The Pope has come out and called for all European parishes to sponsor a refugee family.
A few weeks ago, I had called Church World Service to find out exactly how US churches could do the same. My hope was to galvanize American Christians to take responsibility for the refugees that Europe didn't want.
But, a few days ago when I posted on what you can do to help the refugees, I wasn't able to list "sponsor a family." That's because in the US you can't sponsor a stranger.
According to the amazing people at CWS, current rules and regulations require that those seeking refugee resettlement in the US already have a prior contact within the US.
This is one of the great misconceptions of US refugee policy now -- a remnant from the 1970s when churches really did sponsor complete strangers to come to the US. But, right now, those who come over through the refugee resettlement process must already have a connection within the US.
There are good reasons for this. The belief and expectation is that people who come with a connection will integrate better, and have the necessary social support to ensure a successful transition from their former life to their new one. But, this unfortunately means that we are less likely to be helping poorer Syrians resettle in the US.
The regulations mean that US churches can't simply heed the Pope's message, reach out and "sponsor" a refugee the way they used to.
While US Churches (synagogues, mosques, and community groups) can't sponsor a refugee, they can still support refugees.
Here are a few important ways for your faith community (or other community group) can get involved:
1. Raise money for the professionals who help refugees.
I can't emphasize enough how important it is that you help the professionals and rely on their expertise. It's not as much fun or as immediately gratifying, but it's actually one of the most important things you can do.
I have amazing friends who have been doing this work for years - Isa, Marte, Brennan, Rebecca, Anna, Giulia, amongst others - and in moments like this, it takes a lot of energy to not just hop on a plane, show up on their doorstep, and say "here I am, what do you want me to do?"
The reason I don't do that is because it's not the most effective way of helping.
People in this field are professionals. They have been trained and operate as part of a real team to ensure that assistance is delivered quickly and effectively to those most in need.
They also have a strong division of labour, and organisations specialise within a particular crisis so that organisations aren't duplicating efforts with some refugees and completely missing the needs of others. Truly professional organisations will be doing their own work but functioning as part of a larger network of trained actors.
If I show up, the trained professionals have to take time out of their lives to train me, to show me what to do, and to supervise my work in a way they wouldn't have to with one of their staff members.
Also, unless you regularly work with refugees or other human rights victims, you are likely to experience secondary trauma when you first show up. The professionals (sort of, usually) have systems in place that help them manage the stress and trauma (though we really need to do better generally). You as an individual won't have that system. It means you're likely to burn out faster or be less effective at your work.
If you're an individual, that's all problematic. If you're a group, like a church, it becomes unbearable and your presence can really hinder the work of those who are best placed to help.
If you think you'd like to work in refugee assistance, get relevant training. You don't have to get trained in a particular field -- refugee assistance uses doctors, nurses, psychologists, logistics officials (like truck drivers and supply officers), statisticians, engineers, lawyers, etc. - but you will want specific training on these issues. Sometimes the necessary training can come from getting a job with a reputable organisation, but for some fields (like lawyers), specific training through courses or degrees is advisable before applying for a job.
At the end of this post, I'll again list reputable organisations you can donate to. If you want to work directly with refugees, these are also the organisations you might want to get a job with.
2. Get in touch with the refugee centers in your state & city. The refugee centres in your hometown area actually do need your help in a non-professional way. When refugees are resettled in the US, their initial arrangements will be handled through a local organisation. Sometimes those organisations need to find a house for a refugee family, or they need people to buy clothing or food for the new arrivals. Connecting with your local center is a good way to meet with newly arrived families. Offer to show a newly arrived family around and help them to understand things, like where to purchase supplies or how to use public transportation.
You shouldn't expect to be instant friends with new arrivals. Moving countries is rough in the best of circumstances, and it often takes time for people get their footing enough to really open themselves up to real friendships. But what you can do is help the family know that you're available if they have questions about how to navigate daily life in your city.
My friends know that I recently stood in a grocery store in Denmark on the verge of tears because I couldn't find disinfectant for a wound. I just wanted rubbing alcohol and it was nowhere to be found. I just wanted to be able to call someone and say "This is what's wrong. How do I fix it?" (If my phone hadn't been dead, I could have done that...)
Offer to be that person for a refugee family in your community.
But, do that through your local refugee centre so that efforts aren't being duplicated with one family while another family goes completely without help.
Don't get upset if your invitations to hang out and celebrate with a newly arrived family are refused, or if they don't seem as excited to be meeting you as you are to be welcoming them.
They are refugees because their entire life was turned upside down. Be prepared to give them the space necessary to acclimate on their own terms.
But do regularly reach out to let them know you're around to help if they need it, and to answer the questions they have.
3. When you get connected to a family, be sure to find out what celebrations and holidays are important to them, and ask how you can support them in their celebrations.
I remember getting a blue bear holding a little heart for my 8th birthday from Eddie M., a guy on the street next to mine. I loved Blue Bear so much that he eventually went to college with me, and travelled to Japan, Denmark and then the UK before I sadly lost him.
The feeling of being cared for, accepted, and supported in major accomplishments was something I never really questioned until I was living overseas.
Suddenly, every holiday celebration brought a mixture of excitement and dread.
I knew I'd speak to my family on Skype, but I also knew I might be celebrating alone.
Even when celebrations sort of look like they used to, there is almost always something a little bit different that reminds me I'm living a foreign life, an immigrant life (my first year in the UK, it was the frosting on my birthday cake, which was clearly not what I grew up with).
Sometimes these changes can be nice additions to a fun celebration -- I've loved having Georgian wine and Thai curry at birthdays and Thanksgivings and Christmases. But, be aware that for new arrivals, their old celebrations are likely to remain important and they might not be able to celebrate as they once did.
This is particularly true for families that are on limited budgets. Opportunities for larger celebrations may be diminished. Ask if, and how, you can help a new arrival to celebrate the days that are important to them. Perhaps you can buy stuffed animals or presents for a child's birthday, or you can ensure a nice meal for a holiday celebration.
Please note, though, that I'm suggesting you celebrate the things important to them, and that might include holiday celebrations you are not a part of or don't agree with.
I bake for Ramadan even though I'm not Muslim because my faith leads me to believe that we are supposed to "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another." And my dear friend Rasmus once flew to the UK from Denmark to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday that has no real meaning for him, because I was afraid I would have to celebrate it alone. These moments are more important to the newly arrived than listening to you espouse the importance of your own holidays.
Be that kind of a friend who rejoices with those who rejoice and mourns with those who are suffering.
4. Invite them to participate in your holiday celebrations, too. Let me pause here to say I have amazing friends, so the fact that I couldn't find disinfectant and had strange birthday cake frosting pales in comparison to the many blessings I receive from my life abroad. That said, there have been numerous holidays in the UK, Denmark and Japan, where I had literally no idea a holiday was ongoing, what the holiday was for, or what I was supposed to do to celebrate that holiday.
So, if you're going to the Labor Day parade next year, make sure your newly arrived friends know what's going on, where the parade is, and why we have Labor Day (seriously - wikipedia the holiday before you call them; there are a lot of holidays that I ask about and the consensus is always "I don't know... we just have holidays in May.")
5. Just because it's been a long list and I don't want you to forget: raise and give money to the professionals who do this work!
Where to give money: As I said before, I'm only recommending reputable NGOs and international organisations with which I already have a personal connection or that I know through friends are doing good work. Anytime I blog about Syria, I’ll be sharing this list.
“May every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary of Europe, take in one family,” he said.It is an important strategy, and one very clearly built on Biblical principles about caring for the "least" in our societies -- those who society otherwise refuses to care for.
A few weeks ago, I had called Church World Service to find out exactly how US churches could do the same. My hope was to galvanize American Christians to take responsibility for the refugees that Europe didn't want.
But, a few days ago when I posted on what you can do to help the refugees, I wasn't able to list "sponsor a family." That's because in the US you can't sponsor a stranger.
According to the amazing people at CWS, current rules and regulations require that those seeking refugee resettlement in the US already have a prior contact within the US.
This is one of the great misconceptions of US refugee policy now -- a remnant from the 1970s when churches really did sponsor complete strangers to come to the US. But, right now, those who come over through the refugee resettlement process must already have a connection within the US.
There are good reasons for this. The belief and expectation is that people who come with a connection will integrate better, and have the necessary social support to ensure a successful transition from their former life to their new one. But, this unfortunately means that we are less likely to be helping poorer Syrians resettle in the US.
The regulations mean that US churches can't simply heed the Pope's message, reach out and "sponsor" a refugee the way they used to.
While US Churches (synagogues, mosques, and community groups) can't sponsor a refugee, they can still support refugees.
Here are a few important ways for your faith community (or other community group) can get involved:
1. Raise money for the professionals who help refugees.
I can't emphasize enough how important it is that you help the professionals and rely on their expertise. It's not as much fun or as immediately gratifying, but it's actually one of the most important things you can do.
I have amazing friends who have been doing this work for years - Isa, Marte, Brennan, Rebecca, Anna, Giulia, amongst others - and in moments like this, it takes a lot of energy to not just hop on a plane, show up on their doorstep, and say "here I am, what do you want me to do?"
The reason I don't do that is because it's not the most effective way of helping.
People in this field are professionals. They have been trained and operate as part of a real team to ensure that assistance is delivered quickly and effectively to those most in need.
They also have a strong division of labour, and organisations specialise within a particular crisis so that organisations aren't duplicating efforts with some refugees and completely missing the needs of others. Truly professional organisations will be doing their own work but functioning as part of a larger network of trained actors.
If I show up, the trained professionals have to take time out of their lives to train me, to show me what to do, and to supervise my work in a way they wouldn't have to with one of their staff members.
Also, unless you regularly work with refugees or other human rights victims, you are likely to experience secondary trauma when you first show up. The professionals (sort of, usually) have systems in place that help them manage the stress and trauma (though we really need to do better generally). You as an individual won't have that system. It means you're likely to burn out faster or be less effective at your work.
If you're an individual, that's all problematic. If you're a group, like a church, it becomes unbearable and your presence can really hinder the work of those who are best placed to help.
If you think you'd like to work in refugee assistance, get relevant training. You don't have to get trained in a particular field -- refugee assistance uses doctors, nurses, psychologists, logistics officials (like truck drivers and supply officers), statisticians, engineers, lawyers, etc. - but you will want specific training on these issues. Sometimes the necessary training can come from getting a job with a reputable organisation, but for some fields (like lawyers), specific training through courses or degrees is advisable before applying for a job.
At the end of this post, I'll again list reputable organisations you can donate to. If you want to work directly with refugees, these are also the organisations you might want to get a job with.
2. Get in touch with the refugee centers in your state & city. The refugee centres in your hometown area actually do need your help in a non-professional way. When refugees are resettled in the US, their initial arrangements will be handled through a local organisation. Sometimes those organisations need to find a house for a refugee family, or they need people to buy clothing or food for the new arrivals. Connecting with your local center is a good way to meet with newly arrived families. Offer to show a newly arrived family around and help them to understand things, like where to purchase supplies or how to use public transportation.
You shouldn't expect to be instant friends with new arrivals. Moving countries is rough in the best of circumstances, and it often takes time for people get their footing enough to really open themselves up to real friendships. But what you can do is help the family know that you're available if they have questions about how to navigate daily life in your city.
My friends know that I recently stood in a grocery store in Denmark on the verge of tears because I couldn't find disinfectant for a wound. I just wanted rubbing alcohol and it was nowhere to be found. I just wanted to be able to call someone and say "This is what's wrong. How do I fix it?" (If my phone hadn't been dead, I could have done that...)
Offer to be that person for a refugee family in your community.
But, do that through your local refugee centre so that efforts aren't being duplicated with one family while another family goes completely without help.
Don't get upset if your invitations to hang out and celebrate with a newly arrived family are refused, or if they don't seem as excited to be meeting you as you are to be welcoming them.
They are refugees because their entire life was turned upside down. Be prepared to give them the space necessary to acclimate on their own terms.
But do regularly reach out to let them know you're around to help if they need it, and to answer the questions they have.
3. When you get connected to a family, be sure to find out what celebrations and holidays are important to them, and ask how you can support them in their celebrations.
I remember getting a blue bear holding a little heart for my 8th birthday from Eddie M., a guy on the street next to mine. I loved Blue Bear so much that he eventually went to college with me, and travelled to Japan, Denmark and then the UK before I sadly lost him.
The feeling of being cared for, accepted, and supported in major accomplishments was something I never really questioned until I was living overseas.
Suddenly, every holiday celebration brought a mixture of excitement and dread.
I knew I'd speak to my family on Skype, but I also knew I might be celebrating alone.
Even when celebrations sort of look like they used to, there is almost always something a little bit different that reminds me I'm living a foreign life, an immigrant life (my first year in the UK, it was the frosting on my birthday cake, which was clearly not what I grew up with).
Sometimes these changes can be nice additions to a fun celebration -- I've loved having Georgian wine and Thai curry at birthdays and Thanksgivings and Christmases. But, be aware that for new arrivals, their old celebrations are likely to remain important and they might not be able to celebrate as they once did.
This is particularly true for families that are on limited budgets. Opportunities for larger celebrations may be diminished. Ask if, and how, you can help a new arrival to celebrate the days that are important to them. Perhaps you can buy stuffed animals or presents for a child's birthday, or you can ensure a nice meal for a holiday celebration.
Please note, though, that I'm suggesting you celebrate the things important to them, and that might include holiday celebrations you are not a part of or don't agree with.
I bake for Ramadan even though I'm not Muslim because my faith leads me to believe that we are supposed to "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another." And my dear friend Rasmus once flew to the UK from Denmark to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday that has no real meaning for him, because I was afraid I would have to celebrate it alone. These moments are more important to the newly arrived than listening to you espouse the importance of your own holidays.
Be that kind of a friend who rejoices with those who rejoice and mourns with those who are suffering.
4. Invite them to participate in your holiday celebrations, too. Let me pause here to say I have amazing friends, so the fact that I couldn't find disinfectant and had strange birthday cake frosting pales in comparison to the many blessings I receive from my life abroad. That said, there have been numerous holidays in the UK, Denmark and Japan, where I had literally no idea a holiday was ongoing, what the holiday was for, or what I was supposed to do to celebrate that holiday.
So, if you're going to the Labor Day parade next year, make sure your newly arrived friends know what's going on, where the parade is, and why we have Labor Day (seriously - wikipedia the holiday before you call them; there are a lot of holidays that I ask about and the consensus is always "I don't know... we just have holidays in May.")
5. Just because it's been a long list and I don't want you to forget: raise and give money to the professionals who do this work!
Where to give money: As I said before, I'm only recommending reputable NGOs and international organisations with which I already have a personal connection or that I know through friends are doing good work. Anytime I blog about Syria, I’ll be sharing this list.
UNHCR: the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees processes refugee claims, provides housing, food and medical care.
UNICEF: the UN International Children's Emergency Fund focuses its efforts on children, providing immunizations, education, shelter, and food.
Church World Service: They help resettle refugees and are also lobbying Congress to do more for Syrians.
Danish Refugee Council: Provides food, shelter, and assistance to refugees efficiently and with a long track record of successful operations. Note that the donations need to be made in Danish krone, so you have to convert your US dollars, which you can do here, or you just know that as of today $5 is about 33 krone.
ICRC: the International Committee of the Red Cross also provides food, shelter, and medical care to refugees.
UN World Food Program: By providing food vouchers, the program allows for both a sense of autonomy and a chance for local communities and refugees to work together.
Norwegian Refugee Council: provides assistance, including food, clothing and shelter in places like Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. They are also focusing on child protection in Greece, Italy, and Macedonia.
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