It is no understatement to say the refugee crisis in the West is troubling. I find myself looking nervously at images of the masses fleeing one situation while they etch out a hope for a better existence. The situation continues to grow and become more devastating. Camps have been displaced; volunteers are in great demand, but we are far from a political solution. Oddly enough, the situation vaguely reminds me of the way the word “refugee” came into existence, and what it meant for the cities of London, Amsterdam and even the development of the American Colonies.

In October of 1685, Louis XIV, the illustrious “Sun King” of France, signed into law the Edict of Fontainebleau that would forever change his kingdom and give birth to our word “refugee.”

His grandfather, Henri IV, had begun the process of ushering in legislative peace between Catholics and Protestants. Born a Protestant, Henri “converted” to Catholicism to ascend to the throne. He understood first hand the horrors of the Religious Wars (1562-1598) that deeply wounded the country and witnessed the first massive exodus of Protestants, directly following the Saint-Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572).

Henri IV was well loved by the French people. One of his most popular policies was poule au pot pour dimanche, a goal of assuring that each family in his kingdom would have the luxury of a full chicken to eat at least every Sunday. He was a shrewd politician that devised a compromise to bring peace between the warring Catholic and Protestant factions called the Edict of Nantes (1598). In his plan, there would be liberty of religion, where Protestants could worship in peace – just as long as they stayed out of Paris. Many have wondered what this unique king could have accomplished if only he’d been allowed to live out his years. But tragically, he was assassinated in the streets of Paris by an ultra-Catholic militant in 1610.

Over the next 75 years, the Protestants of France slowly saw their privileges stripped away.

By the time Louis XIV was ready to enact his bill, he’d already destroyed most Protestant temples, while aggressively seeking Protestant conversions to Roman Catholicism. In his preamble, he pays tribute to Henri IV’s work of peace and firmly asserts that because the Protestants are in such small numbers as to cause to no further concern, the, “Edict of Nantes is no longer useful.”

Among the numerous laws effective immediately following the Edict of Fontainebleau was the interdiction to practice the Protestant religion. The king ordered the banishment or execution of pastors, removal of all Protestant schools, including an obligation to send their children to be catechized by the local Catholic parish and the confiscation of the possessions of any Protestant family who fled the country. This legislation produced a mass exodus of Huguenots (French Protestants) living in the North of France to England and Amsterdam. Protestants in the East emigrated towards Geneva and those in the West moved towards the New World. This movement was called the Refuge, speaking of the neighboring countries that became a refuge for the réfugiés, or “refugees” as the word became adopted into the English language.

What were the results of the Refuge for France and those that received her fleeing Protestants? The Huguenots in France endured some of the worst persecutions; many converted, but the movement mostly went underground taking on the name l’Église du Désert, or the Church of the Desert in reference to Israel’s 40 years of wandering. Those that stayed became fighters and stronger in their faith. The testimony of Marie Durand, imprisoned for her faith, scratched in the stone wall of her cell. Preserved today, it still speaks with it’s one word: résister or “resist.” They held out as long as they could, but their vacuum gave way to the Enlightenment philosophers like Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

As those that could flee were often aristocracy, wealthy and educated, they took with them their money and talents to serve other kingdoms. Some came back as missionaries, but quite a few found themselves on safer shores, erecting Huguenot churches and contributing to the well being of their new home. They found havens in Quebec, New York (which was originally called New Amsterdam), Massachusetts, Virginia, South Carolina and Florida. The names of the Huguenots were often Anglicized as time went on, but in tracing their genealogies, they can be found to be influential participants several generations after the Refuge.¹ One such person is Paul Revere.

So as I look out on today’s migration, I wonder what they will bring to their new homeland, and how they will change our world.

These are questions that we will only see answered through time, but we shouldn’t be afraid. Many refugees are Muslim, but not all of them. Some are Christians, and many are becoming Christian somewhere on the road. Most refugees I’ve met are disillusioned and yet open to the Gospel. It’s good news for everyone. Every soul that opens up to Jesus is a new brother or sister. We are truly at a great crossroads, where we need wisdom, and sometimes a look from the past may shed a little light onto our present situation. I hope it will inspire prayer, compassion and outreach.

¹ “List of Huguenots” – Wikipedia

Pastor Jeff Jackson will be a workshop speaker at the 2017 CCCM Pastors & Leaders Conference on June 26-29. For more information, please visit the website.

“For I know that the LORD is great, and our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places” (Psalm 135:5,6).

Due to both the experiences I’ve had serving refugees overseas and in the Phoenix area, a number of people have asked me what I think about our country’s recent decisions and policies in regards to accepting refugees from Middle Eastern countries.

I generally respond to them by sharing the following OBSERVATIONS, and then ask them a few rhetorical QUESTIONS that I believe naturally spring forth from the Bible-based truths I believe my observations contain.

OBSERVATIONS

1. One of the great blessings of living in this country is the freedom we have to both vote and to express publicly what we believe those who govern us should do, along with the belief that they might actually listen to us and do what we would like to see them do. And the connected blessing of being confident that there won’t be any government generated retribution towards us for what we said.

2. Although a human government can operate in accordance with some of the principles that the kingdom of God is based on, no earthly government constructed by mankind is capable of being an accurate expression of the kingdom of God. Eventually, the differences between the true kingdom of God and any human government will become more and more evident.

3. The protection of its citizens is one of the fundamental purposes of government. Which is why we have a thorough vetting process for screening refugees that is constantly being refined and has been functioning very effectively for more than 40 years. Literally millions of refugees from around the world have been given the opportunity to begin a new life in our amazing country, with no measurable endangerment created for our citizens.

I’m speaking specifically about the entrance of refugees. None of the other pathways for entry in to our country are as stringent as the refugee path–and therefore for those who have harmful intentions in mind, entering as a refugee has never been and probably never will be the most effective path for entry.

4. Regardless of the outcries of multitudes of people, some of whom claim to be followers of Jesus, our government will and should move forward with resettling refugees from around the world, including those from the chaotic countries of the Middle East.

5. If we believe that the God who has revealed Himself in the Bible is sovereign over all things that He has created and that His greatest desire for us was our safety and comfort, He certainly has the power to do so, including the ability to keep people bent on our harm from entering our country.

6. Since He does have the power and the ability to be the ultimate border enforcer, those that may slip through our protective barriers do so by His permission and for His glory, their good, and His people’s growth in to becoming more like Jesus (Matthew 5:43-48).

With these things in mind, I believe all followers of Jesus, but especially those who live in or near communities where refugees are resettled, should seriously consider answering these questions:

Rhetorical Questions: What If…

1. Every man, woman and child that is arriving as a refugee, regardless of their religious background, had at least one Christian like you that intentionally served and befriended them with the same selfless passion and love that you do?

2. An incognito, potential terrorist, posing as a refugee in order to enter the country to do evil, was greeted and engaged as a friend by you or some other Christian on the day they arrived and a personal and meaningful relationship with an American follower of Jesus was developed?

3. God was able to use the relationships His people intentionally developed with a potential terrorist to not only move that person away from the original purpose they came to America with, but to also use that person to bring that potential terrorist in to a real relationship with Himself?

4. Those that claim to be His people are crippled by fear and don’t engage each and every one of them? (God forbid this happen!)

Instead, WHAT IF…..

1. You contact the refugee resettlement agencies in your area to find out if they will be receiving and resettling a portion of this latest batch of refugees?

2. You discover that some of them are coming to your area, and you ask the agency to give you their arrival times and the details of how many men, women, children there will be?

3. You begin praying for each and every one of them and inviting fellow believers to join you in lifting them up to the Lord?

4. You share with your brothers and sisters in Jesus that you will take the initiative to greet at least one specific refugee upon their arrival at the airport or when they arrive at the apartment or house that is going to be their new home?

5. You tell your brothers and sisters in Jesus that you plan on not only engaging at least one of the refugees the day they arrive, but that you will intentionally engage that person and maybe others on a regular basis in order to get to really know them, help them adjust to life in America and be their first “friend” in America?

6. You challenge your brothers and sisters in Jesus to do the same?

Finally, although the Biblical basis and motivation for a Christian to love and serve refugees is NOT primarily the safety of themselves and their people or the avoidance of terrorism, God may see fit to permit those things to be the blessed fruits that He produces when His people attempt to love others, including their enemies, as selflessly as He did.

Here in Australia, the government began in January of 2016, an initiative to take in 12,000 refugees from the Middle East.

This opens up an incredible opportunity for the church in Australia. The refugee crisis seemed to reach its pinnacle in public awareness in 2015. News stories abounded worldwide, with pictures of refugees from the Middle East pouring into Europe. As a result, Christians have had to take a hard look at what our responsibility should be to the refugee crisis.

We have discovered that nearly 40% of Sydney residents speak a non-English language at home.

There are more than 250 languages spoken in Sydney. Arabic, which dominates the western suburbs, is the most widely spoken non-English language. Sydney has a huge population of Arabic speaking migrants who have sought asylum in Australia.
God has opened many doors for us to minister to the Arabic community here and to help with the decision-making teams that are settling the refugees. I have been ministering at the oldest Christian Arabic fellowship here in the western suburbs of Sydney. After services, many of the people come up to me to tell their stories. With tears and gratitude, they ask for prayers and help for their relatives still in the Middle East. Also, the churches in the northern beaches of Sydney have rallied to provide homes, resources and mentorship to arriving refugees. This group is working closely with the Premier of New South Whales’ office.
In addition, part of our work is partnering the Arabic speaking churches with sympathetic Aussie churches to better receive the refugees. Unifying the church at large is so important in many aspects of evangelism within a community. We are also working with the Salvation Army who has a parachurch unifying presence in Sydney regarding issues like this. The Salvation Army’s latest initiative, “The Big Hello,” stands to support and welcome Syrian and Iraqi refugees to their new home of Australia.

How we welcome refugees impacts their future.

People who are warmly received gain a sense of belonging. The kind of welcome they receive impacts how they interact with others from the outset, as well as their long-term integration.

God gives us wisdom in His word as to how we should welcome refugees.

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34).

Also, Job writes, “The sojourner has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler” (Job 31:32). Though we are not under the law, the wisdom and principles of God’s law stand. And is it not mercy that crowns God’s people? Micah 6:8 says that what God requires of us is to, “Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.” Also, when Jesus was asked, “Who is my neighbor…” He explained through the parable of the Good Samaritan, the kind of love and mercy that a true neighbor has. We, God’s children, are to be the ones who express a unique kind of mercy that is only found in the gospel (Luke 10:29-37). This mercy is to be shown to the “foreigner.”

When you think about it, the entire Bible is a book of refugees. Throughout the scriptures, we see God working out His redemptive story through sojourning men and woman.

As Christians, we know in some way what it is to be a “foreigner” and a “stranger” in another land.

We live in a world that is not our home, and we long for our homeland heaven. Jesus also understands the plight of the refugee. He left this homeland to come to a foreign land where He was mocked, ridiculed and died at the hands of an unjust government. As God’s people, we should have some understanding and compassion towards displaced people. We must remember that the outworking of the gospel in our lives is shown by mercy. Mercy involves sacrifice, forgiveness, benevolence and yes….even risk. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful…” (Matt. 5:7). God is “merciful and compassionate” and risked it all in order to rescue us. As we aim to discern our place in the refugee crisis, may God give us His mercy, compassion and wisdom.

I began my journey in better understanding this complex issue when I traveled to a gathering of church leader’s in Istanbul, Turkey, last year. There I began to understand the plight of the refugee and how tremendous the problem is. For instance, in Jordan, up to 80% of the population are refugees. Refugees in any country are, by law, not allowed to work. The conditions in the camps are deplorable in many countries, and the people living in the camps are in complete despair – willing to risk their lives in a small raft at the hope of possible safety elsewhere.

Following my trip to Turkey, I became acquainted with Voice of the Refugees headquartered in Anaheim, California. They have been an incredible support and resource to us as we work with the churches in Australia on this issue. They provide some valuable information in answering basic questions about ministry to refugees.

Earlier this year, I was able to travel with a couple other pastors to Northern Iraq for inductive scripture training to encourage the workers in the IDP camps. (Internally Displaced Peoples are people that still live in their own country but are displaced from their homes, lives and work.) I experienced first-hand the conditions and heartbreak of these displaced people. Most of the IDP are well educated, middle class, home-owning families who have had to leave everything behind to literally flee for their lives, because of their unwillingness to give up their Christian faith to become Muslims.

The current worldwide refugee crisis is an opportunity for the church.

It also comes with risk. We can pray for our governments to have wisdom in handling this crisis. We should pray for our leaders! But as the church, we are called to go beyond our fears, take risks and minister God’s love and truth to all people. In this time that we live, there is a profound opportunity for God’s people to live out the gospel. This watershed issue will reveal our faith and our understanding of the gospel.

I love everything about travel, except the travel.

Travel is hard, even after finding a worthy reason to leave home. We rush through traffic to make it to airports just in time. We deal with parking lines, check-in lines, baggage lines, security lines, the essential caffeine store line and boarding line. Then we travel 1000’s of miles in seats too small for Hobbits and deal with all the above in reverse. Once we arrive, if the travel is international, we navigate strange cultures, struggling to adjust to language, food, customs and traffic while dealing with that 20th century monster; jet lag, a term that didn’t land until 1966, when it first appeared in print in the Los Angeles Times.

The destination may be worth all that, but the travel can be a chore.

Now compare moving around today with the rigors of travel in the Bronze Age. We can easily travel 10,000 miles in less than 24 hours, while David had to settle for 20-30 miles before calling it a day. On top of all the inconveniences of rugged camping, weather and aching feet, our ancient counterparts faced the very real dangers of assault by raiders and robbers. Remember, these pilgrims were on the move, and as they moved, they were making their way through difficult and dangerous territory. In other words, all their troubles were not behind them yet.

Think of the refugees today in many corners of the world. Forced from their homes by natural disasters, intense persecution and ethnic cleansing. They’re suddenly exposed to harsh elements of weather and rugged terrain. Add the discouraging bias from residents in the lands they’re either passing through or attempting to resettle in. This is no “Princess Cruise.”

Psalm 125 could be an extension of the theme from Psalm 124. It is one thing to recognize God’s protection after our last close call, realizing how close we came to our mortal end. It’s another thing to steer our vehicle back on to the same road and continue to head in the same direction, toward even more danger. Eugene Peterson’s excellent book on this same grouping of Psalms is entitled A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. That small volume, strategically placed at eye-level on my bookshelf, catches my eye several times a week, reminding me to keep pressing on.

The strategic placement of Psalm 125 is no less purposeful. The writer sings, “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, the LORD surrounds His people.” The peaks that surround Jerusalem include Mount Scopus, Mount Zion, Mount Acra, and the eastern ridge of the well-known Mount of Olives. This writer is telling discouraged travelers, “Relax, you’re surrounded!” Every follower of Jesus can take great peace in this truth.

God is not panicking over the “clear and present dangers” and demons we face… Neither should we, because God surrounds us NOW, on our way to heaven.

Then we’re told, “The scepter of wickedness will not rest on the land allotted to the righteous.” That’s a powerful promise. The devil may have his sword drawn, but his arsenal is no match for God. Isaiah 54:17 reminds us, “No weapon turned against you shall succeed.” Did you notice there are no great commandments in this Psalm? However, there are two important reminders:

• First, a reminder to TRUST:

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mt. Zion which cannot be moved.” In Acts 20 Paul’s friends warn him of dangers he’ll face if he dares continue his journey to Jerusalem. His response? In Acts 20:24 Paul says, “None of these things [his friends’ frightful warnings] move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Paul determined that he would move forward, unmoved by the danger that lay ahead, even if it cost his life, because he was determined to preach the Gospel again in Jerusalem.

• Second, a reminder to DO GOOD:

The Bible is clear that no one is redeemed, saved or forgiven by good works, but the Bible is also clear that God will reward us for our good works. Therefore, while we move step-by-step toward heaven, the best scenario is that we leave a trail of good works behind us. Maybe that’s what David meant when he said, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6

Given the sense of an inferred threat in this song, you’ve got to love the last words of these lyrics. They sound like the whispers of a father to a scared child, trying to fall asleep in a thunderstorm. “Peace be upon Israel.” Sons and daughters of God, rest in His peace … Shalom.

Some metaphors are “multipurpose.” In Psalm 121, the mountains were the challenges we face as we draw close to God. Now, those same “rocky mountains” are seen as the defense system, which protects us from our enemies. So why not welcome the Shalom – the Peace of God? Why not heed these reminders and relax and do good all the way home. Picture Jerusalem surrounded by formidable mountains, then realize you are surrounded in the refuge of God’s protection as well with His security detail assigned to you.

Listen to God’s whisper to you right now, “Peace be upon YOU,” in Jesus’ Strong Name.

Years ago, I heard a pastor named Dave Rolph speak at a memorial service. He spoke about life and death, and he said something like this: “The reason we hate death so much is that God created a world where death didn’t exist. Our hearts rebel against the pain of separation, because it was never God’s original intent that death and sin would enter the world.” I can almost hear him speaking those words over a decade later. They resonated within the core of my heart and soul; my God did not create or desire death and suffering for His people.

Often, I return to this basic truth. Often, I speak it over myself, and my friends, as we walk through heartbreak. This week, my heart has broken: for misunderstandings, for lost loves, for the death of three friends, for the children who suffer, for the churches that are bulldozed in Calais refugee camps, for the reality of a world shattered by sin. As I have written before, these are the places where I must preach the Gospel to myself. I am reading through the minor prophets: Jonah, Micah, Habbakuk, Zephaniah. I wish I knew more people today with these names. This week, I encountered a verse I have missed until now: “You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed.” Habakkuk 3:13 In the places where we encounter pain and suffering, perhaps one of the most commonly asked questions is exceedingly simple: “Where is God?”

This question amplifies from a query to a scream in the places of pain in our lives. The escalation is quick but complete. If there is a good God, why is my world so broken? If there is a loving Father, how can He stand by and let our lives feel shattered? I am reminded, over and over again, that God is going forth for salvation. He accomplishes it in-and-through our pain and heartaches. He redeems refugee crises and leukemia diagnosis and even the grave. If you sit and tell me one hundred pains, I can sit and tell you one hundred miracles.

Our character is shaped by the places where we trust and see God redeeming good, even where our hearts break.

This week, I sat in a meeting and wept. I heard news of bitterness that caught me off guard with its harsh effects. As Christians, the redeemed body of a living King, we are called to pursue peace, holiness, and unity. What I heard was the opposite of these things, from other followers of Jesus. In light of this, I was reminded of another Scripture I discovered this week, Mark 6:12 in the MSG: “They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different.”

When our hearts break, we are reminded that our lives tell the story of a radically different ending. We proclaim, with an urgency that must also be joyful, that our God is king forever. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and His kingdom will never end. When our hearts break, catch sight of His love; and know that in the end of the story, our breathtaking joy will be seeing His love in our lives, forever and ever, world without end.

It’s incredible that in a day the Lord can completely change your life. For me it happened this summer, June 22, 2015. I went to visit a pastor, a friend of mine, to do ministry alongside him for the day. He asked if I wanted to go meet the refugees. I said, “Sure. That’d be great!”

As we pulled up near the abandoned brick building and the overgrown field, we proceeded to spend the next couple of hours meeting some of the hundreds of Afghanis hidden under the random slabs of tin they were using for shelter in that open field—men along with their wives, sisters, and beautiful children. My heart was awakened to a situation that I had never before seen with my eyes.

Pastor Tibor Varga said, “If I and the few others don’t come with food and water each day, they don’t eat.”

Newscasters came out of nowhere and began interviewing us in that makeshift refugee camp. They asked me what I thought of the “wall” being built to keep refugees out of Hungary and other political questions. I told them that I was unaware of the situation, but that I did know the Bible tells us if we are in danger for our lives and are innocent, that we are to provide the foreigner a city of refuge—a safe place to go. We are to welcome the strangers in our land (Joshua 20:1-6; Exodus 23:9).

And then I looked at the three newscasters surrounding me and asked, “Weren’t you in a similar position in the not-so-recent past? Ten, 20 years…Serbia, Croatia, Hungary. Aren’t you thankful people had helped you?” They nodded their head in agreement, reflecting back, and for the first time a warm smile came upon their faces.

That evening I went to my comfortable bed in my immaculate hotel room and clicked on BBC News. Over the next hour, I learned that the world was talking about this “wall” to keep the refugees from easily entering Hungary.

My eyes and heart were awakened…for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). Now I was beginning to be informed. I was responsible. The reality is the world is a volatile place with wars and rumors of war (Matthew 24:6-7). And those of us that have read the end of the Bible—the promise of Jesus’ return—know that the days are close, and that we have a front row seat for the most incredible outpouring of God’s Spirit that the world has ever known.

As our team from different Calvary Chapel churches and Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe served at the border crossings of Hungary and Serbia, the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) reported upwards of 11,000 refugees crossing into Hungary on September 13 alone. Our meager team, along with many volunteers, was there to serve them with a smile, a warm blanket, and a listening ear.

Most arrived with just a change of clothes in their tattered backpack, blistered feet, the children and elderly in tow. With tears in their eyes they shared their stories of why they left their country, reflecting back on missiles being dropped on their homes. They were well aware that the sentence for being a follower of Jesus was punishable by death and recalled the horror of seeing a friend beheaded on the street or the terror of being brutally beaten and imprisoned for confessing Jesus. They expressed the reality of the homeland they left; some experienced weeks and months without access to electricity, food, and water.

The decision to make the death-defying journey was an obvious one—even though it meant possibly dying somewhere on the trip, 1,700 miles (2,800 kilometer) across water, through woods, on random buses and trains, with absolutely no certainty of being welcomed into another country. The alternative was to stay and continue to live under tyranny and abuse, and still most certainly die. The stories they shared were so unimaginable that I could not even fathom or compare them to any “suffering” I’ve ever experienced in my life.

On September 2, the world looked on and saw a beautiful Syrian baby dead on the shore of Greece. The crisis hit our hearts and became breaking news, although the refugee crisis has been just that for many years—a severe crisis!

I met one amazing 24-year-old Syrian named Abdul at the Röszke, Hungary makeshift refugee camp located in a large field. I asked him his story, and he shared about living in his high-rise in Damascus. He recalled the day a bullet flew through his living room, and the sparkle of the bullet caught his eye. He put his foot on the warm bullet now laying on his living room floor, and he immediately knew that it was time to try to escape (and possibly die trying), or stay and most certainly die trying to survive.

He traveled with his cousin, walking for hundreds of miles along with 20 others through barricaded militant groups that they had to bribe for passage. He recalled it with sadness in his eyes saying, “We were lucky, as others were beaten or killed.”

One lady with them was eight-and-a-half months pregnant; they were also traveling with very small children. Abdul asked the women to pack only one change of clothes, but they couldn’t help but bring cherished memories from home for their future life, plus a supply of food and water. The ladies explained that they knew their load was heavy, but they wanted to bring them just in case anyone got hungry. Abdul said, “We don’t know if we live until tomorrow. We should pack lightly so we don’t put ourselves in more danger with so much to carry.”

Once they made it to the coast, they boarded an overcrowded rubber raft that was crammed with 60 people, three levels deep. Abdul was on top, with no life preserver, as there were not enough for everyone. He was terrified because he couldn’t swim. This was a treacherous crossing with 3,103 refugees having died at sea this year alone, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Abdul described the terror he felt seeing a life preserver and engine parts of a crashed boat drifting by. He then took a deep breath and tried to push down the fear of being the sea’s next victim.

As this young man shared with me, I better understood the quote I had seen on CNN, “You have to understand,” the Somali-British poet Warsan Shire once wrote about the refugees, “that no one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land.”

They made it to the island, registered, and then took a boat to Athens, Greece. From Athens they walked a while and then took a bus to the Macedonia border. When they arrived at the Macedonian checkpoint, the border was shut for three days, and thousands of refugees had to wait to cross. They had no food, no water, no toilets, no shelter. They stood in the cold rain for nearly 72 hours as they waited and wondered if they would ever continue their journey.

The border reopened once the throngs of people were too much for the authorities to maintain. Women had gone into labor; children were collapsing because of the lack of food. Once through the border, they boarded a bus, and Abdul said the bus ride felt like five-star comfort just being out of the rain and elements.

From there they walked from Serbia into the makeshift refugee camp in Röszke, Hungary, where he now stood in front of me in that dark field with a smile of gratitude covering his face. We were surrounded by heaps of garbage, as each day thousands of people walked across those railroad tracks in search of hope and freedom.

I offered him what we had: a can of tuna, an apple, a bottle of water, and he said, “No, thank you, we have everything we need.” He thanked us for our love and hospitality. He said with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, “And now, this is truly five-star.” There were tents and blankets as far as our eyes could see, but even so, not enough for everyone. Many slept on the dirt amidst the trash left from previous travelers. Those lying on the dirt looked comfortable and peaceful, as they were desperate for just a few hours of sleep before continuing their journey from Hungary to Germany, Sweden or England, the different places they desired to go in Western Europe. Many had family or friends eagerly awaiting their arrival.

I have never cried so hard as I did on the evening of September 14, when the razor barbed wire fence was sealed between Serbia into Hungary, blocking the entrance of these newfound friends from entering this route into Hungary.

The past few months have been signified by deep compassion for the migrants. As they shared their stories, we would cry together, but I also experienced such overwhelming joy as I sat on the edge of my seat, hearing story after story of God’s guidance and provision during their difficult journeys.

One friend, John, an Iranian Christian who left his country because of persecution, was dropped off at the Serbian border at 2 a.m. by an illegal trafficker driving a taxi at the edge of the wooded area leading into Hungary. The Serbian taxi driver stopped in the dark, told him to walk through the woods to where the police were guarding the border, and suggested this was the best way to enter into the European Union.

John had not eaten or slept for two days. As he relived the story, he said, “It was pitch dark, I could not make out which way to go in the ‘jungle,’ I could hear animals in the darkness.” Feeling overwhelmed, he cried out to Jesus; and suddenly, he saw a tiny light glimmer to the front, just to the left. As he walked toward the little sparkle, many more lightning bugs lit up the path clearly beneath his feet. Those fireflies surrounded him on both sides, lighting and leading the way to the border. He walked unnoticed past the armed police and safely into Hungary. John has been instrumental in bringing many Persians, Afghans, Africans and even Turkish Muslims to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ since he arrived in Europe. He is an educated, affluent, kind, Jesus-loving person.

On Sunday, we baptized three guys from Iran, one from Turkey, and one from Nigeria and gave them Bibles. As John held up the Bible to a Bible study group of Persian, Afghan, Nigerian, Kurdish and Ugandan refugees with over 20 men in attendance—all growing in their love of Jesus and digging into the Word of God—he announced, “In my country, I would be put to death for having this book (the Bible) in my home.” That was such a reminder of how powerful the Word of God is—sharper than a two-edged sword. It changes lives and hearts, and Satan will do all he can to steal, kill and destroy, to keep it out of our hands. But Jesus came to give life abundantly.

The kindness and love of these newfound friends have changed my heart and life; their generosity to share anything and everything they have is humbling. Most of those we met who were not yet Christians have very open hearts. They simply have not experienced or been taught the truth that God is a loving Father, and Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

Over the past couple of months, many have given their lives to Jesus as Lord and Savior. It’s mind-blowing grace. God is powerfully pouring out His Spirit. It’s like nothing I’ve ever witnessed. Their hunger for the Word is contagious. As one man shared his testimony of escaping a country where Christianity is illegal, he said, “I want to live for Christ, but I would die for Christ. But now, I get to live for Him!”

Last week, as we drove the refugees home from the Bible study, someone asked, “You said God hates for us to lie, so if a knife is held to my throat or my child’s throat and they ask me to profess Christ, but telling the truth would result in being put to death, is it okay to lie?”

Their situation has challenged my own worldview; they have made me seek Jesus for His grace and beg Him to grow me in the way that He has grown these men and women through persecution as they faced with the question: Would I live for Jesus? Would I die for Jesus?”

From my limited perspective, this current situation is beyond overwhelming—financially, emotionally, spiritually. My friends and my pastors have been an example in my life to encourage me to simply love the one right in front of you—just as Jesus did.

I am eternally grateful that the Lord has brought these new friends into my life. They have challenged me and inspired me to wrestle with my faith, to grow in my passion for the Word of God, to evangelize more boldly and to love like Jesus loves.

What can we all do?

. Pray!

We can’t underestimate the power of prayer! Pray for the government officials, for the refugees, for those trapped without hope. Pray that Jesus would reveal Himself through dreams and visions, through Christians whom God will bring in their paths.

. Give!

Many organizations are daily feeding thousands of refugees as they make the transit through cities. Organizations such as Calvary Chapel churches, Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Mobilization, and others are on the ground offering aid. It is best to give financially as the needs change daily and food, Bibles, tents, shoes, and medical supplies can be purchased more affordably in the current location of ministry.

Lastly, set aside fear and prejudice and don’t believe everything you see on TV and Facebook as fact. I have watched TV cameramen asking the refugees to chant riotously, signaling them by counting to three, and then going behind to turn on the camera after teaching them the performance to have something volatile for worldwide TV. Most of these refugees are just like you and me, moms and dads, family men, college students, professionals, and elderly people seeking a life of hope and freedom.

Will this refugee crisis of nearly 60 million people in the world displaced by war, conflict or persecution impact our world forever? Yes, for sure. According to the Joshua Project, they estimate that there are 2.97 billion unreached people living in the 10/40 window. In many of these locations, it is illegal or impossible for a girl like me to go and minister Jesus there. But God in His love, goodness, and sovereignty has brought the nations to us, to our backdoor, so that we would love and shine Jesus to them.

On June 18, 2015, the UN reported staggering numbers, with around 38.2 million people displaced in their own country, while 19.5 million have taken sanctuary in other countries. To put it another way, one in every 122 people on the planet is displaced. The Syrian Civil War has led to the displacement of 9.5 million Syrians, around 43 percent of the total Syrian population. The last time this figure crossed 50 million was during the Second World War.

The age of the refugee is upon us.

I pray that many will find the life they are seeking. But most of all, that they all come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And then be used as ambassadors of God’s grace to their friends and family in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Africa, and throughout the Middle East as they Skype and WhatsApp, and call their families back home.

One older Turkish Muslim man came to know Jesus, and was baptized Sunday. Two weeks ago his Muslim mother called from Turkey and said to him, “Son, God gave me a dream about you, He showed me clearly you are in the path of light, in the true Light, you have found the Way! Whatever it is you are now doing in seeking God, don’t stop! Don’t stop how you are walking, reading, and praying because you have found the Way!”

It is so encouraging to see that the Lord is saving souls despite this difficult time of crisis. I pray that my life would be a tangible reflection of God’s love for the nations, as we too are just sojourners in this world. May God use us all, for such a time as this.