Anees took action to seek out refugee communities in his area to help meet their needs.
Jesus called His followers to care for the foreigner and refugee living among us. Adventists all over the world are doing just that.
Anees is a Seventh-day Adventist living just outside Washington, D.C. He grew up in the country of Jordan and spends time each year in medical mission there. Since living in the United States, he decided that a single trip each year was simply not enough. He took action to seek out refugee communities in his area to help meet their needs.
“We used to go out and deliver food supplies … to a refugee center in Gettysburg, Maryland. But we never got a chance to meet those families.”
Anees realized that in order to have a larger impact, he needed to get to know these families face to face.
“The personal interaction is very important, because here refugees from another country have no relatives or families. So this has become a personal touch with them to build the relationships and bridges. They have become our friends. One of the Syrian refugee children was telling her mother, Mom, I like it when the church comes and visits us.”
Anees and others have combined community, relationship, and service in a Christlike way. They visit the many apartment homes of the refugee families and bring them items that the families may need. This has been a great way to show these families that the Adventist community truly cares about them.
“This has become part of my ministry. We gather food supplies and cleaning supplies as needed. And we deliver to our friends who come from a foreign land. We all load up and we take it to those in need in those apartments.”
“We bring rice, olive oil, cooking oil, lentils, laundry detergent, and other cleaning supplies.”
This work has helped many refugee families feel more comfortable. But just like Jesus’ ministry here on Earth, Anees’ mission is to build genuine connections.
“The primary goal of our relationship is to be their friends…. Also, during the pandemic, the lockdown while people are working from home. Even if we cannot come to see them, I am constantly on the phone talking to them every week just to see how they are. To be of encouragement to them, and that has meant a lot to me personally.”
Anees and many others are continuing to embrace the calling of Jesus to love and care for their neighbors who are foreigners and refugees. Please pray for Anees and his friends to continue finding ways to serve these vulnerable communities and find even more ways to show Jesus’ love.
