We were blessed last weekend to have Shawn and Adib from the Jesus Network come and share with us about their journey in working with refugees. As you may know, Lifespring is sponsoring two refugee families who are currently in Turkiye. We are just at the beginning of our journey as we learn about sponsorship and how to do it well. Shawn and Adib have experience with sponsoring over 50 families, and had plenty of wisdom to share with us.
If you didn’t have an opportunity to hear Shawn and Adib, I definitely recommend listening to the recording. Shawn has amazing stories about his own start in refugee ministry and the things that he’s learned. Adib shared about his own experiences in being a refugee who had to flee Afghanistan and live in India, where he faced further persecution.
One of the things that Adib shared about was how refugees are viewed in the Bible. While the term “refugee” doesn’t appear directly in scripture, there are many words that talk about people who have left their homes for other places, such as “strangers,” “sojourners” or “foreigners.” The verse that Adib mentioned was from Hebrews 13.
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
– Hebrews 13:1-3
Hospitality and showing kindness to strangers has always been at the centre of God’s heart. As I read Hebrews 13:3, I think of Adib, who was imprisoned in India because of how he was reaching out to people around him with the gospel. I think of our Family Weekend speaker, who was brought in for questioning by the authorities because of the house churches he was leading. As I think about those who are mistreated, I think about the families we are sponsoring, and some of the hardships they’re enduring as they live as refugees in a place that isn’t friendly to refugees.
In response to all of these situations, Hebrews reminds us to keep loving them as family. Remember to show hospitality, welcome, and kindness to strangers and refugees. Never forget those, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are being mistreated because of their faith. I appreciate Adib’s reminder to continue to do those things, because in doing this kind of work, “people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
During his message, Adib expressed his thanks for our willingness as a church family to welcome in the stranger through refugee sponsorship. Thank you, Lifespring. As God brings us on this journey of refugee sponsorship, not only are we a blessing to others, but we will be blessed by them in return.