Far From Home: Praying for Displaced People Groups

Suzanne Pearson • Apr 18, 2023

In this month’s Ministry Update , we focused on TEAM’s value of Creative Vision, and specifically the need to be flexible when serving in cross-cultural work. We heard from TEAM global worker, Samantha* how she has had to learn to hold her plans loosely in ministering to and serving alongside displaced Ukranian populations since the war began.

Samantha is not alone. According to the International Organization for Migration’s 2022 World Migration Report , approximately 281 million people, or 3.6% of the world’s population, live in a country other than their country of birth. Of these, many live as expatriates due to war, political or religious persecution, natural disaster, or economic hardship.

God has graciously allowed TEAM the privilege of coming alongside displaced people, sometimes called refugees or “diaspora" in multiple nations around the world. For this month’s Prayer Focus, we reached out to global workers serving diaspora populations and asked how we can pray. Here are 5 ways to pray for Diaspora Ministries:

1. First of all, PRAISE God for His goodness and provision for displaced peoples.

TEAM workers shared many stories of how God has miraculously provided for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of families far from the comforts of home. One such story comes from Sara, a TEAM worker in the Czech Republic:

“Alina* arrived in Czech Republic with her two young children. She is a believer and wanted to connect to a church. God has been incredibly good to her by providing a church family for her. The first eight months were difficult for Alina, as she watched her children growing up without their father. She knew God was providing for her, yet this was hard.

Praise God – a few months ago, Alina’s husband was permitted to come to Czech Republic and be reunited with his family! Last week, they shared about Ukraine with our church. We had Ukrainian food and learned how we could pray. They also shared how incredibly good God has been to them.”

Join us in praising God for being Jehovah Jireh to displaced people and families.

2. PRAY for creative ways to make connections with displaced people.

When people find themselves living in a culture that is not their own, it can be difficult to know how to engage with others. TEAM worker Meg* likens this to a scenario we can all relate to – socializing during the pandemic.

“Remember when Covid regulations started and it was so confusing?” Meg asks. “Do we mask or not? Hug or not? Have a meal together or not? Doing work with diaspora peoples, in a culture that doesn’t belong to either them or us, is a lot like the confusion of Covid times. We are trying to fit into the host culture where neither of us really know the cultural norms and rules and it makes everyone a little nervous to engage. But it also gives us common ground!”

Meg goes on to share that in her context, she’s found that inviting a group of people to share a meal together is more effective than just inviting one person or one family. This new dynamic leads to deeper conversation and more meaningful engagement.

Pray for global workers as well as other believers to find creative and effective ways to engage with and care for displaced people .

In addition to the trauma that many displaced people have experienced is the challenge of learning to find community in a new culture.

3. PRAY for people living indefinitely in the “in between.”

Samantha says that in preparation for this Prayer Focus piece, she asked some of her Ukrainian friends what they would like prayer for. Most said the same thing, “Ask God to end the war.” For many refugees forced to flee due to war, persecution, or other dire circumstances, their greatest hope is that those circumstances will end so they can return home.

And while we do plead with God to end war and suffering, there is also a tremendous need for displaced people to find strength, purpose, and hope in the present. “Those living far from home aren’t fully able to jump into life where they are because they’re holding on to what life was before the war,” says Samantha. “Many are living lives in suspended reality, not putting down roots where they are in hopes that they’ll be able to go home soon.”

Pray for displaced people to be strengthened and encouraged while living in this “in-between” reality, and that those serving them will have much sensitivity, wisdom, compassion, and timely words from the Lord to share with them.

4. PRAY for hearts to be softened to the truth of the Gospel.

The Bible tells us that God always has purpose in our pain, and we see this so often in diaspora ministry. Through suffering and hardship, as well as through the love of Jesus displayed by those providing aid, many people are coming to faith in Christ.

Sara shares the story of a Ukrainian family who survived an intense escape into the Czech Republic. They are not believers and in fact had a negative view of Christians. However, during their exodus from Ukraine, they took refuge in churches along the way. “They began to think differently about believers and were very grateful,” says Sara. She goes on to explain how God continues to pursue this family as He has provided accommodations for them as well as jobs for mom and dad, and a comfortable school environment for their son with disabilities.

Pray for displaced people to experience the peace of Christ as promised in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

5. PRAY for displaced Christians among the various diaspora groups.

It’s important to remember that among the millions of displaced people around the world, many are already our brothers and sisters in Christ! They have the opportunity to not only trust the Lord with their own lives, but also to minister to those around them. Samantha says this is happening in amazing ways in her current context.

“I’m a part of a small Ukrainian church that is trying to reach out to the 500,000 Ukrainians in Czech Republic, even as the pastor and church members themselves are refugees,” she shares. “Pray for wisdom to know how best to encourage and equip them as they reach their own for Jesus.”

*names changed for security reasons

Loving Like Jesus Cross-Culturally (Part 1)

By Megan Lunsford • 23 Apr, 2024
When seeking to serve cross-culturally with an authentic love for others, there’s no better example for us than Jesus. If we sat around a table and threw out the question, “How do we love like Jesus?” I think we would have several commonalities as we respond. For example, Jesus loved all people right where they were. He loved those who were deemed the least, those hardest to love, or those who were His enemies. These are all beautiful realities of the heart of Jesus. When we step into relationships, it can be easier to take on the warmer, more gracious gestures of Jesus’ love, especially in cross-cultural relationships. Think about it––when doing life with those who look and act differently than us, we are already out of our comfort zones and would rather keep things as simple and familiar as possible. But there are other facets of Jesus’ heart we often overlook that can transform us and others even more into His likeness. Jesus is love because God is love. Everything Jesus did was out of love; it’s the mere definition of who He is. As followers of Jesus, He calls us to the same: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John:7-12) Every display of love we offer to others is an opportunity for them to encounter the ultimate love of the Father. That’s a pretty big deal! In this article, we’ll look at three expressions of Jesus’ love that we tend to overlook when engaging others cross-culturally. (Next month, we’ll look at three more.) 1. Jesus loved sacrificially. Everywhere Jesus went, crowds followed Him. We even see times in Scripture where Jesus had plans to step away for time alone but those who were hurting found Him and He had compassion on them and stayed with them. Can you imagine rarely having any time to yourself but, instead, constantly being surrounded by crowds of people wanting help from you? Jesus loved sacrificially. He welcomed all who came to Him with love and compassion, never turning anyone away. “When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) In the same way, we can make room in our lives for Jesus to bring sacrificial interruptions which, in His eyes, are orchestrated encounters to transfer His love to others. It can be tempting to be so “on mission” that we are full steam ahead and find ourselves frustrated when the Holy Spirit sends an interruption into our path that we feel we don’t have time for. Or, perhaps, we have scheduled a meet-up but it’s the norm in another culture to be 30 minutes or an hour late. We anxiously think through how it will affect whatever we have planned next. While it’s normal to feel a little stressed, what if the very "interruption” standing in front of you was really a divine appointment sent by God? Or what if that person running late experiences how peaceful and gracious you are in adapting to their culture and therefore, they can encounter a beautiful display of Jesus’ love? To truly represent Christ, we should remain ready and willing for each assignment the Lord sends into our path, no matter the cost or how much we will have to re-route our day. He is always a hundred steps ahead and will work all things for His glory and our good. 2. Jesus loved by discerning each situation well. Think about how many situations Jesus had to respond to on a daily basis. We read in Scripture that there were lines of people waiting to be healed by Him, talk to Him, hear His teachings, or simply touch the hem of His robe. Jesus was fully dependent on His Father to discern each situation before addressing it. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) Another temptation we can have when in a relationship with those God has sent us to is to think we already know the solution or what God wants to do before we’ve even asked Him. We believe we are full of knowledge, so we just pull from the bank we have stored within and go with it. However, when we access what is familiar to us as our default, we risk missing out on a God-given solution that might truly be the key to unlocking whatever challenge is in front of us. What does this look like when interacting with others? We can simply ask, “God, what is on Your heart for the person standing in front of me?” Then we listen and respond as He speaks. When we make it a daily habit to pause and hear God’s heart for each situation before responding, we are guaranteed to be effective in loving those around us. He knows the heart of every person that will cross our paths. Imagine how impactful we can be if we first lean on His wisdom and discernment before moving forward. 3. Jesus loved by speaking truth. Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. If we are honest, this conversation makes us a bit nervous as none of us would be comfortable with Jesus calling out intimate details of our lives that we would prefer to hide. But Jesus went further than just airing her dirty laundry. He offered her the hope of the Gospel and a relationship with Him - a divine fulfillment that could never be found in an earthly relationship. Jesus modeled a powerful example of loving others well cross-culturally. He took the low place and spoke truth, truly out of love––speaking to her heart from His. Like Jesus, our goal in sharing the truths about Him and His Word is to bring hope and satisfaction through Him alone. When we speak truth from Scripture, we are calling others higher into all God has for them. The tricky part here is we should avoid speaking truth if it isn’t first fueled by compassion. If it merely comes from a place of judgment, condemnation, or self-righteousness, it will fall flat 100% of the time. But if it truly comes from love, you are likely to not only win a heart back to the Father but, like the story of the Samaritan woman, even an entire village! If you see someone living outside of God’s best for their lives, ask God to show you your heart before engaging theirs. Once your heart is properly postured, you can speak truth out of an overflow of God’s love and trust Him for a transformation in their lives.

Hospitality, Help, and the Hope of the Gospel

By Suzanne Pearson • 16 Apr, 2024
TEAM Canada provides warm welcome and trusted friendships for diaspora populations living far from their native countries. As TEAM Canada workers Peter and Ruth (names changed) drive from their home to a nearby community center, they pass numerous apartment buildings and townhouses. Most of the families who live there are immigrants. They’ve left their countries of origin due to political unrest, trauma, and other difficulties. They’ve left family, friends, homes, jobs, and personal wealth behind. They search for peace, justice for the oppressed, and rest from fear and weariness. And as they adjust to a new country and a new language, they are often very isolated from others around them. “The sad reality is most immigrants are never even invited inside a Canadian home,” says Ruth. Peter and Ruth and their team try to change that reality. For the last nine years, the team, which includes workers from partner organizations as well as volunteers, has held English classes at the community center. Three days a week, over 60 students from more than 20 countries come together to learn English as well as to fellowship together and receive practical help in assimilating to a new normal. Meeting Needs and Building Trust That practical help may come in the form of procuring furniture, clothes, or dishes for newcomers, assistance with creating a resume and finding a job, or teaching people how to navigate Canadian laws and the medical system. As these tangible needs are met, relationships are built. “We invite them into our homes for meals and games,” Ruth shares. “We take them on hiking trips, picnics, outings, and out for coffee.” This is particularly important in this type of ministry because most immigrants come to Canada from cultures that value hospitality. Conversely, Canadians do not typically prioritize hospitality and consequently many newcomers feel lonely and isolated. Inviting folks to various gatherings and outings allows the team to spend extended time hearing people’s stories, struggles, hopes, and dreams. When she speaks about building friendships, Ruth’s heart for the people she serves is evident. “Hearing their stories, it’s easy to love them, and many have become close friends,” Ruth says. “We recognize the value of steady one-on-one relationships.”
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