Generations ago the clashing of empires produced martyrs and mayhem. We killed for country, culture, religion, race, and for power. Today it seems no different as we read our newspapers and watch what is happening on TV. And our hearts break and we cry tears of sorrow. Hundreds of thousands people are fleeing to Europe risking their lives in boats not meant to carry so many, sitting on trains that don鈥檛 move and walking cross country to find a better place.
How can we call ourselves Christian while we sit here safe in our homes and do nothing?
What can we do as individuals? Lots!
You don鈥檛 have to feel helpless about this. There are all kinds of donations to be made to good organizations doing good work. You can find out about how to be involved with sponsoring and resettling refugees through your church.
If you don鈥檛 want to do that, then advocate and work for policy change that would allow and facilitate our government to help more people. If you don鈥檛 want to do that, then use your God-given facilities to figure out other good and creative ways to build up the Kingdom of God proclaiming by word and example the good news of God in Christ. And seeking and serving Christ in all persons, loving your neighbour as yourself.
The following statement by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, and Adele Finney, executive director of the Primate鈥檚 World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), in response to the Syrian refugee crisis was originally posted on September 3 at the PWRDF website.
鈥淭he Turkish policeman is us. Aylan Kurdi is our child. We knew that in the first moment we saw their pictures in today鈥檚 papers. We knew that in our gut, and when our heart鈥檚 cry poured out through our eyes. Our senses involuntarily respond and urgently demand that we act individually and as a human community.鈥�
Let us pray, holding within ourselves a space for the bereaved and desperate refugees, and allow their presence within us to engender the action we take to meet their need.
In an open letter to political party leaders in August the Primate wrote, 鈥淢ay your ears and your hearts be open to the call of Canadians for compassion, justice and reason鈥ur own actions are what give meaning to our words as we share our abundance through greater international assistance, welcome refugees鈥nd work for peace.鈥�
In times past Canada has taken extraordinary measures to welcome refugees in crisis. It is time for us to do so again.
