Month: June 2020

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Old Things in New Ways

Preparing to share Communion with our team at the 2019 IAFR Conference – photo by Tom Albinson, IAFR

Among other things in my schedule today was work on the IAFR Annual Staff Conference, scheduled for August. Yeah, it is happening…sort of.

With travel and social distancing restrictions and the lack of a Covid-19 vaccine, trying to bring a global team together physically is not possible. So keeping with most of our other meetings, we will be taking it to Zoom.

I have to admit, there is a grieving aspect in the midst of the planning. IAFR is a relational organization and we love being together. With that said, we are committed to bring the best of who we are to this virtual gathering. Doing an old thing in a new way.

If you have attended a virtual conference that you thought went well, tell me why in the comments. I am interested to hear some good ideas.

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Call to Action

Dzaleka Refugee Camp. photo credit – Jacob Tornga, IAFR

Tomorrow is World Refugee Day. Yesterday the new statistics came out and the news is not good.

The numbers continue to move upward, now sitting just under 80 million (79.5) people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to human causes. Add a global pandemic, the continuing environmental challenges, and countries adopting policies and tactics to close opportunities for those who are most vulnerable and in desperate need of help.

I am grateful to serve with an organization where every day we get up looking to bring hope and help to those who are struggling to survive and recover from their forced displacement. In light of World Refugee Day, IAFR President Tom Albinson, has published a call to action, especially to the faith community. You can find it here.

In the midst of our challenges and difficulties, let us not forget those traveling the refugee highway.

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A Lot Has Happened…

photo credit – Cyrus Gomez, Unsplash.com

Yes, indeed. A lot has happened since my last post.

The Covid-19 lockdown extended. We have moved from late effects of winter, into spring, and now just days from summer. And we (IAFR) have been wrestling with how we continue to do relational refugee ministry in the midst of a global pandemic. More to come.

IAFR has a new website (Be sure to check it out at www.iafr.org). Changes required this blog to move and update, which has taken time to import, export, etc. But it is finally here.

And in the midst of that we, our country, our communities, our churches, and the world have been confronted once again with the issue of systemic racism that is embedded in all these…and dare I say, in each of us as well.

Yes, a lot has happened.

And there is more to come.

But we press forward listening, learning, caring , cooperating, and loving.