Syrian boys, whose family fled their home in Idlib, walk to their tent, at a camp for displaced Syrians, in the village of Atmeh, Syria. (Photo courtesy of Freedom House)

By Tom Shanklin

Have you every thought what it would be like to lose your home and all your possessions and be displaced to a foreign land? Today, more people than ever in the world are facing that reality.

A report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees indicates that nearly 60 million people in the world (nearly 1 percent) are either refugees or internally displaced persons, and more than half of them are children. Source: CNN.com

In 2014 alone, 13.9 million people were displaced, or 42,500 per day. The number of people being displaced has quadrupled since 2010.

The biggest driver of the refugee crisis is the conflict in Syria with 7.6 million people internally displaced and 3.88 refugees living in neighboring countries. Conflicts in central Africa, Europe, Asia, and Central America are also fueling the problem.

These are not just statistics, they are real people with real hearts and real needs. The world is at war, and the most vulnerable are suffering the consequence.

What can you and I do about it?

Jesus identifies with suffering humanity. He says that when He returns He will reward those who were caring for those who are hungry and thirsty and strangers:

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Matthew 25:34-36, KJV.

The U.N. and the governments of the world are struggling to meet the needs of this humanitarian crisis. And thankfully, many Christians are working diligently to relieve human suffering as well.

One of the things that we can do is to support organizations which are reaching out to refugees in the Middle East and around the world. Two of the ministries that Tom Shanklin Ministries has confidently supported are World Compassion Terry Law Ministries and Samaritans Purse, led by Franklin Graham. Both of these organizations are not only supplying physical needs, but are also presenting the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The truth is that this great tragedy is also an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love to millions of people who have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I believe that this crisis is very much on the heart of God and He is birthing a compassion in His people to do something about it. What can we do?

• We can pray.
• We can give.
• We can follow God’s leading to help displaced people and to share the love of God.

May God lead you according to His will.

Read more missions reports…