My children walked down this morning with blankets and backpacks. I asked them what they were doing and they said; “We are going on a journey because our parents were captured in the war.” Understanding that they watched “The Sound of Music” this week, I assume that they are acting out the Von Trapp Family’s escape from the Nazi’s in World War Two.
While our children are sheltered from the realities of war and truly escaping a war, millions around the world are living that reality every day. A graphic from the European Commission states that over 59 million people were forcibly displaced in 2014—of that total 51% were children under the age of 18.
And this displacement isn’t like the Von Trapp family heroically crossing the Alps with a bank account in the United States. Most of these people are leaving home with only the clothes on their back. The displacements are a result of wars, famines, or religious or ethnic persecution. The result of these displacements is millions of people cramped into refugee camps seeking food, water, medical attention. It also results in more poverty and distress.
On World Refugee Day, you can help these people who are displaced. Baptist Global Response is Baptist Global Response (BGR) is a global Southern Baptist Relief and Development organization. While not an official entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, it does seek to work with all Southern Baptists to better respond to acute and chronic needs and to coordinate worldwide relief and development efforts. Baptist Global Response is working in many of the areas effected by displacement including peoples affected by violence in South Sudan and Syria.
Your gift will help to provide needed supplies to help BGR personnel care for the many that need help.
To donate by phone, call (866) 359-2846, toll free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Or go to the Baptist Global Response Website at gobgr.org.
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Note: This plea has NOT been requested or sponsored by Baptist Global Response. I firmly trust in their ministry enough to encourage others to take part in their mission to help people in need.