helping refugees
In conversation recently with some church leaders here in Austria, they were saying it is difficult to get involved in helping refugees. They said that often the experience is a negative one, and this discourages churches from wanting to help. Usually the bad experience involves some kind of immorality or dishonesty. When this happens, those who have been involved feel burned and say, "never again."
For example, in February, I wrote about David who once asked a church for some help in finding an apartment. Now, from the church's perspective, David had said he was being kicked out of the refugee house, and he urgently needed a place to stay. When the church checked this out, the house director told them this was not the case, that he was leaving on his own accord. Those who were trying to help David, felt they had been lied to, and therefore backed out of their offer to help.
What do we do with this? How do we help reconcile these contradictory sides? Is this a case of cultural misunderstanding or is it intentional deception? I find it often literally impossible to take one side or the other. . Some have looked at me and said, "you don't belong here, because you won't draw a line in the sand…"
It is true. I don't feel like a streak in the sand. I feel more like a weathered tree on a wind blown mountainside.
For example, in February, I wrote about David who once asked a church for some help in finding an apartment. Now, from the church's perspective, David had said he was being kicked out of the refugee house, and he urgently needed a place to stay. When the church checked this out, the house director told them this was not the case, that he was leaving on his own accord. Those who were trying to help David, felt they had been lied to, and therefore backed out of their offer to help.
What do we do with this? How do we help reconcile these contradictory sides? Is this a case of cultural misunderstanding or is it intentional deception? I find it often literally impossible to take one side or the other. . Some have looked at me and said, "you don't belong here, because you won't draw a line in the sand…"
It is true. I don't feel like a streak in the sand. I feel more like a weathered tree on a wind blown mountainside.
posted by Paul at
11:30 PM
3 Comments:
trust and truth are precious commodities. So is grace. Sometimes lines must be drawn, sometimes other paths need to be pointed out...moving people beyond the "never again". There are opportunities to grow among both parties.
By
old crazy tom, at 9:21 PM
paul, you have touched on one of the biggies when it comes to this kind of ministry.
while it may be foolish to be deceived, it is not necessarily a sin to have been deceived. consider the deception of judas...
but to fail to loved is always sin.
we've got to keep risking love.
experience should increase our wisdom, but it should never weaken our capacity to love.
By
Tom, at 4:10 AM
trust, truth, risk, failure and deception are indeed biggies and I think that one of the best things we can do to get through this "walk of life" is to surround ourselves with good partners and friends.
This helps to create the so called "environment of grace." It is then in this environment that our capacity grows. Like you say, Tom, -not from the experience- but from all that feeds into our life from outside of ourselves.
thanks for the input
By
Paul, at 12:35 AM
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