Refugees - how can we help?
We hear & see so many reports of persecution, torment and terror from the Middle East and North Africa. People of many nationalities & beliefs, including many persecuted Christians, are fleeing for their lives, not only because of war - the civil war in Syria being so much in the forefront of our minds and the scourge of IS too - but also because of repeated crop failure.Not since the Second World War has Europe seen such huge numbers of refugees and migrants fleeing terrible conditions arriving in its cities. With campaigns building on social media I ask what can we do to help?
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First you can petition our government to show more compassion and offer sanctuary to refugees And you can still do that here:
Then the suggestion is to offer places in our homes for refugees - but that could only happen if they are allowed in the country.
BMS world mission encourages Baptist Churches to take part
tells us that if every church took only 5 refugees 11,000 could be accommodated and people have begun to respond to this challenge through the FB page
Locally Perth & Kinross Council are planning support: Perth & Kinross Refugee Crisis and I understand they are compiling a list of people who'd like to help either by offering room or volunteering. You can message via Pitlochry Baptist Church FB (www.facebook.com/pitlochry-baptist-church) to find out more.
- and finally we can do something practical and donate clothes, food, blankets & money to help.
Many well known international agencies have put out new appeals for help click green words to follow links such as:Save the Children Oxfam
Medecins sans Frontieres
And Christian agencies are in the forefront too
Christian Aid is working with refugees in Europe & the middle East
Tear Fund are assisting those in Calais,Eastern Europe and Syria and have set up a Refugee Crisis Appeal and
BMS is helping in Syria
And locally:
Blysthwood collect from Pitlochry through the Baptist Church every month (just bring your donations here to the Atholl Centre) and are helping Syrian refugees in Eastern Europe.
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Refugee Crisis - Pitlochry Cares has set up a FB page and already taken a carload of clothes to Calais.
So we've no excuse - let's do what we can to help.
