Refugee Overview

I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. - Matthew 25:35b

Who are refugees?

According to the Geneva Convention, a refugee is a person who is outside of the country of his or her nationality and who is unable to return because of persecution or fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. 

Simply put, refugees must leave their own country to save their lives or preserve their freedom when their government has not protected them. If other countries refuse to accept or help them, the refugees may die in their own country or languish in the shadows of the new country, deprived of basic human rights and freedoms. 

Going “home,” whether to the old home or settling in a new home, is a crucial step as refugees try to heal and rebuild their lives. The best settlement option is for refugees return to their own country where they can work to rebuild their local community and society. When this is not possible, refugees may integrate with the local population of the host country, which may be a culturally familiar place to the refugees as a neighbor to their own country or as a place that they have now lived.  

However, for those are rejected or ignored by the host country, resettlement in an unfamiliar third country such as Canada or the US may be the only safe option. While less than 1% of refugees are resettled in a third country, for many it is the only way that they can live without fear of violence and persecution. Nevertheless, refugees face many hardships upon arriving in the new country, including social exclusion for not knowing the local culture or language, and difficulty finding a job because their education and work experience is not recognized. 

The CRC and Refugees

For more than 50 years, the CRC has assisted thousands of refugees in resettling in North America. Refugee sponsorship by CRC churches provides crucial support for refugees new to North America. Here are several stories about how CRC churches have welcomed the stranger.

Refugee sponsorship differs between Canada and the United States.

In Canada, "an agreement between the government of Canada and the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) allows Canadian congregations to sponsor refugees. A local congregation welcomes the refugee and helps the refugee find a place to live, get a job, and become financially independent. For 12 months, or until the refugee is self-supporting, the congregation is responsible for the newcomers’ needs.

In the United States, churches can help resettle refugees by working with CRC affiliate agencies such as Bethany Christian Services/ Program Assisting Refugee Acculturation (PARA) that contract with Church World Service to help families adjust to their new communities." (From The Banner January 2007)