Everything is changing. Two weeks ago our friends Dariush, Leila and Mahsa moved out of our home. Our house now seems empty. It’s getting even emptier. In a week we will be moving out too.
In the video above you will hear the story about how Dariush, Leila and Mahsa came to live with us. They are asylum seekers and it’s been a privilege to live with them for the last 12 months.
Why would we consider opening our home to asylum seekers? There are at least 3 reasons:
1) Because God first loved us
I give a couple of 1 John quotes in the video about how God has loved us in Christ, and we ought to love like God loves us. Loving like God is costly and sacrificial.
2) Because hospitality is part of my job description
The Pastoral Letters in the Bible (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus) consistently teach that hospitality is one of the requirements of being a leader in God’s church. Rowena and I have tried to be hospitable over the last 11 years of marriage as we have had people over for dinner, had people stay with us and look for opportunities to include others. So having asylum seekers stay with us for 1 year was really an extension of what we’ve already been doing.
3) Because we can
We currently live in a 5 bedroom house. I’m adequately paid in my role at church. And so we have been able to show hospitality because of the resources available to us. We are about to move into a 2 bedroom house. It will be a little trickier to have a family of 3 join a family of 5 in such a small space. But we hope to still take love to people in need and show hospitality in whatever way we can with the means we have.
Radio Interview
I was interviewed by Dominic Steele after this video was first released online. You can hear a slightly longer version than the story in the video on this podcast.
The GiveLove Appeal
ANGLICARE, who made the above video, are doing some great work among Asylum Seekers. They are partnering with churches to think about how they can welcome strangers and care for them in practical ways. Check out TAKELOVE.COM.AU to find out how you can contribute to this important work.