By Melanie Dobson, originally posted on melaniedobson.com

More than 65 million people are living as refugees around the world, forced to flee because of militants, drought, and war. An unprecedented crisis, but also an unprecedented opportunity to love our neighbors. 

As I wrote about refugees in Catching the Wind, I was overwhelmed by the needs in our world. No one, I realized, can help 65 million people on their own but together we—the body of Christ—are a mighty army, fully equipped to fight evil with love. We can serve and pray together. Provide cups of water to thirsty lips. Deliver boxes of food with a friendly smile. Show refugees they’re not alone.

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your house.

Today’s crisis reminds me of the story of the wounded traveler in the Bible ignored by so many who passed by, left dying on the road. And then the Samaritan who gave time and money and resources to rescue him. An ordinary man this Samaritan, an enemy at that, offering compassion to a foreigner in desperate need of a friend.

If God has stirred in your heart the desire to help those seeking refuge, below are three resources with more information about refugee care and how you can use your unique gifts to support refugees in your community. Click on the images below to download the PDFs, if you’d like.

(Top photo by Mustafa Khayat)

by Melanie Dobson, author of Catching the Wind

What happened to Brigitte Berthold?

That question has haunted Daniel Knight since he was thirteen, when he and ten-year-old Brigitte escaped the Gestapo agents who arrested both their parents. They survived a harrowing journey from Germany to England, only to be separated upon their arrival. Daniel vowed to find Brigitte after the war, a promise he has fought to fulfill for more than seventy years.

Now a wealthy old man, Daniel’s final hope in finding Brigitte rests with Quenby Vaughn, an American journalist working in London. He believes Quenby’s tenacity to find missing people and her personal investment in a related WWII espionage story will help her succeed where previous investigators have failed. Though Quenby is wrestling her own demons—and wary at the idea of teaming up with Daniel’s lawyer, Lucas Hough—the lure of Brigitte’s story is too much to resist. Together, Quenby and Lucas delve deep into the past, following a trail of deception, sacrifice, and healing that could change all of their futures.

Learn more HERE>>