Easter Prayer for Refugees, Europe and Leaders
Posted by Kaylee K on Friday, March 25, 2016 Under: Italy
Sad decisions; scary times….but God is bigger than all of this. Please join us in prayer for Europe – both for the citizens and for the refugees arriving there. The news in Europe continues to get bleaker and as of today:
- In the wake of the Brussels bombings, Poland has retracted its commitment to receive 7,000 refugees from Italy and Greece. With the attacks in Paris and Brussels, there is a further blurring of lines and messaging as the media and politicians tie the conversation about these horrific attacks perpetrated by terrorists into the conversation about refugees. While there are no actual ties, the emotional ties create a fear of the foreigner and continued closing of borders and hearts.
- Per this week’s agreement between Turkey and the EU, refugees arriving to Greece will now be arrested and deported to Turkey. Reports are that the conditions for those already in camps in Greece are quite desperate and also that the situation in Turkey will continue to worsen as more refugees are sent there. There is reason to believe that many will be deported to home countries where their lives will be in grave danger. Doctors Without Borders and other NGOs have begun to pull out of Greece in protest to what they see as an inhumane response to the crisis.
- The expectation now is that we will see an increase in Mediterranean crossings to Italy across dangerous waters that claimed the lives of more than 3,000 last year trying to cross from Libya. While there are already up to 200,000 refugees in Libya waiting to cross to Europe, it is also anticipated that other refugees will now embark on longer sea crossings from Greece/Turkey/Albania as this will soon be seen as one of the only routes remaining for people fleeing for their lives to try to reach safe haven in Europe.
While all of this can be quite discouraging, we continue to hear stories of hope on the Refugee Highway as people receive support and love from churches, come to know Christ, and lean into a faith in the only God who can truly save. As we celebrate Easter, may we also trust this God and rely on His truth rather than looking to the fear and anger that is so easily propagated by the media and politicians. There is always hope and we can choose to be a part of that message. Let’s do our part today to share love and to pray for all of those who desperately need to know this love and the hope that we have.
Please join us in praying:
- For wisdom for the leaders who must decide how their countries and states will respond to this crisis.
- For churches to demonstrate the love of Jesus by caring for the foreigner in their community regardless of that person's/people’s ethnicity or religion.
- For those who have fled desperate situations to save their lives and their children’s lives, that they may find hope in the community they’ve now arrived in. That they may find love and aid. That they will know the God who loves them beyond measure and grieves their situation. That they will find the hope and future He has in store for them.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
In : Italy
Tags: europe prayer refugees hope greece libya italy
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Kaylee founded Refugee Connect in 2008. John joined the work in 2011 as we investigated the refugee situation in Europe. But our faith and cross-cultural journeys have been a work-in-progress for many years. Much of this blog reflects that. ************************************************ We met in Austin, TX, while volunteering at a serving event at Gateway Church and have been married since 2002. Marriage, parenting and ministry all require a great deal of intentionality, humility and true reliance on God for strength, wisdom, and grace. It is a journey we are grateful to be on together. Ultimately, what matters to us is building into meaningful relationships in ways that, to the best of our ability and by God's grace, demonstrate the love and hope Jesus freely offers to us all. ************************************************ We bring both business and ministry backgrounds into our current work. John started a business in his 20's and helped build several other businesses. He has also served with churches in a variety of roles including as an assistant pastor, director of community development, and missions board member. Kaylee left her marketing career to become the global missions director for our home church in Austin, TX, then founded a local refugee ministry, and became TEFL certified (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) in order to prepare for our work overseas. We have led short-term teams domestically and internationally, and served with a variety of cross-cultural ministries. In 2008, we sensed a call to build into the church in Europe, which was also around the time when God broke Kaylee’s heart for refugees. Since then, God has continued to weave together this heart for refugees, desire to serve alongside the church, and focus on His call to Europe.