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.