A Place to Call Home

Uganda is surrounded by nations in conflict. Sudan lies across the border to the north, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is on the west, and Rwanda touches the southernmost corner (with Burundi just beyond). Even Kenya to the east, once considered one of the more stable African countries, recently suffered from convulsions of violence.

For many years, hundreds of thousands of refugees from these surrounding nations have poured into Uganda. The challenges of hosting so many people in crisis are significant. Many other countries would do whatever they could to close their borders and keep refugees out. But not Uganda.

Mr. Musa Francis Ecweru, the Ugandan Minister of State for Relief and Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, joined the Roundtable on our second day of meetings. He was justifiably proud of Uganda's refugee policy.

He explained that Uganda opens its arms in welcome to their neighbors. The government provides land on which refugees can build new homes and integrates refugees into the local community. He held the Ugandan program up as a model to other countries around the world.

I admit that I suspected he might be doing a bit of political posturing. But the African leaders participating in the conference assured me he spoke truth. They sincerely thanked him for providing a place for refugees to call home.

When your little finger hurts

"When your little finger hurts, the entire body should feel the pain."

These are the words of Bayisa Wak-Woya of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He joined us for the second day of our meetings on June 20.

June 20 is World Refugee Day. The first World Refugee Day was declared by the United Nations in 2001 and it has been celebrated annually since that time.

Mr. Wak-Woya works with refugees throughout East Africa. He provided an informative report with statistics on refugee populations in Africa and around the world.

But his report was about much more than numbers. He spoke with great compassion and understanding about the pain refugees suffer and the challenges they face.

"Many people can talk about statistics," I told him afterward. "But you showed us the faces behind the numbers."

He replied, "That's because their story is my story. I, myself, am a refugee."

Mr. Wak-Woya closed his report with a statement that has echoed in my head ever since. "In many ways, humanity is one body. We are all connected. And when your little finger hurts, the entire body should feel the pain."

At long last

I'm finally ready to add additional posts to this blog. My apologies for the delay. The last few weeks I've been focused on urgent deadlines for the upcoming "Exodus World Service Run/Walk for Refugees." (Please join me on September 6 at this fun event! More information is available at http://www.e-w-s.org/.)

One of the most dynamic aspects of the Refugee Highway Roundtable was listening to and learning from the very diverse group of people who gathered for our meetings. These inspirational leaders included:

* a Kenyan pastor who has voluntarily lived with his family in the desolate Kakuma refugee camp for the last decade ministering to the camp residents

* a British pediatrician who set aside her medical practice to launch a ministry that welcomes refugees to England

* a UNHCR official who processes refugees in the Middle East

* a Sudanese church leader who recently returned to Southern Sudan to help secure the fragile peace and begin the rebuilding process

* a Dutch man who lives with his wife and 86 war orphans in Uganda

* an Eritrean pastor who leads a refugee congregation in exile and advocates on behalf of fellow pastors imprisoned and persecuted in his homeland

Our first day together we shared reports from different regions around the world - Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Information included the number of refugees in that region, what challenges refugees face and how the Christian community is responding. We concluded each report with prayer for that region.

Circumstances vary widely for a Burundi refugee in Tanzania and a Bhutanese refugee in Nepal. The resettlement system in Denmark operates very differently from that in the United States. Likewise, the church in Uganda responds to refugee needs in very distinctive ways from the church in New Zealand.

But a few common themes emerged from every region:

* Refugees suffer from loneliness and the loss of community

* Refugees endure painful separations from family members

* Refugees struggle to get accurate information about their options

* The Christian community is willing to welcome refugees, but doesn't know how

* The Christian community needs specific guidance on ways to serve refugees

* The Christian community matures through its ministry to refugees, including its interaction with vibrant refugee churches

I ended the first day with a full heart. I was burdened by a greater awareness of the global suffering of refugees. But I was also uplifted by a deeper appreciation for the blessings of lasting peace and joy shared by the church with refugees around the world.

The Journey Continues

I'm safely home from my trip to Africa! But my thoughts and prayers remain with the many remarkable and courageous people I met during my visit.

Unfortunately, poor internet connections prevented me from updating this blog while in Uganda. But in the days ahead I will use my journal entries to recreate some of the trip highlights.

For now, as we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July in the United States with fireworks and parades and picnics, I invite you to take just a moment to pray for traumatized refugees around the world. Ask God to bring comfort and healing to these brothers and sisters who have suffered so much.

Ugandan Hospitality

Today we finalized meeting preparations with our host, the Evangelical Alliance of Africa. The hotel they selected for the consultation is in the city of Entebbe on the shores of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. Their hospitality is warm and friendly.

Uganda hosts more than 200,000 refugees from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia and Sudan. The country is also coping with 850,000 internally displaced refugees who fled the violence of the Lord's Resistance Army in Northern Uganda.

Some of the refugees and internally displaced persons in Uganda are housed in refugee camps located throughout the country. But many others receive no support and try to survive in local communities.

Ugandan churches respond in a variety of ways to the overwhelming needs of the refugees in their midst. They welcome encouragement, prayer and practical support from other Christians.

Finally Arrived!

My journey to Uganda ended up being quite an adventure! Bad weather in New York forced my flight to wait on the tarmac for almost seven hours before taking off for Brussels. Of course, I then missed the connecting flight from Brussels to Entebbe. The best alternative option they could provide was to route me from Brussels to London, London to Johannesburg, and Johannesburg to Entebbe. The planned 24 hour trip therefore took more than 48 hours. My luggage has not yet followed suit. Due to a tracking error, it looks like it might be on its way to Tel Aviv!

Thankfully, I made the long trip with two women I met on the flight out of New York. One is coming to Uganda to teach English in an elementary school and the other to work in a medical clinic. It was so good to have companions on the journey.

When I finally checked into my hotel this evening, I was exhausted. But I was also very aware of the fact that my trip does not begin to compare to the months, and years, and even decades that refugees often spend trying to get to a safe place to rebuild their lives. How important it is for Christians to accompany refugees during their difficult travels along the refugee highway.

Off to Africa

In a few short hours I'll be flying to Africa. After 24 hours in transit, I'll land in Entebbe, Uganda. I am really looking forward to this opportunity to gather with Christian leaders from around the world.

In Entebbe, I'll be helping to lead meetings of the Refugee Highway Partnership Roundtable. This gathering will welcome representatives from Asia, Africa, North America, the Middle East and the Pacific. We are a very diverse group, representing many different countries and ministries. But we all share a commitment to both refugees and the Christian community.

The goal of the Roundtable is to be a catalyst that results in an increase in both the level of engagement and the effectiveness of efforts by the worldwide church to bring hope and help to refugees. The event will conclude with Refugee Sunday celebrations at both refugee camps in Gulu in Northern Uganda and at churches in Kampala, Uganda.

I hope to have internet access to I can continue to post during the trip. In the meantime, please lift the Roundtable meetings and World Refugee Sunday in prayer.