Refugee Week this year runs from 20th-26th June.
The theme is "healing", highlighting mutual care and the human ability to start again.
Refugees who have lost their homes, livelihoods, friends and families and have had to flee their country, know what it means to try and heal from such disastrous and painful experiences. Holding on to hope in the midst of impossibly difficult situations is something refugees and asylum seekers have to learn in order to survive.
Refugeeweek.org.uksuggests 8 simple acts we might do to show we care :
- walk together,
- plant a seed,
- join the movements to support refugees,
- send a supportive message,
- read a book
- share a meal,
- have a chat
- or watch a film (For children – An American Tail (1986) is an animated adventure about a Russian mouse who flees his home & persecution by cats for a new life in the USA (!); For adults : Hotel Rwanda (2004) is a true story of heroic actions to save 1000 refugees during the Rwandan Civil War; For older children : This is Exile is a poignant documentary through the eyes of children fleeing the war in Syria to Lebanese camps)).Go to the website for more details.
All We Can (allwecan.org.uk) has worship resources, prayers and information about Refugee Week.
(photos : Jessica Hargreaves used with permission)
Reverend Claire Hargreaves (Minister (Retd) The Methodist Church)
