Prayer and Action Needed to Address Refugee Crisis

Kris Van Engen, congregational mobilizer for the CRC’s Office of Social Justice, said the escalating Syrian refugee crisis was highlighted for him when he attended the recent CRC Prayer Summit 2015 that took place April 13-15 in the Los Angeles area.

He said participants at the summit watched a video that touched on the topic of issues facing the Middle East, including the refugees situation in which an estimated 12.2 million people, including 5.6 million children, have been internally displaced, or have been forced to flee the country.

The same video also highlighted religious persecution in the area.

“Religious persecution and praying for refugees were themes of the prayer summit,” he said.

He said that praying for those who are suffering for their faith in Syria, Egypt and elsewhere, while he knelt in a comfortable sanctuary in Southern California, brought up a powerful contrast.

“During that time of prayer, one of the speakers gave an inspiring call to not let our offerings to God stop at the end of that prayer time. She spoke via video from one of the affected countries and urged us to remember that our governments play a role in these issues as well.

“She encouraged us to act on our prayers and to advocate on behalf of those who are affected.”

Meanwhile, OSJ has just posted an an action alert that calls for people in the U.S. and Canada to ask their lawmakers to help address the refugee crisis, which is contributing to “staggering international refugee trends.”

“For the first time since WWII, the number of refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced people around the world has exceeded 50 million,” says the alert.

According to the action alert, “The conflict (in Syria) has killed more than 220,000 people. Global funding for the humanitarian crisis occurring in the country has not kept up with the escalating need.”

The war in Syria, which shows no end in sight and pits various sides against one another, is in its fifth year. And the civilians are the ones caught in the fighting and trying to escape to safety, says the alert.

“Displaced people and refugees are especially vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, malnutrition, and illness. Since the start of the conflict, humanitarian needs in Syria have increased at more than six times the rate of funding.”

Currently, says the alert, the United States Congress has proposed budget cuts that would reduce refugee assistance to the region by 20 percent and humanitarian relief by 15 percent. Congress will be voting on these budget proposals in the next couple of weeks, says the action alert.

In Canada, says the alert, the government has promised to settle 10,000 Syrian refugees, but this commitment falls within pre-existing government targets.

“This means that Canada will not actually be welcoming a greater total number of refugees, but will instead make room for Syrian and Iraqi refugees by taking spaces away from other refugee populations,” says the alert.

 Read the story posted in the OSJ's Action Center for more information on the crisis and on how to contact lawmakers.