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John Kaissa, a Turkana tribesman, has a deep sense of calling on his life. He works in drought-stricken northern Kenya where Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is helping a refugee camp serve its young residents better and cope with a growing number of new arrivals.

Anne Woolger also has a deep sense of calling in her life. For the last decade she has served hundreds of refugees pouring into Toronto.

Kaissa and Woolger were among 185 leaders from 43 countries attending the first global Refugee Highway Consultation in Izmir, Turkey, November 15-20. Sponsored by World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) Missions Commission, participants focused on the needs of the world’s 50 million refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people (IDPs) who are in flight, intransit and in resettlement.

The consultation helped build collaboration between Christian ministries serving refugees and IDPs. With the help of Brian O’Connell of Interdev, 16 action-oriented working groups responded to specific issues related to refugee ministry. The groups identified key issues and sought to answer a central question: “What can we do together that we can’t do alone?” Groups drew up action plans to move towards the goal of collaboration.

Key areas of focus include refugee children, emergency response, effective witness, unique needs of refugee women, missiological foundations, public advocacy and training churches. Given the current conflict in Afghanistan, one working group focused on responding to the needs of Afghan refugees both inside and outside the country.

Evangelicals are making a difference in the lives of refugees around the world. The Kakuma Camp in Kenya, where John Kaissa serves, has refugees from 10 countries. It is an increasingly crowded home for about 81,000 people, many of them young adults and minors. Nearly 2,000 new refugees are admitted each month. LWR has supported education and camp management in Kakuma for several years and provided tens of thousands of residents with bedding, clothing, soap, and kits for school, sewing and personal hygiene.

In addition, Kaissa reports of growing spiritual activity in the camp. As a committed follower of Christ, he is seeking to encourage the development of “refugee” churches. To date, 20 such churches have been planted.

Many refugees are not able to secure sponsors or access visa posts abroad. In desperation, they come to Canada and ask asylum at the borders as “refugee claimants.” Often vulnerable and afraid, they arrive in Toronto knowing no one and unaware of places to turn for help. In response to their need, Anne Woolger, in partnership with the Toronto Baptist Refugee Services, opened Matthew House in 1998.

Extending justice and mercy to refugees in Canada is an integral part of the ministry of Matthew House. “They simply seek to feed, clothe, welcome, comfort and protect refugees seeking asylum at their shelter,” Woolger said. “Matthew House workers help refugees get ready to live on their own.” When refugees ask, “Why do you love us?” Woolger and her coworkers share that they love because they themselves have been loved and taken care of.

While separated by thousands of miles and in vastly different cultural settings, these dedicated Christian workers are part of a growing Christian ministry along the refugee highway. A key outcome of the consultation was a plan to create an international information clearinghouse to improve communication among agencies. To that end, the Missions Commission plans to set up an on-line database and knowledge base.

Conference delegates drafted a code of best practice for Christian ministry to refugees. This benchmark document promises to increase the effectiveness of outreach.

Throughout the consultation, refugees told their own stories of life along the refugee highway. This important ingredient let participants connect at the “heart level” and not just engage in strategic planning.

Refugee Wilfred told of the pain of losing 14 family members to the Rwandan genocide. Amhed* described barely escaping Afghanistan five years ago to a neighboring country where he became a follower of Christ and now an effective servant to other refugees. Nelson, a Congolese, shared his struggle of being born in a refugee camp and orphaned at an early age, not even knowing his birthday.

Along with touching stories of those traveling the highway, new levels of networking and building of new partnerships, the consultation sought to provide strategic ministry resources. Participants received resource CDs to assist their ministries. Over the next several months WEF’s Missions Commission will expand resources on the CD and make it available for more ministries and churches around the world.

Many consultation delegates expressed anxiety about the impact of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Among concerns:

o New antiterrorism laws in several countries, including Canada, United Kingdom and the United States, could greatly impact the flow of legitimate refugees.

o Other refugee crises could be forgotten as the world responds to the massive needs of Afghans.

o The fear factor among many Christians, particularly in the West, as they consider whether they should reach out to refugees in their community.

o In the formation of the new US-led international coalition against terrorism, countries that previously committed violations against religious minorities and persecuted Christians are being accepted as partners in this coalition without addressing human rights issues.

o Reduced government funding will have a significant impact on refugee resettlement programs.

Future strategy
At the consultation’s close, delegates wanted to keep linked and develop a new global partnership along the refugee highway. To make it happen, the Missions Commission will host a meeting of its international facilitation team and the working group leaders within the next six to nine months to monitor the consultation’s results and develop a structure for this new global network.

Missions Commission executive director Bill Taylor, who convened the consultation, said that the event wasn’t a theoretical experience, nor a “been there and done that” in yet another interesting country and context. “God met me, stretched me, opened my eyes,” Taylor said. “I am committed to see our home church reaching out to the refugee population being settled in our city. The stories told, the vast ministry experience of many, the faces of all of these are critical for me, and for the WEF Missions Commission as we look into the future.”

*a pseudonym

Geoff Tunnicliffe, chairs the Global Mission Roundtable of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, sits on the Missions Commission executive committee, and served as the director of the Refugee Highway Consultation. He can be contacted at: [email protected] or visit www.globalmission.org

January 25, 2002