The Oasis

People from all four corners of the world came together, this Thursday, to honor the plight of the refugee by recognizing World Refugee Day. June 20^th was the day  set aside to specifically pray for and aid a group of people, who are commonly forgotten. Although at the Oasis, every day is a  world refugee day in some form or another, we used this holiday as an opportunity to remind the refugees that there are still people who care about them.

On Wednesday night, in addition to our usual tea and coffee, we also served soda, ice cream, and fruit to the refugees. A special children’s ministry was held on Thursday afternoon and rice was cooked for the refugees at the coffee bar that evening. Although these were small treats in the grand scheme of a refugee’s life and in the general goal of the Oasis’s outreach, they served as a reminder that people are praying for the refugees even though they may not always know it.

Celebrating World Refugee Day yesterday, however, I started thinking broadly about the refugees who are scattered all around the globe without a home or nation. They are not wanted by those they left and they are certainly not accepted in the countries they are fleeing to. They are often poor, unable to communicate, and have little food, clothing and shelter. As I was pondering the troubles of the refugee however, I thought that all Christians are refugees in a way. This world is not our home either. We are stranded in a world that does not honor Jesus Christ and because of that Christians are often unwanted and find themselves out of place.

Someday, though, we will travel to our eternal home where we will be accepted and loved for who we are no matter where we came from. There will be no sickness, poverty, or discrimination. On that day none of us will be refugees, either physically or spiritually, because we will all be citizens of Heaven. As you continue in your daily life, I urge all of you to pray for the refugees around the world whether its World Refugee Day or any other.

Matthew Huff