United States (MNN) — “Out of the frying pan and into the fire.” It’s a phrase used to describe moving from one bad situation to another. It also applies to thousands of Afghan refugees being resettled in the United States.
Housing is in short supply, and living costs get higher every day. At the end of March, President Biden said the U.S. would welcome up to 100,000 refugees fleeing the Ukraine crisis. The decision added pressure to a nation already struggling to resettle thousands of Afghan refugees.
Political opinions vary widely on refugee resettlement. But Christ tells all of His followers to put His love on display.
Remember “Hebrews 13:2 – ‘Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it,’” Tom Doyle says. Doyle co-founded Uncharted Ministries, a group equipping Western believers to reach Muslims for Christ.
Along with raising awareness of needs overseas, Uncharted helps believers share the Gospel with Muslims nearby.
“We’re thinking globally, praying globally, but acting locally is something we can do to reach out to Afghans that probably don’t have any friends” in the neighborhood, Doyle says.
Neelab, an Afghan refugee, received emergency dental care in New Jersey from a Joint Task Force surgeon on Sept. 16, 2021.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Before you start, doing some research and getting a little training helps. Find a list of Uncharted resources here. There’s something you can do now, too.
“For those of you seeing Afghans around [your neighborhood], see if you can get to know them. Try to start a conversation; ask them how their journey was,” Doyle says.
“Be a Good Samaritan. You’ll be amazed at how they open up.”
The United States evacuated 124,000 Afghan civilians during the chaotic troop withdrawal in August 2021. (Wikimedia Commons)
