We had little idea of what to expect walking into this ministry. We learned that the governments in Europe took 2-3 years to process the refugees’ papers. Since most arrived in Europe in 2015, many have been rejected only this year. I was astounded to hear that only ten percent of the refugees that flooded into countries like Germany were approved to stay. We met refugees who had peacefully settled in Denmark and Germany the past couple years but were kicked out. France still welcomes the refugees, so there is quite a saturation of them in Paris. In 2016, I traveled to Berlin with the mission to share the gospel of hope with Syrian refugees. I was in awe that the refugees I met in Germany may now be in France.

Before heading to the park, we selected a variety of foods from a nearby market. Within five minutes of giving it out to the refugees, we realized we wanted to buy even more. A sharp, cold wind foreshadowed a grim winter ahead. Clusters of refugees huddled around each tree, talking among themselves in Farsi, Arabic, Somali, and other middle eastern languages. I saw a woman smile at me, so I sat down with her. Ferdosa escaped the civil war in Somalia, Africa. She traced her journey on my google maps, explaining how she travelled through all of northern Africa, sailed across to Italy, stayed in Denmark for two years, and now sleeps under this tree in Paris. Her five-year-old son is still at home with her brother.

Our hearts broke that night and our minds swarmed with ideas of how to help. We are working on raising money to buy them coats at a local thrift store. Additionally, we want to create an ORU missions team that works with the pastor of the refugee ministry, “At Home.” I am thankful to have witnessed a fraction of this crisis, because the media has gone silent about it. I hope my small team can somehow go back to these refugees and bless them in some way.