Victims, Threats, Leaders: Uncovering Our Mental Models About Refugees

Victims, Threats, Leaders:

Uncovering Our Mental Models About Refugees

By Olivia Blumenshine

I asked Rev. Torli Krua, a Liberian refugee and Boston ministry leader, what assumptions Americans make about him after learning of his refugee status. He shared, “Sometimes when I speak, they say, ‘Oh! So you speak English! Ah, when did you learn that?’” The Americans’ surprise suggests they hold a “mental model” about refugees. 

A mental model is an assumption we make about how the world works—and a driving force behind how we act. Americans who are taken aback by Rev. Krua’s fluent English may hold a variety of mental models. They may believe that refugees come from non-English speaking countries, that refugees are uneducated, or that refugees don’t have the motivation or opportunity to learn English.

Some Americans might even believe that poor non-Westerners have a lower mental capacity than wealthy Americans or that refugees are lazy moochers who likely can’t be bothered to learn English. Our mental models are generally unconscious, meaning we are not readily aware of them, and they take work to uncover.

Some mental models are roughly accurate if oversimplified. Most current refugees do speak another language besides English as their native language, but Liberia happens to be an exception. When asked this question about his English skills, Rev. Krua responds, “Come on now! My country [Liberia] was started by the United States government!” 

But other mental models are misleading or wholly inaccurate. They’re rooted in misinformation, prejudice, trauma, or historical realities that are no longer true. 

Rev. Torli Krua (left), executive director of Universal Human Rights International, with fellow pastor Sam Boadu (right) at the 2018 fundraiser for the Greater Boston Refugee Ministry.

Mental models, which we form based on our limited information and experience, influence our reactions to the world every day—often without our awareness. Peter Senge, who first coined the term “mental model,” explains, 

Mental models can be simple generalizations, such as “people are untrustworthy,” or they can be complex theories, such as my assumptions about why members of my family interact the way they do.…But what is most important to grasp is that mental models are active—they shape how we act. If we believe people are untrustworthy, we act differently than we would if we believed they were trustworthy. — The Fifth Discipline, p. 164.

Uses & Limits of Mental Models

Everyone has mental models. Our brains are designed to gather and store information for quick retrieval to help us more quickly process the world around us. Our experiences thus shape our perspectives about the world and our place in it. But mental models can backfire—with harmful consequences—if they’re inaccurate or we’re unwilling to challenge them.

To uncover our mental models, we’ll need to engage our minds and spirits intentionally. We’ll need to push against our automatic brain process to identify our assumptions and their roots. 

Checks on our mental models can come from circumstances (where we gain insight into ourselves and the world), reading (which challenges our thinking), and especially through discussion with others. Because others hold diverse mental models due to their different life experiences, input from others is necessary and helpful for surfacing our mental models.

My Shift in Perspective

I have never been a refugee. When I started volunteering with the Greater Boston Refugee Ministry (GBRM) four years ago, I found that my perspective on refugees needed to be tested and refined. I had seen the photographs—emaciated people drifting in rafts or crouching in tents. From those images, I had formed the belief that refugees are people who needed saving—who aren’t able to protect themselves. 

Over the years, I have spent more time with people with a refugee background through my work with GBRM. In that time, I’ve learned that humans can endure intense pain and loss and still retain their generosity, hospitality, goodness, and strength. 

My mental models about refugees continue to evolve. I’m currently learning more about refugee innovation and leadership. I thank God that, by His grace, we are always learning and growing. 

Opening Reflection

As you begin to consider the mental models you may hold about refugees, you may find these questions helpful for your reflection:

1. When I think of the word ‘refugee,’ what images and feelings first come to mind?

2. What words and phrases do I associate with refugees?

3. What do these images, words, and feelings tell me about my perspectives on refugees?

4. How would I explain who a refugee is to someone else?

5. What information or experiences have led me to hold those perspectives?

6. Am I willing to test my mental models about refugees with updated information?

Hold on to these reflections as you consider the specific mental models in this article.

5 Mental Models ABOUT Refugees

I want to share just a few of the many ways I’ve observed Americans viewing refugees. As you read them, consider with which views you agree or disagree. For those you agree with, I encourage you to go deeper—ask yourself, What mental models are at the root of my perspective?

MENTAL MODEL #1: Refugees are victims.

When I first started volunteering with the Greater Boston Refugee Ministry, I was operating under the assumption that refugees are victims. My mind was filled with stories of people forced to flee their country under horrible circumstances. From those, I developed an image of people who are powerless to the harm they experience. 

Refugees have, in fact, experienced tremendous suffering at the hands of others. I soon learned, however, that the “victim” label falls short of describing the strength of mind, body, and spirit it takes to leave one’s home, community, possessions, and family to start a new life in a different land. 

If you see refugees as victims, how do you define “victim”? If you, like I, associate victimhood with helplessness and passivity, what might that mean for how you think and act towards refugees? 

Maybe you see refugees as people who need to be helped. Perhaps you see Americans, with their resources and social programs, as people who can provide that help. Here is where it can get ugly: where do we mentally draw the line between “needing help” and “being helpless?” When Americans see ourselves as rescuers and refugees as powerless, we reduce the value of both groups, limiting opportunities for creative collaboration and new initiatives.

To go further, why might Americans see ourselves as people in the position to rescue others? Maybe we have heard so many times that the United States is the greatest nation in the world, and we have grown to believe it without question. Perhaps our perceived authority to save is rooted in how we see our political structure or our material resources. Or, it may be rooted in the majority whiteness of our population and the privilege and assumed responsibility that comes with that.

Furthermore, some Americans also see refugees living in the US as needing rescue. They may think, If they couldn’t handle the pressures in their country, how will they manage life in the US without help?

If you find yourself identifying with any of these assumptions, to what extent does that lead you to believe that US citizens are responsible for ‘saving’ refugees? What, then, does that reveal about your view of US citizens’ role in the world? What does it say about your sense of American superiority or resilience?

Mental Model #2: Refugees are a drain on societies.

When we think of refugees as people who need help, we might assume there is nothing refugees can contribute in return. Many Americans are concerned that welcoming refugees to the US is too costly or that it will jeopardize Americans’ jobs. This assumption is not just untrue—it’s the opposite of true. For example,  welcoming refugees boosts national economies, according to a study by German economists Marcel Fratzscher and Simon Junker. However, in the present article, I am more concerned with the mental model that is the basis of this assumption. 

Seeing refugees as a burden reveals an underlying view that refugees are “other,” and therefore, their entitlement to resources and legal protection is different than that of native-born US citizens.

If you find yourself identifying with this assumption, ask yourself: Who do I believe is entitled to American resources, and why? Who belongs in the US? What gives them the authority to reside there? You may uncover a mental model that informs your perspective.

Mental Model #3: Refugees are terrorists. 

Americans consume media at an unprecedented rate, some of which contain images and information that helps create the generalization that refugee groups are full of terrorists. This assumption remains, even though the Cato Institute reports that of the near three million refugees admitted to the United States since 1980, no refugee has killed an American in a terrorist attack. 

By contrast, Americans don’t label all teenagers as terrorists, despite the many school shootings carried out by teenagers. Why, then, do Americans believe that refugees are more likely to be terrorists?

Data from Terrorists by Immigration Status and Nationality: A Risk Analysis, 1975 – 2017, by the Cato Institute, May 7, 2019.

If you hold the assumption that refugees are more likely to be terrorists, take a moment to identify its origin. When you think of the word ‘terrorist,’ what images first come to mind? What memories and feelings arise in you?

You may feel instinctive anger or fear toward people who match your image of a terrorist, and that could shape your perception of many people. Perhaps the Black or Brown people coming to the US—sometimes with head coverings—remind you of the faces, clothing, or head coverings of terrorists you have seen in the media. 

We often overgeneralize based on appearances, especially in situations of fear or threat. If you agree with the view of refugees as likely terrorists, perhaps the way the government or media presents information confirms what you already believed about who is a threat to US safety. 

Mental Model #4: Refugees are far away and not our problem. 

When hearing about refugees fleeing from far-off conflicts, many American Christians may feel a moment of sympathy before returning to their daily concerns. If you think of refugees as belonging to a distant reality from American Christians, why do you think that is? 

The traumatic ordeals that many refugees have undergone are so far outside the experience of most Americans that it makes it hard for us to empathize fully. We might then develop a mental model about the “otherness” of refugees, where the injustice done to them does not affect us.

Country-to-Country Net Migration, snapshot taken October 22, 2019 from “All the World’s Migration in 1 Map”.

The reality is that war and displacement can happen anywhere, and our empathy for refugees is directly related to our capacity to acknowledge this vulnerability. Many refugees lived in places that were once peaceful, and they struggle to understand what has happened to their community. 

Some Americans have difficulty picturing an interrelated world where the problems of one nation also belong to others. In truth, we are more interdependent than we like to think. In acting in its immediate interests, the US has sometimes contributed to instability around the world. 

For example, Rev. Krua mentioned above the founding of Liberia by the US government. He elaborated, “Liberia was founded unlawfully through the American Colonization Society (ACS) by high-ranking American government officials who were slaveholders and white supremacists. Using American taxpayers’ money and the United States Navy, they colonized Liberia with Black Americans and mixed-race Americans to prevent a slave revolt.”

What do such realities say about our responsibility to accept and support refugees displaced by the ensuing chaos? What is the US’ duty, for example, to Liberian refugees who continue to be denied work permits over 16 years after they arrived in the US accompanied by US soldiers?

If refugees feel like far-away “others” to you, you might wish to learn more about refugees in Massachusetts who contribute to our local communities. Pay attention to what surprises you about this information. Consider what mental models you hold and how the current data helps you update those mental models.

Mental Model #5: Refugees are survivors & leaders.

American Christians who consider the resourcefulness of refugees begin to see them as resilient, agile innovators—people who can survive, succeed, and lead. Rev. Krua defines refugee leadership as “a leadership that adapts to the circumstances around itself. It’s a leadership that looks to the future. So it’s a resilient leadership—and I think it’s necessary leadership.” 

Photos from GBRM Refugee Entrepreneurs Gathering, June 10, 2017.

While this positive image of refugees is still a simplification (as all mental models are), in my experience, it better captures the truth about this remarkable population. If we imagine the ingenuity and grit needed to make a new home, we grow in understanding and respect.

Photo from the 2018 GBRM Fundraiser Party.

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About the Author

Olivia Blumenshine worked a dual internship at EGC during the summer of 2019, serving both as a writing intern in Applied Research & Consulting and a ministry intern with Greater Boston Refugee Ministry. Originally from Greater Boston, she is a double major in English and Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis. She loves experimenting with the power of story to connect people across cultures and backgrounds.

Hidden Treasures: Celebrating Refugee Stories [photojournal]

Hidden Treasures: Celebrating Refugee Stories

by the GBRM Team

Refugees are hidden treasures in our midst. At Arabic Evangelical Baptist Church in West Roxbury, the Greater Boston Refugee Ministry’s third annual fundraiser on November 18th honored refugees with a themed event, "Hidden Treasures at Home & Work".

We designed an evening where guests could encounter the richness of gifts, talents, and stories of Boston area refugees that we’re blessed to know.

Guests enjoyed catering stations hosted by refugee entrepreneurs, as well as stories, panels, and videos. Each shared activity offered new ways to explore:

• What are refugee’s life dreams?

• How can the Christian community come alongside them?

• How might the Christian community innovate to better address refugees’ needs in resettlement (i.e., housing)?

““GBRM lit the candle of hope to my world by supporting me to share my future dream. GBRM is there if you are a dreamer or a [hoper].” ”

— refugee attender

Cultural Journeys

Diverse catering stations let guests sample and learn about the cuisine and geography of refugees' countries of origin, as they captivated guests with the stories behind their food. As guests went on a cultural journey through the stations, refugee entrepreneurs also chatted about their life experiences, unique gifts, and growing businesses.

““I was struck by how talented the refugees are...and how creative! [They were] not just thinking about ‘How can I make it here?’ but ‘How can I help others?’””

— guest

This multifaceted experience was a rare learning space for guests, opening their eyes to the hidden treasures that are the refugee community. Local refugee businesses also got new exposure to people potentially interested in supporting their work.

A New Lens on Refugees

The fundraiser debuted three videos, two produced by EGC Films, and a third by Park Street Film. Saffron and The Mechanic are stories of aspiring refugee entrepreneurs. The third, Kataluma House, shares our vision for a refugee hospitality house.  

After viewing Saffron, one guest responded, “I saw a parallel between the [saffron] flower and the wealth inside—the hidden beauty.  It’s great to see the potential refugees have and the contribution they make."

These short pieces capture the essence of our work. We invite you to view them here.

Saffron, by EGC Films, 2017.

The Mechanic, by EGC Films, 2017.

Kataluma House, a Luke Zvara film, Park Street Films, 2017.

With Appreciation

We'd like to highlight the following businesses connected with the refugee community in New England. Some are refugee owned, others employ refugees. All contributed to the evening with product displays.

Carina’s Dolce

Bintimani Restaurant

Authentic Iraqi Family Food by Lubna

Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine

Beautiful Day 

Makomas 

Prosperity Candle 

Threads By Nomad

Connect with GBRM

Connect with GBRM

5 Ways Christians Can Support Refugee Employment & Entrepreneurship

5 Ways Christians Can Support Refugee Employment & Entrepreneurship

By Fargol Dyrud and Kylie Mean, Greater Boston Refugee Ministry

We at the Greater Boston Refugee Ministry have learned that employment is one the toughest issues refugees face in rebuilding their lives in the US. The Christian community has a vital role to play in addressing this widespread challenge.

A church’s extensive social network can provide refugees with connections that can speed up the process of finding a job or starting a business, in some cases by years. Welcoming refugees into our community network can transform their employment and entrepreneurship journey.

REFUGEE VOICES

"Before I got my first job, I was lost and under pressure." - Afghan woman

If you’re interested in making a positive difference in the lives of refugees, pray with your church community about how God may be calling you to engage in refugee employment or entrepreneurship in any of the following ways.

ways you can HELP

“Working with refugees has enhanced my life. It just has!
- Meggaan Ward, Beautiful Day Rhode Island”

1. As a Potential Employer

If you are a hiring manager, or are part of the hiring process, consider hiring a refugee. Their credentials may not look the same as some other candidates, but consider how their skills, experience, and resilient character may benefit your company.

2. As an Advocate

Speak to friends, co-workers, and others in your community about the value of refugees as workers, consumers, and contributors of rich cultural diversity to their neighborhoods. Encourage others to celebrate refugees as gifts to our workplaces, communities, and local economies.

Our Refugee Advocate Toolkit can help you share with others the positive difference refugees make in American communities. Sign up to receive conversation starters, facts & figures, and other resources.

LEARN MORE

Contact Us

3. As a Job Search Volunteer

Several organizations in the Greater Boston area support refugee employment and entrepreneurship, and they welcome volunteers to help with résumé-building, mentoring, mock interviews, and job application help.

If you are interested, let us know, and we can help point you towards some options.

Learn More

Contact Us

4. As a Community Researcher/Learner

Add to our knowledge of resources available for our refugee neighbors. If you know of an organization that is doing great work in refugee employment or entrepreneurship in the Boston area, share what you know with GBRM. You may also consider serving GBRM as a research intern.

Contact Us

Contact Us

5. As a Church Community

Each church has different skills they can leverage in addressing the issue of refugee employment and entrepreneurship. Your community of faith can offer:

• access to essential resources and knowledge

• mentoring relationships

• a sense of community and connection

• a space for refugees to soundboard/test business ideas

Refugee Voices

"I think the churches could support refugees in many ways. They could maybe do some more connecting...they could plan some activities, get people together, support them more, get them into the society.” - Karen

God may have also gifted your church in specific ways that you can use to bless refugees looking for a job or hoping to start a business. Does your church have ESL programs, classroom space, members with industry-specific skills, etc.?

GBRM would love to help your church think through what could be your special leverage point within the refugee employment and entrepreneurship system.

Contact Us

Contact Us

 

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About Internships

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Fargol Dyrud  

Fargol was a 2017 GBRM research associate working in refugee employment/entrepreneurship and refugee housing as a part of her MBA. As an Iranian immigrant whose life has been affected by geopolitical forces, she empathizes with refugees and is passionate about serving them. Fargol leverages her fresh, insider perspective to push the boundaries of the refugee resettlement/recovery field. 

Kylie Mean 

Kylie’s heart for social enterprise, intercultural ministry and hospitality fits well with her role with EGC’s Greater Boston Refugee Ministry. She helps GBRM leadership and ambassadors consider how they can empower refugees and their employers to create transformational employment opportunities.

 

HOW ARE WE DOING?

Refugee Employment & Entrepreneurship: Why It Matters to the Church

Refugee Employment & Entrepreneurship: Why It Matters to the Church

By Fargol Dyrud and Kylie Mean, Greater Boston Refugee Ministry

We are in one the biggest refugee crises in world history. Over 60 million people are currently displaced from their homes and separated from family. As Christians—called by Jesus to care for the stranger—we must contemplate our role in addressing this crisis.

In our work through the Greater Boston Refugee Ministry, we have learned that work is one of the most challenging issues for refugees rebuilding their lives in the US. Lack of prospects for work fosters unhealthy dependencies, stifled potential, and loneliness. Work provides dignity—it’s a path toward economic independence, an opportunity to build capacities, and a place to develop relationships.

“Figures at a glance.” The UN Refugee Agency. Accessed September 1, 2017. http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/figures-at-a-glance.html

The geopolitical forces causing the refugee crisis don’t discriminate by occupation or education. Refugees come to the US with a broad range of skills and experience. Some are doctors, engineers, or other highly skilled professionals. Others come with little formal education, many having survived in refugee camps for significant portions of their lives. All arrive in the US with the same hope—that they will be able to live in safety and build their future.

Studies have shown that refugees and immigrants contribute positively to local economies. In the Franklin County, Ohio, refugees contributed an estimated total $1.6 billion per year to the Columbus Metropolitan Area alone through the combined economic impact of the resettlement agencies, refugee workers, and refugee-owned businesses.

Despite their demonstrated benefit to local economies, refugees face systemic barriers to securing work. Some find employment that fits their gifts and experiences. But many are currently unable to realize their potential in employment or entrepreneurship—they struggle to find a job, remain underemployed, or face significant obstacles in opening a business.

REFUGEE VOICES

"Just think about the change from my previous experience to my current one! I was a UN Investment Specialist, with an office in the Ministry Authority. I had meetings and conferences at the highest levels of Government and with international entities. Here, it’s been so difficult to even find a job—to navigate the employment and recruiting system to get a rare interview, all to find that the only job I can get is a simple job, for little pay, requiring no skill." - Syrian male

Refugee employment/entrepreneurship matters to the church. Here’s why.

1. God has dignified work for all.

God has always intended—starting with the first man and woman—for humanity to steward His creation. Genesis 2:15 says “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (NIV, emphasis added). As beings made in the image of God, we are designed to engage in fruitful work as a small reflection of God’s creative power.

While God later cursed the man with toilsome labor, work itself was not a curse. God first gave work to humankind in the Garden of Eden—before the Fall—as a blessing and a dignity.

Over time a broad tapestry of occupations has developed as societies have changed. What hasn’t changed is the God-given privilege and call to use the combination of gifts and capacities God has given each of us in regular labor.

Refugee Voices

"Everything is related, and by doing good work, I do the will of God by loving my work, my coworkers, my boss, and everyone I meet. Then when I’m on my way back home, while tired, I’m full of joy and happy to be alive." - Syrian male

2. Work builds dignity and purpose for refugees.

Even if our current job doesn’t match squarely with our talents, work can provide dignity through the opportunity to provide for our families. Earning a living and working towards self-sufficiency is healthy and empowering.

For the refugee, getting their first job in the US provides a family with critical momentum. Earning a solid wage can help provide a necessary boost to get a family out of survival mode. They can then get started on a career ladder or on a path to opening their own business.

As refugees gain the resources to provide for the basic needs of their family, they reclaim more energy to pursue less tangible needs, like connection and relationship. Once able to plan beyond the next month, a family also has space to dream about their own and their children’s future and access the many opportunities and resources this country has to offer.

When our work intersects well with how God has gifted us, we further feel deep satisfaction and joy from being useful, productive, and fully engaged. Frederick Buechner wrote, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet." Refugees, too, look forward to a job that calls upon their skills, personality, and capacities.

Refugee Voices

"I love being an architect because I've been always interested in designing spaces where people live and socialize in the routine of daily life." - Syrian female

3. Refugees foster mutually transformative relationships in the workplace.

We spend a considerable number of waking hours at work. The work environment provides refugees significant opportunity to build language skills. At the same time, they learn about American culture and develop relationships with members of the community, including employers, coworkers, and customers.  

But workplace cultural learning doesn’t just flow one way. Refugees broaden Americans’ understanding of God’s diverse creation—employers and coworkers benefit from learning about different cultures and backgrounds. Teams with refugees can generate fresh ideas for business growth as they come to learn about a broader landscape of potential customers.

Refugee Voices

"Amidst all this I’ve experienced lots of struggles, and I’ve been humbled. But I’ve also experienced joy and great satisfaction just because I have a job and relationships with my coworkers—I’m happy to see them again every day." - Syrian male

Refugees also model character traits in the workplace that American-born workers rarely possess in the same capacity. The life experience of refugees has engraved into their DNA humbleness, resilience, loyalty, and sense of community that enriches their work relationships.

“Refugees will suddenly be [like], you're their brother, you’re their sister, you’re their family, instantaneously. If you help, if you give a little bit, you get back that much more," says Meggan Ward, Director of Operations and Training, Beautiful Day Rhode Island. 

In fact, we need the strength of character of refugees to remedy parts of our own damaged work cultures. We can all testify that we need more caring employers and work environments, more of a sense of community, and greater loyalty in our modern American workplace. 

Anyone who has worked with refugees has experienced in them a remarkable strength that transforms the workplace dynamic. 

Refugee Voices

"My job has a lot of physical movement, which is very good for my health. We can choose to see the positive side and make it more important than the negative one. This motivates me to do a good job, to do my duty at work the best way that I can." - Syrian male

4. Your Church Can Play a Key Role

We believe the Church is vital to supporting refugees to find sustainable employment or pursue entrepreneurial dreams that would enrich our city.

Any church has the potential to change a refugees’ trajectory on their employment and entrepreneurship journey. How? Your church can become a refugee family’s community network. The Church’s extensive social ties provide refugees with supportive connections that could otherwise take years for them to build in the US.

Each church has different skills they can leverage in addressing the issue of refugee employment and entrepreneurship. Communities of faith can offer (among many other things):

• access to critical resources and knowledge

• a sense of community and connection

• mentoring relationships

• a space for refugees to soundboard or test business ideas

If you’re interested in making a positive difference in the lives of refugees, pray with your church community about how God may be calling you to engage in refugee employment or entrepreneurship.
 

TAKE ACTION

CONNECT

Interested in refugee employment or entrepreneurship?

ABOUT THE AUTHORs

About Internships

Contact Us

Fargol Dyrud

Fargol was a 2017 GBRM research associate working in refugee employment/entrepreneurship and refugee housing as a part of her MBA. As an Iranian immigrant whose life has been affected by geopolitical forces, she empathizes with refugees and is passionate about serving them. Fargol leverages her fresh, insider perspective to push the boundaries of the refugee resettlement/recovery field. 

Kylie Mean

Kylie’s heart for social enterprise, intercultural ministry and hospitality fits well with her role with EGC’s Greater Boston Refugee Ministry. She helps GBRM leadership and ambassadors consider how they can empower refugees and their employers to create transformational employment opportunities.

HOW ARE WE DOING?

Saffron: A Refugee Story [VIDEO]

After the President's Refugee Order: Greater Boston Refugee Ministry Update

• Gaining Perspective in the Light of Executive Orders

• Upcoming Refugee Ministry Training Opportunities

by Gregg Detwiler, Director, Intercultural Ministries, EGC

Hello friends, I want to give you an update on our ministry and hopefully encourage you as well.

As you might guess, this has been a really intense time of ministry for us in the Greater Boston Refugee Ministry. Since President Trump gave his initial executive order on January 27, 2017, and his new executive order on March 6, reducing and temporarily ceasing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the debate and even the rancor of our nation has really ramped up. I recognize that those of you reading this report may have a variety of opinions on this and other issues. Regardless of your personal position, I want to encourage you, even as I encourage myself and our team, that we would have the proper moorings to keep us steady and faithful in this season of debate.

I want to give you four things to consider:

1. GET WELL INFORMED

First of all, it is my hope that we would all seek to be well informed, that we would make sure that we get our facts and information from balanced and well-founded sources. One example of a good resource is to review the refugee vetting process already in place. You can see an infographic of that process at this site.

If you have questions or concerns about refugees coming into the United States and how that process works, please reach out to us. We will be happy to point you to some resources that we feel are reputable and accurate to help you understand what exactly happens. You can either send us a message through the “Contact EGC” button on this page: https://www.egc.org/take-action or call us during regular business hours at 617-262-4567 and ask to speak to someone in the Greater Boston Refugee Ministry.

2. ENGAGE IN POSITIVE ACTION

Secondly, regardless of where you may stand about whether refugees should continue to come in or whether the number should be decreased or increased, the fact is we already have refugees here! And the scriptural mandate for us to welcome and serve refugees—the foreigner, the alien, the stranger, the widow, the orphan—those mandates have not changed. And so even as this debate rages, I would encourage you to direct your energy toward acting and doing something positive right now regarding this population, and there are many opportunities for you to get involved. If you are in the Boston area, we would love to help direct you toward that positive action. Please get in touch with us. If you live to the west of Boston, contact our partners at WARM, the Worcester Alliance for Refugee Ministry. And if you live in other places around the country, I will try to point you toward people serving refugees where you are.

3. ATTEND A GBRM TRAINING

Thirdly, in order to take action in ways that are really helpful and not harmful, it’s very important we are first trained. This month, we are offering several trainings in the Greater Boston area. In the coming months, there will be more. Please visit our web page at https://www.egc.org/refugee for a list of current opportunities. On March 11, 2017, we will be at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. On March 18 and April 29 we will be in Belmont, Mass. Contact us to ask for details about these, or check our website.

4. LISTEN TO THE STORIES OF REFUGEES

One excellent way that we can get better informed about the real story is to hear from refugees themselves. The Greater Boston Refugee Ministry was invited to be part of a news feature story produced by NBC Boston on January 29, 2017. They asked us to bring some of our refugee friends, and so we brought a refugee couple, a Christian family from Syria, who talked about their reactions to the executive order and how those events were making them feel. I am sure you would find this short video informative and inspiring as you view this couple’s story linked here.

Thank you for your active partnership in serving refugees with us. Your prayers, encouragement and financial support help us equip churches in Greater Boston to serve the many families who have recently arrived and are trying to settle in.

For the GBRM Team,

Gregg

To support the work of EGC settling refugee families, click here.
To learn more about EGC’s Greater Boston Refugee Ministry, click here.

5 Ways to Support Refugees in the Holiday Season

1. Donate warm clothing

We collected piles of winter clothing through the GBRM fundraiser and coat drive, but the need is always great. Here is one place where you can donate winter clothing for Boston-area refugees.

2. Donate food to your local food pantry

Many refugees use local support services like food pantries. Click here for a list of food donation sites in the Greater Boston area. If there isn't one in your area, consider starting one at your church!

3. Attend holiday services at an international church in your area

Be the one who goes this Advent. Journey to another culture right in your neighborhood to celebrate Christmas like the shepherds and magi of old. Here's an online directory of churches in the Boston area.

4. Become more informed

Many misconceptions regarding refugees are currently causing fear and confusion. Take time this season to raise your awareness of the refugee experience. Read up on the current situation on resource websites like rescue.org.

5. Advocate

Election season is coming up, and immigration is a hot topic. Tell your representatives how you feel about welcoming and supporting refugees in your region. Here's where you can find their contact information.

*Above all and through all, remember to pray for our refugee neighbors.