In Women’s Conference Saturday, Sister Linda K. Burton announced the new relief effort called, “I Was a Stranger,” in which women are invited to assist refugees. This was only reiterated in General Conference.
The new program is said to focus “on serving refugees in our local neighborhoods and communities.” We are told to minister one by one.
The Church partners with global relief organizations, but what if are not sure how to follow these directive in your day to day life? The answer is scriptural. We are always requested to be Christ-like to all, whether that is a refugee or a neighbor.
Psalms 9:9 says, “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.”
There are always refugees in our midst. They may not be refugees from another country, but they may be refugees from another perspective, another life. Many people are searching for refuge. We have neighbors that may be looking for a safe place, a safe friend. Let us be that safe friend. Let us provide refuge. The following are a few ideas to show Christ-like love.
Go meet a neighbor.
Are your neighbors strangers? Love thy neighbor. Go and serve. Your life is busy and you have problems of your own, but service can help you forget those problems. You can focus instead on loving and caring for someone new.
Be kind.
You pass people in the grocery store and on the street. Say hello. Smile. A simple curve of the lips can go a long way for someone. A nice gesture from a stranger, even you, can turn someone’s day around.
Make your home a refuge.
Invite people over. Make them feel comfortable. Save an extra chair at the dinner table. Within your home, they can feel your love and the presence of the Spirit. Cleanliness is holiness. Your home really can be a refuge to people who don’t have a clean, safe home in their lives.
Lauren is studying Journalism at Brigham Young University and considers the East Coast home. She has a passion for writing, photography, skiing, hiking, and traveling. She enjoys studying German and is married to her best friend.
