Jacob Hembrom SJ
June 20 is celebrated as the World Refugee Day. Those who never had the experience of being refugees find it difficult to imagine what refugees go through.
There are so many people in the world who are stateless and homeless. Think of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Afghanistan, Africa, etc. How many people must have fled their country! We wish never to witness again such alarming situation.
Some are forcibly displaced due to circumstances such as wars, ethnic conflicts, climatic changes, water crises and various internal issues. The plight may occur nationally or internationally.
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) has been active all over the world to cater to the needs of Refugees. It is a service to help them to get healed from those unforgettable wounds which caused them to flee and to move on in life. People in the camps are provided with opportunities and facilities to learn new skills so that one day they begin anew. This noble act was initiated in 1980, by Fr. Pedro Arrupe SJ, the then Superior General of the Society of Jesus.
More than ever, this year, the pandemic has caused more devastation in the lives of many refugees and displaced people. Many are in such countries where conflicts have weakened or destroyed health care systems. In many places, the lockdown may have halted the spread of the disease but has crashed employment opportunities. Women and children are the most vulnerable ones by becoming victims of such inhuman adventures.
This day invites us to spread awareness of solidarity and sympathy towards such helpless human beings.