lord is doing through refugee ministry in Lebanon.
“Despite the various challenges, we have also witnessed many beautiful stories in the Middle East refugee ministry. One Syrian refugee family, after fleeing the war and the abuse of her husband, found us. We visited her and prayed for her. Over time, she not only regained hope for life but also came to understand and accepted Christ and even got baptised this year. We are supporting so many of them with food, classes, skills, Bible study, and scholarships. Now, more and more of them are actively participating in our programmes, gatherings and activities. Some of them have already become our members, helping other refugees and spreading love and hope in the community.”
“Although Kurdish Christianity, which began with Syrian Kurdish refugees in Lebanon, has only been around for ten years, it has become a conduit for spreading the gospel to Kurds domestically and internationally, as well as to all peoples who understand Arabic. Reflecting on the past decade, I anticipate how far God’s plan for using the Kurdish people will reach.”
“In summary, the Middle East refugee ministry is filled with challenges but also with God’s grace and blessings. By overcoming language, cultural, and religious barriers, we have witnessed many changes in lives and miracles of faith. These experiences not only strengthen our mission but also make us feel honoured to be messengers of God’s love. We need to understand that change and results won’t come quickly and require long-term commitment and persistence. During this process, faith and prayer become our sources of strength.”
Please join us in prayer for the following:
- For continued testimonies of refugees coming to know Christ in Lebanon through the dedicated work of the Lebanese Church and foreign missionaries
- For stability to come to Lebanon and for the restoration of basic services for both the local population and refugees
- For the Lord to equip more workers to invest in the refugee population living within Lebanon and for the continued strength and encouragement of those already working in the country
