By Isolde Doubell
28/08/2024
Three people were killed and eight injured in the German town of Solingen on Friday, 23 August, when a Syrian refugee who arrived in Germany in 2022 randomly stabbed people during a festival marking the town’s 650th anniversary. The planned weekend celebrations, for which about 75,000 people had been expected over the three days, were cancelled. In a statement on Saturday, the Islamic State (IS), which took responsibility for the attack, said the perpetrator targeted Christians and was a “soldier of the Islamic State” who carried out the attack “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.” On 25 August, a man with a Palestinian flag draped around his waist set fires and caused an explosion outside a synagogue in La Grande-Motte, a French resort town near Marseilles. Two Afghan nationals, with links to the Afghan branch of the terrorist group IS, were charged this week for planning to kill police officers and civilians in Stockholm. The UK experienced unprecedented riots from 30 July to 5 August, following the killing of three girls at a dance event a few hundred metres from the Southport mosque. False reports that the attacker was a Muslim immigrant spread across social media, sparking nationwide violence against mosques and hotels sheltering asylum seekers. All this happened within a month and has placed refugees in the spotlight once again. It will also fuel and strengthen the rise of Islamophobia, manifested as fear, hatred of, or prejudice towards Muslims or Islam.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, more than 120 million people had been forcibly displaced worldwide by May this year as a result of persecution, conflict, or human rights violations. Whatever the reason, finding durable solutions for tens of millions of people on the move is a challenge beyond the will or capacity of any government, many of which are facing economic struggles themselves. The plight of refugees is a highly emotive and politicised issue. Screening systems and protocols can try to be failsafe, but there are no guarantees. Governments face the difficult challenge of striking a balance between protecting their citizens and caring for refugees.
The Church, however, has an opportunity to partner with the government to help integrate people into the country. Many refugees come from Islamic countries that fall within the “10/40 window,” where the most unreached people groups are. Missionaries go to great lengths to reach them, but now many are arriving at the Church’s doorstep. The grace of God teaches His children to do justice to the downtrodden and abused. In Leviticus 19:33-34, God says to Israel, “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them… Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt…” This same ethic is reflected by Jesus in His Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Jesus Himself was a refugee in Egypt, fleeing from King Herod. When we see ourselves as foreigners and strangers on this Earth, it becomes easier to have compassion for refugees and to come together as brothers and sisters in Christ, longing for the great City that awaits us and celebrating, first and foremost, our citizenship in heaven. But there is also another dimension to witnessing for Christ. Christians may need to bring Christ’s love and forgiveness into an environment of hate and persecution, as was the case with the attack in Solingen, where Christians were the target.
A friend of INcontext, who is a missionary among Arabic-speaking refugees in Germany, comments: “Many of the refugees are shocked when they hear of these attacks, and they don’t want to be associated with the perpetrators. Unfortunately, there are also many who are easily angered and can be stirred up to become violent. Germans have been accustomed to a safe society, and the violence of the past ten years, as the influx of refugees soared, has caused a lot of fear. Most of the refugees, however, are just trying to make a living and are now treated with suspicion and antagonism. One of the best things we have seen in our area is that the ministry to the refugees has breathed new life into many churches. There are beautiful stories of Germans who have opened their lives (and even their homes) to people in need. One older couple helped many people: an Iraqi who came to Christ because of them is now spreading the Gospel to his family in Iraq. An Afghan man who now works in our Afghan Café also accepted Jesus. He would never have had the opportunity had he still been in Afghanistan. Many of the refugees are seeking answers, and if they can only encounter the love of Jesus, it can change their lives.”
Please join us in prayer for the following:
- For the governments of countries that take in refugees to have godly wisdom in how to help these people while also protecting their citizens.
- For Christians not to be afraid, but to reach out effectively with love and compassion, and not to grow weary of doing good.
- For the refugees to have open hearts to receive the Gospel, not to be stirred up in anger and hostility, and to be able to build a life for themselves and their families.
Terminology:
Source: International Rescue Committee (rescue.org)
There are over 120 million men, women, and children around the world who have been forced to flee their homes. That number, which includes refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), has doubled in just ten years. Here is some clarity on the different terms.
Refugee: A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her home because of war, violence or persecution, often without warning. They are unable to return home unless and until conditions in their native lands are safe for them again. Those who obtain refugee status are given protections under international laws and lifesaving support from aid agencies, including the International Rescue Committee. Refugees in some countries also have the opportunity to become lawful permanent residents and eventually citizens.
Asylum seeker: An asylum seeker is someone who is also seeking international protection from dangers in his or her home country, but whose claim for refugee status hasn’t been determined legally. Asylum seekers must apply for protection in the country of destination—meaning they must arrive at or cross a border in order to apply. Asylum-seekers numbered 6.9 million, with a 26% rise in those waiting for asylum decisions by the end of 2023. Then, they must be able to prove to authorities there that they meet the criteria to be covered by refugee protections. Not every asylum seeker will be recognised as a refugee.
Immigrant: An immigrant is someone who makes a conscious decision to leave his or her home and move to a foreign country with the intention of settling there. Immigrants often go through a lengthy vetting process to immigrate to a new country. Many become lawful permanent residents and eventually citizens. Most importantly, they are free to return home whenever they choose.
Migrant: A migrant is someone who is moving from place to place (within his or her country or across borders), usually for economic reasons such as seasonal work. Similar to immigrants, they were not forced to leave their native countries because of persecution or violence, but rather are seeking better opportunities.
