{"id":21969,"date":"2019-05-10T14:13:50","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T19:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/resource\/may_2019\/"},"modified":"2021-01-28T13:43:22","modified_gmt":"2021-01-28T18:43:22","slug":"may_2019","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/resource\/may_2019\/","title":{"rendered":"May 2019: Welcoming the Stranger and Loving the Neighbor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Download PDF Bulletin insert<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.<\/em>
Matthew 25:35<\/p>\n

The world is experiencing the highest level of human migration in history. Refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, and migrants are moving throughout the world in larger numbers than ever before \u2013 many due to forced migration and others due to choice.<\/p>\n

The Bible is filled with\u00a0stories of humans on the move. Sometimes Biblical characters migrate to flee persecution, danger, or enslavement; other times it is to find a better life or food in the midst of famine, yet other times it is to follow a calling. The\u00a0Bible is\u00a0about the uprooted people of God, seeking safety and sanctuary, often depending on local communities and families to follow the God-given directive to welcome the stranger and love the neighbor.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Evangelical Church in Greece\u00a0(ECG) congregation in Katerini was originally a Greek community in what is now Turkey. As the Ottoman Empire crumbled and persecution and genocide broke out against minorities, the Greek community fled. They ended up in Aleppo, Syria and were hosted by Arabs and Kurds before being resettled in\u00a0Katerini, Greece. The community was given land where they built a church and neighborhood, and the community still lives there today.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many in the congregation feel that the church\u2019s ministry to refugees today is one way for them\u00a0to repay the hospitality that was shown to their ancestors in their time of need.\u00a0The Katerini congregation\u2019s\u00a0refugee ministry has grown into a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) called Perichoresis. In two years of operation, Perichoresis has served more than 2,000 individuals in need of refuge in\u00a0Katerini. My work with\u00a0Perichoresis was focused on the long-term integration project, working with families to help them build their lives in\u00a0Katerini.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I saw firsthand what blessings\u00a0can\u00a0grow when individuals and communities of faith boldly follow their calling. This\u00a0faith\u00a0community invites others to join them as they make the world a more welcoming and compassionate place.<\/p>\n

Kearstin Bailey serves as a Global Mission Intern with the Evangelical Church in Greece, working with Perichoresis NGO in Katerini, Greece.\u00a0Her appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Church\u2019s Wider Mission, WOC, OGHS, and your\u00a0<\/em>special gifts<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Download PDF Bulletin insert<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":21970,"template":"","topic":[20137],"region":[20026,20022],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMay 2019: Welcoming the Stranger and Loving the Neighbor - Global Ministries<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/resource\/may_2019\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"May 2019: Welcoming the Stranger and Loving the Neighbor - Global Ministries\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Download PDF Bulletin insert I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 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