Fear Cripples the Refugees.

Perhaps you can place yourself for just 5 min. in the place of this man. What would you have done?

AMIR, not the real man, is a refugee from the middle east. He came to Austria 6 years ago to seek asylum and freedom. At that time, the refugee camp in Traiskirchen had over 1000 refugees in it--crowded and confusing. AMIR was alone, afraid and had no one to consult to find out his rights. In the first few days, the fear he came with, mounted, as many were saying, “you will be deported back”. In fear and frustration AMIR moved on to England. There he was again in a strange land, but he found a job, and a small corner of a flat to live in. He was illegal, worked 7 days a week--only for food and to pay the rent. He learned English, but the exhaustion of hiding, working and no hope caused him to finally ask the question he should have asked in Austria. “What are my rights, how do I apply for asylum?” Some one answered, “ you must go back to Austria, there is your first EU country of entry and there are your finger prints in the system”. So back to Austria AMIR came.

I met him in the Oasis at our coffee bar 4 months ago. He did not say much, but he listened, He saw and he realized we had a message of hope. I connected him with a believer (REFF) who came to Christ here several years ago. REFF spoke AMIR’s language. They spent one week together talking about the Truth of the Bible and the hope that gives life, Jesus Christ. I gave AMIR a Bible and in a few weeks he was transferred to a refugee house in the mountains far from us. But with his e-mail address --- I stayed in touch. He was so thankful for what he saw and learned, plus he also was reading the Bible each day, but he did not understand it.

On New Years weekend Jan 1, 2011, he came as my weekend guest. For 3 days he was connected with others that were of his Nation and followers of Jesus. Muslims Background Believers, MBB’s. He attended 3 church services with them, and listened intently to all we could share about Jesus. On News Years day he sat at my kitchen table and said: “ I tried it my way and wasted 5 years as I listened to the wrong voices, now I want to try it God’s way, I want so much to have what you all have, Please pray for me”. As the weekend ended, he returned back to refugee house in the mountains, but with books, and many helps. He reads and studies the Word now as he awaits any progress towards asylum.

Would you please also pray for him, and many more like him that come through the doors of the OASIS … Filled with fear the heart is closed--broken and surrendered the heart is open. PRAY for the Oasis Team, that we see whose heart is ready, and that we will in the POWER and GRACE of His Spirit offer Jesus.

Julie S