RefugeesSample

Day 1: The First Refugees

Prayer: Father in heaven, I yield my heart and mind to you. Please help me understand your perspective of refugees and know how you want me to respond.

“My parents were refugees when I was born. I lived the first 27 years of my life as a refugee, far from home.” -a former refugee.

Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their home and country due to the forces of war, rampant violence, failed states and persecution. The majority of refugees are women and children. The average time of displacement is 17 years.

While the scale and breadth of the present refugee crisis can only be compared to that caused by World War 2, forced displacement is nothing new to the human story.

Who do you think were the first refugees in history? If you guessed Adam and Eve, you’re right. Following their sin in the Garden of Eden, God drove them out. They did not leave voluntarily and they were not permitted to return. As their descendants, we have all been born far from our intended home.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a refugee by virtue of being a descendant of Adam and Eve? What does that feel like? How does that change the way you see yourself? How does it affect the way in which you see refugees in the world today?

Click here to learn more about current refugee realities.