I recently met a refugee who talked about the struggle to live without a country. I am trying to imagine what this must be like. The word that comes to my mind is grief, and the need is for vision.
When I fled as a refugee, I saw Hindus and Budhists, Christians and Muslims all living together in a single country. Before in my country this was unthinkable. I lived as a refugee for 5 years, and worked as I was able. When I thought the danger was over in my country, I returned to help rebuild it. However, soon after returning, my life was threatened, I saw the impossibility of my culture. It is like a lost country that has dropped off the end of the world. I had to flee again. It is hard to live without a country. I am here in the hopes of getting a passport so that I can finally settle in a country. I have 2 children and it is so difficult to be without them.
His life will never go back to the way it once was. As a refugee he is continually faced with what he does not have, like honey inside a jar that he can’t open. He will face grief at every turn he takes and his children will never know their father except through the face of grief.
His testimony reminds me that the birth of a dream carries a lot of grief with it. Ecclesiastes 5:3 wisely points out that a vision is the sum of many steps. The big view in scripture is that these steps will be painful, and there are many tears to testify to this.
Jesus reminded his followers that there is no one who has left home who will not have to make a sacrifice. As Christians we will face grief as we follow Jesus, yet the scriptures promise that the Lord knows our pain, comforts us and he cares for us.
As I hear refugees share their loss like this man faces, I also see the birth of a vision. I remind myself that in helping someone like this to face loss as great as living without a country and a family, I am also helping him to embrace a vision greater than all of this -a vision of God’s Kingdom and God’s family.
There are at least two things that come to my mind that would be helpful. Can you add anything else?
1. I can ask, “What step is he trying or needing to take? What does he need in order to take the next step and how can I help him to do this.”
2. I can point out and remind him of the promises of God, to know our grief, to comfort and to care.