Christmas for Refugees in Belgium

The Refugee Support Ministry at the International Christian Center, Brussels, Belgium looked for an opportunity to bless and connect with a nearby refugee center for those seeking asylum from their war-torn countries. The group was not allowed to have a little Christmas celebration with the children there as the center did not want to encourage ‘one faith’ celebration. However, they together came up with the idea of blessing the whole center with some baked goods for the New Year. The Christian Center team came together for a few days to bake, decorate and package the treats. It was a wonderful time together as a team doing something fun. They made 200 individual treat boxes for all in the Refugee Center along with individual packages to be handed out to the refugees and homeless who are sleeping in the open in downtown Brussels. The treats were received with enthusiasm and the team was thanked for the generosity. The team also brought four bags of gift items, new clothing, toys, hygiene items and school supplies to be given to the children. Very rarely are they given new items, so they were received very happily. The team continues to serve weekly with compassionate hearts to show Christ’s love in practical ways.

The Refugee Support Ministry at the International Christian Center, Brussels, Belgium looked for an opportunity to bless and connect with a nearby refugee center for those seeking asylum from their war-torn countries. The group was not allowed to have a little Christmas celebration with the children there as the center did not want to encourage ‘one faith’ celebration. However, they together came up with the idea of blessing the whole center with some baked goods for the New Year.

The Christian Center team came together for a few days to bake, decorate and package the treats. It was a wonderful time together as a team doing something fun. They made 200 individual treat boxes for all in the Refugee Center along with individual packages to be handed out to the refugees and homeless who are sleeping in the open in downtown Brussels. The treats were received with enthusiasm and the team was thanked for the generosity. The team also brought four bags of gift items, new clothing, toys, hygiene items and school supplies to be given to the children. Very rarely are they given new items, so they were received very happily. The team continues to serve weekly with compassionate hearts to show Christ’s love in practical ways.

Reaching out to Refugees in Europe

Many of our AGWM personnel are involved in ministry and outreach to the refugees coming into Europe in droves. This is in addition to their particular long-term ministry focus to which they have been called. One missionary writes: The wife and children of Ahmed have finally arrived and they are so happy to be back together after five long years apart. We help them as much as we can and translate to Arabic over Google on our phones. On Easter Sunday they will have dinner with us and we will do an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids in our garden. The German language is hard for him and he needs the language certificate to be able to work. One thing we have noticed is that the Syrians love to play games. I created a memory game with words in Arabic and German and that is a great tool. It is a good way to have fellowship and interact even with small language skills and they learn German in the process. For some of the new ones (especially ladies) communication means typing on the smart phone using Google translator. That can end up funny at times but at least one gets an idea of what they mean!

A couple from Albania that received Jesus as Savior have since been sent back to Albania since all the Balkan countries are considered safe countries of origin. They were of course sad they could not stay, but what a grace that they found Jesus while here! We contacted missionary colleagues in Albania who were able to connect them with a local pastor in their home town and they have met together. That is team work in the Kingdom of God where everyone has a part to play!

Another young man from Rwanda barely survived the geno­cide in his country as a child and lost his whole family in the atrocity. He still has nightmares from that time. He comes to church on Sundays and we were able to connect him with a German fellow from our church, who will train him as a beekeeper. If he does well they would be willing to hire him. God is showing him how much He cares for him!

Many of our AGWM personnel are involved in ministry and outreach to the refugees coming into Europe in droves. This is in addition to their particular long-term ministry focus to which they have been called.

One missionary writes: The wife and children of Ahmed have finally arrived and they are so happy to be back together after five long years apart. We help them as much as we can and translate to Arabic over Google on our phones. On Easter Sunday they will have dinner with us and we will do an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids in our garden. The German language is hard for him and he needs the language certificate to be able to work. One thing we have noticed is that the Syrians love to play games. I created a memory game with words in Arabic and German and that is a great tool. It is a good way to have fellowship and interact even with small language skills and they learn German in the process. For some of the new ones (especially ladies) communication means typing on the smart phone using Google translator. That can end up funny at times but at least one gets an idea of what they mean!

A couple from Albania that received Jesus as Savior have since been sent back to Albania since all the Balkan countries are considered safe countries of origin. They were of course sad they could not stay, but what a grace that they found Jesus while here! We contacted missionary colleagues in Albania who were able to connect them with a local pastor in their home town and they have met together. That is team work in the Kingdom of God where everyone has a part to play!

Another young man from Rwanda barely survived the geno­cide in his country as a child and lost his whole family in the atrocity. He still has nightmares from that time. He comes to church on Sundays and we were able to connect him with a German fellow from our church, who will train him as a beekeeper. If he does well they would be willing to hire him. God is showing him how much He cares for him!

Sharing Love and Truth with Refugees

Good things are happening as a result of refugees flooding into Europe these days. It is an opportunity for those of non-Christian background to meet true believers in Jesus who share the love of Christ with them in various ways. Such was the case for AGWM personnel in Italy, Bob and Lynne Rose. They invited a man, (we will call him ‘John’ though that is not his real name) from a refugee camp to their home for dinner and fellowship with some other believers from the international church they pastor. He is from an African country. He shared with Lynne that he had been having trouble obtaining his documents in Italy (documents are vital here as it opens the door for jobs, housing, travel, benefits, etc.). After the dinner, Bob shared a Gospel message with everyone and afterwards asked Lynne to pray. In her prayer, she included John, that God would be with him, give him favor in obtaining his documents and be with his family back home. As she prayed, the Holy Spirit touched John’s heart and he began to weep. Later he shared that he didn’t know why he cried but he couldn’t help it. But this is often the human response when the Holy Spirit touches the heart! God has set this young man in this church family and they are trusting John will accept Jesus, find favor, and be filled with joy!

The Roses also relate the following story: “God divinely placed our associate pastor in a refugee camp to live for a short time and he has ministered to some of them from non-Christian background and brought them to church. Last month we did an emphasis on how we can win the victory over unforgiveness. We shared that the Holy Spirit can help us forgive others when we receive Him into our hearts. A young man from Africa had come from the refugee camp that day. He came forward for prayer and allowed Bob to lay hands on him and pray for him. These from other religious backgrounds, with their holy book so diverse from the Bible, have many questions. May the Holy Spirit enlighten their minds to comprehend and receive the truth…Jesus Christ!”

Good things are happening as a result of refugees flooding into Europe these days. It is an opportunity for those of non-Christian background to meet true believers in Jesus who share the love of Christ with them in various ways. Such was the case for AGWM personnel in Italy, Bob and Lynne Rose. They invited a man, (we will call him ‘John’ though that is not his real name) from a refugee camp to their home for dinner and fellowship with some other believers from the international church they pastor. He is from an African country.

He shared with Lynne that he had been having trouble obtaining his documents in Italy (documents are vital here as it opens the door for jobs, housing, travel, benefits, etc.). After the dinner, Bob shared a Gospel message with everyone and afterwards asked Lynne to pray. In her prayer, she included John, that God would be with him, give him favor in obtaining his documents and be with his family back home. As she prayed, the Holy Spirit touched John’s heart and he began to weep. Later he shared that he didn’t know why he cried but he couldn’t help it. But this is often the human response when the Holy Spirit touches the heart! God has set this young man in this church family and they are trusting John will accept Jesus, find favor, and be filled with joy!

The Roses also relate the following story: “God divinely placed our associate pastor in a refugee camp to live for a short time and he has ministered to some of them from non-Christian background and brought them to church. Last month we did an emphasis on how we can win the victory over unforgiveness. We shared that the Holy Spirit can help us forgive others when we receive Him into our hearts. A young man from Africa had come from the refugee camp that day. He came forward for prayer and allowed Bob to lay hands on him and pray for him. These from other religious backgrounds, with their holy book so diverse from the Bible, have many questions. May the Holy Spirit enlighten their minds to comprehend and receive the truth…Jesus Christ!”

Ministering to Refugees in Europe

A number of our AGWM/Europe personnel are responding to the need of the refugees which are flooding into Europe. An example of this activity is what is being done in Italy. In November, with cold weather arriving, distribution of blankets was done in a center which housed about 200 refugees. These refugees came from Somalia, Eritrea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kurdistan, and other countries. A team of nine who went on this visit displayed genuine love and friendliness.

Besides the blankets, these refugees were given New Testaments, each in their own language, which were gladly received. One gave a big thumbs up when he saw what it was, and another said, “I want to know more about Jesus Christ.”

A number of our AGWM/Europe personnel are responding to the need of the refugees which are flooding into Europe. An example of this activity is what is being done in Italy.

In November, with cold weather arriving, distribution of blankets was done in a center which housed about 200 refugees. These refugees came from Somalia, Eritrea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kurdistan, and other countries. A team of nine who went on this visit displayed genuine love and friendliness.

Besides the blankets, these refugees were given New Testaments, each in their own language, which were gladly received. One gave a big thumbs up when he saw what it was, and another said, “I want to know more about Jesus Christ.”

The director eventually asked the team to stop giving out the NTs but that they could do so outside the center. A few days later, when returning to the center with winter clothes, a refugee couple came outside and asked, “Why didn’t you give us a New Testament when you came last time?” So, of course, they were each given one. Many of these refugees from countries where access to the Good News is very limited, are obviously open, curious, and hungry to learn about Jesus.

At another center, the refugees were invited to come to church the next day, so eight of them were ready to be picked up by the van. Six of them went forward at the end of the service for prayer.

The refugee crisis is an unprecedented opportunity for the spread of the Gospel.