Cedars, April 2018

April 2018 13 THE GLOBAL REFUGEE CRISIS: DIVERSITY ing to see people from all over the world living in one place and creating new lives for themselves.” The Cedarville team partnered with Clarkston International Bible Church (CIBC), which is aided by the North Amer- ican Mission Board. CIBC and its partners, including World Relief, do a number of out- reach programs in the community. They also allow no fewer than six ethnic churches, in- cluding Pakistani, Nepali, Congolese, Suda- nese, Karen, and more, to use their facility to worship in their native languages. The team spent much of Sunday attend- ing those services and worshiping alongside the refugees. Lexi Smith said this was a high- light of the trip for her. “I had this moment in the Swahili service where all the people were worshiping God in Swahili,” she said. “It was lively and fun, and I had a moment where I was like, ‘Wow. God loves every person in this room as deeply and intimately as He loves me.’ It made me feel small but safe in what God tells me to do. We don’t need to worry — He’s bigger than cul- ture, than language, than everything.” The team mentioned that not all those in Clarkston are Christians and there is much need for the gospel, but that those ethnic churches do much of the work in reaching their own communities. CIBC and its partners provide import- ant services to members of the community, including furniture donations, community recreation nights, Bible study ministries and other outreach programs. The team spent a lot of its week learning about refugees and advocacy. It went through several training sessions to learn how to min- ister to those of other faiths, as well as tools for sharing the gospel. They visited a mosque and a Hindu temple, and spent time talking with people of other faiths. Through these sessions and outings, the team learned that Muslims often conflate the word “Christian” with the word “Amer- ican,” which explains many of the miscon- ceptions they have about Christians. They see American culture with its consumerism, perverse Hollywood culture, pleasure-based lifestyle and assume that Christians are the same. This opened their eyes to how Chris- tians are perceived to those of other faiths. Team leader Mikaila O’Keefe believes that one of the most important parts of the trip was that the students got to interact with refugees and learn their stories. “It’s so important to remember that refu- gees are people,” she said. “They’re not help- less, and we’re not superior to them. They might be a refugee, but they’re also brothers and mothers and employees. They’re peo- ple — it’s just that right now they need a little help.” Team member Kurtis DePree said he thinks it is important Americans remember refugees are here not by choice, but because the situation in their home country is dire. “They leave their country because it is no longer livable. They are refugees because they have no other reasonable choice,” he said. “The choice to leave their possessions, lose family, country, and community are seen as worth the cost.” The team also had the chance to visit the homes of refugees for times of fellow- ship. Several team members mentioned these outings were a favorite part of their trip, especially when they visited the home of one Pakistani refugee mother and daugh- ter, Pramila* and Aisha*. Pramila is here as a single mother, and works 14-hour days. Somehow after that long day she had enough energy and joy to host 11 college kids, make them tea and share her testimony. “It was crucial that we talked to Prami- la and Aisha, and realized that they’re real women with real dreams,” O’Keefe said. “Their dream isn’t less than ours — they don’t see themselves as just refugees. Aisha sees herself as a teenager studying to be a doctor. Pramila wants to open a restaurant. They think in terms of dreams and goals, just like we do.” Visiting this home was also a highlight for Smith. “Pramila made us dance,” she laughed, “then she told us her story, and it has so much darkness and pain in it, but she told the side of joy and blessing. It made me evaluate the refugee crisis and how much hope the gospel can bring. For her, the gospel radically changed her story and re- deemed it.” Rubosky said that one thing that Pra- mila* said has been on his mind ever since: “She said that people in America just don’t love the same way that people in Pa- kistan did,” he said. “That really opened my eyes to how much we have neglected the ref- ugee crisis as Americans.” One day of the trip, the water in the whole county ran out because of a broken water main. The team was forced to cancel their plans to help out with the after-school ministry, as all schools were canceled. Rather than get discouraged, the team went on a “prayer walk,” where they walked through the community and prayed for any- one they encountered. Though many of the people they spoke to did not speak English, they understood basic words and the team was able to pray over them and ask that God would provide adequate housing, a good job, food and safety. The team also prayed that they would know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. FreshmanMacey Kakuk said this helped re-emphasize prayer for her. “One of the things God taught me in Clarkston was the power of prayer,” she said. Kakuk said her work with refugees seemed overwhelming, because they had gone through things she could not imagine. And yet, she said, God reminded her that nothing is too big for him. “Refugees are people. They’re not helpless, and we’re not superior to them. They might be a refugee, but they’re also brothers and mothers and employees. [...] Right now they just need a little help.” Mikaila O’Keefe Team Leader Photos provided by Daniel Jaquish Left: Clarkston International Bible Church serves the refugee community that surrounds it. Right: One of the ministries in Clarkston is the Refugee Sewing Society, where refugee women can make and sell sewn items.