With our focus on Asylum Seekers this Sunday, I have found myself thinking about a family we met when Elizabeth was in Prep. She was buddied up with a little boy whose family entered Australia due to religious persecution – a dangerous journey that took them across many countries over a long time. After years of meetings with officials who kept telling them ‘come back in six months’, they boarded a boat with their remaining funds. Their story is but one of many.
Jesus said, ‘I was a stranger, and you welcomed me’ (Matthew 25:35), yet when people arrive here our welcome is less than it could be. While Elizabeth’s friend could attend school, his family could not work, had no access to Medicare, and it was years before they knew Australia would be their permanent home.
To hear some more stories, visit https://www.commongrace.org.au/refugee_week_2025
Blessings – Heather Hon (she/her)