What do refugees need?

1. Friendship, belonging and peace of mind

The transition to a new life is hard.

We often say, “There’s no place like home”. For most refugees, their new country will not be thought of as ‘home’ for a long time. Most would choose to stay in their country if they could. Many of those fleeing war-torn Syria say their greatest wish is to be able to one day go back to a Syria at peace.

A few days ago I talked with Abdollah. He told me that the most helpful thing for his family was to belong, to be welcomed into our church family and included in everything:

“We need more than food, which only fills our stomach; we need emotional and spiritual support, to fill our minds. To replace some of what we lost when we had to leave behind our friends, our family… our lives.”

Apart from homesickness, the hardest part, he said, is starting from scratch with nothing.

2. Help with finding, moving, and furnishing homes

For families on a bridging/temporary visa, finding their first rental home can be a daunting task. It’s hard to gain approval from landlords and agents on a low income without a rental history, job, or permanent visa. For single refugees, it can be very challenging to find suitable share houses and the right housemates to share with.

But sometimes we can help.

Last year, a refugee friend had to find somewhere to rent. He spent weeks searching, until at last we were able to find him a room in a share house with a Christian couple and another refugee. This year the landlord decided to sell the house. So again our friend was searching for a new place, sleeping on friend’s couches… until God provided a room in another share house owned by a Christian minister.

Christian homeowners, housemates, landlords and real estate agents can help.

You are needed. 

3. Help to tackle everyday hurdles

Life in a new place with new rules is challenging and confusing. Refugees need help to make phone calls to government departments or service providers, fill in forms, scan and email documents, enrol in schools, make appointments, find information, get their kids’ homework done… the list goes on.

Caseworkers are too busy to help with all of this—they have a huge load that’s only getting bigger. When churches and volunteers step in and help, these become the easiest problems to solve.

4. English classes

They may need English lessons appropriate to their level, and someone to practise with. There are lots of people out there to talk to, but many may not be patient enough to wait and listen.

Anyone learning a new language will make mistakes, so a safe place to try out new skills is important. Kindness, patience and encouraging words from us can turn bad days into good days (see John Bartik’s ‘The bad days’).

5. Employment and training

Gaining a paid job is one of the biggest hurdles refugees will face. They need help to access training and find suitable volunteer work that will develop their skills.

There is a café in Sydney offering free hospitality training for asylum seekers, and some of my friends have completed his training. This proprietor has used his time, resources and connections to help people become work-ready; we need more people and places like this, we need more Christian employers, business owners and trainers who are willing to sacrifice something for others.

6. Help with immigration matters

It’s hard enough to be called an asylum seeker when you’re a refugee, and worse to be called to be called ‘illegal’ when you haven’t broken any law.

Try not being believed when you’re telling the truth, waiting for years and years for permanence.

Christian lawyers and paralegals willing to do pro bono work are needed. But we can help too. Asylum seekers often need friends to liaise with lawyers write letters of support, accompany them to interviews, read and explain letters… And of course, they need our prayers, reassurance and assistance.

7. Real refuge

Those who don’t know Jesus need to meet him! They need someone to read the Bible with them. They need easy English Bible studies, and Bible studies in their own language. Refugees who have left everything behind need most of all what we all need more than anything: real hope in Jesus the Saviour, for this world and for eternity.

Many had no opportunity back home to even investigate Christianity. It’s wonderful to see God by his grace fulfil the greatest need of so many of our refugee friends, though it may not have been what they were seeking when they left their homeland. John, a new believer, treasures the Bible he was given on Christmas Island even more than the refugee status he was granted.

Some friends of ours have never held citizenship of any country, and still don’t know whether they’ll ever get citizenship here. But one thing they are now certain of: their citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven that no-one can ever take away from them!

Helping asylum seekers and refugees takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. It’s deeply rewarding—we make true friends and gain so much from these friendships—and we get to see God at work in amazing ways!