How to Care for Your Refugee Neighbors

I was born in a country that’s had much turmoil. Several times during my lifetime, I’ve had to flee my homeland. I’ve been a refugee in places like Iran, Pakistan, and India. Most recently, my nation has fallen to the Taliban: I’m speaking of the beautiful land of Afghanistan.

The last time I left Afghanistan was a few years ago. Currently, I’m living in the United States, though not as a refugee. However, my immediate family and most of my friends are refugees, and I’m helping them learn how to survive in America.

Since I live nearby, I can guide them through the difficult ins and outs of a country that’s not our home. As someone who’s been a refugee before, I recognize how helpful this can be. And as a Christian, I realize how caring for refugees is one way we can show them the love and welcome of our Savior.

Cultural Challenges

Caring for refugees is one way we can show them the love and welcome of our Savior.

Many people ask me about the biggest differences between America and Afghanistan. Or they ask about the hardest parts of American culture. Regularly, I answer, “Everything.”

It’s true; everything is different. The language, the majority religion, the social rules, the driving, even eating out and grocery shopping. Every single thing is different and was difficult for me to navigate when I first arrived—and I’m an English speaker. My parents and many other refugees must navigate these challenges without knowing English.

The other reality is that I chose to leave my home country, whereas my family and friends didn’t have that privilege. They were forced to leave, and they’re just looking for a life without danger and fear.

“Refugee” is a word we hear all the time in our world now. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, more than 89 million people were displaced in our world in 2021. And 27 million of those refugees were from unreached people groups.

When refugees move into our countries and communities, God is providing an incredible opportunity for Christians. It’s time for us to leave the couch, turn off Netflix, knock on their doors, and get to know them. These unreached people have never heard the gospel, and now they’re our neighbors.

First Refugees

But how do we reach our refugee neighbors? Where do we start? If the differences in culture are challenging for a refugee from Afghanistan, how does an American overcome those barriers?

Here, we should remember the truth that Christians are strangers and exiles in the world (Heb. 11:13). God created this beautiful world to be our home, but the first Adam surrendered it to Satan. That sin alienated us from God, from one another, and from creation. But in the gospel, God offers us a home in a better country (Heb. 11:16) through Christ, the second Adam.

Christians are strangers and exiles. And in the gospel, God offers us a home in a better country through Christ.

In the Gospels we learn that it’s because of God’s love for the world that he gave his Son, “that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Christ then sends his followers to proclaim this good news to the world, so people might turn from their sins and follow him (John 20:21). Even now, he’s preparing a home for us (John 14:1–4) where we’ll one day be restored to fellowship with him and his Father.

If we want to know how to reach out to our refugee neighbors, God has given us the greatest example by sending his Son. Christians understand what it means to have someone care for you when you’re a stranger and foreigner (cf. Deut. 10:18–19). It’s what Jesus did for us. He came to serve, love, and save us. And we should move toward our refugee neighbors with a similar love.

Practical Suggestions

What does it look like for Christians to love our refugee neighbors with the love of Christ? Here are a few practical suggestions.

1. Make them feel safe.

As refugees, they were forced to flee their country, leaving everything behind and running for safety with just the clothes on their backs. They’ve experienced much trauma. We should do whatever we can to make them feel welcome and safe.

2. Offer hospitality.

Perhaps the best thing you can do for refugees is to open your home to them. You can have them over for meals, or just for tea. You can invite them to social and family events so they can experience American culture at a Fourth of July cookout, a Thanksgiving dinner, or an Easter play.

3. Ask good questions.

When spending time with our new friends, we’ll have opportunities to ask them questions about their culture. We should be genuinely interested in them and their families. We can ask about their holidays and traditions, the things they do or don’t do, and why or why not. We might even try to learn some words in their language. Asking good questions shows them we care.

Christians should understand what it means to have someone care for you when you’re a stranger and foreigner. It’s what Jesus did for us.

4. Show respect.

As we become friends with refugees, it’s imperative that we show respect toward them. They’re going to do things that we don’t understand or that we disagree with. But we can acknowledge our disagreement while still treating our neighbors with dignity and love. Ask questions and learn the reasons for their cultural and religious practices.

5. Pursue gospel opportunities.

As we build friendships with our refugee neighbors, and as we have these conversations, many doors will open for sharing the gospel. We should pray for these opportunities. And we can even pray for our friends when we’re with them. This too will show them our love and concern.

In our world today, refugees are everywhere. But in one sense, we’re all refugees. We know we’re not safe in this sinful world. As Christians, we’re waiting for eternal life with God, and we want our neighbors to be there with us. We should be willing to open our homes and our lives to them so they might find their home with God.