Leviticus 19:34, Hebrews 13:2

Ali Johnson considers what our responsibility is, in the current international migration crisis.

Alistair Johnson

'The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.' Leviticus 19:34

'Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.' Hebrews 13:2

The Bible is littered with commandments to love and protect the most vulnerable in our society. It is with this in mind that I am motivated to write this Life File.

I recently had the pleasure and honour of visiting Scicli, Sicily to drop off two interns to spend the summer engaging with Mediterranean Hope. This project is a response to the migration crisis that is happening across the shore lines of Europe.

In my flying visit to see the varying work that Mediterranean Hope is doing, I was deeply moved by the stories and narrative I came across; a narrative that is truly different from what I have heard and read.

Let me start by saying that I have no long term solution to this problem, but what we face is an issue of the haves and have nots. We face an issue of those that have been born into prosperous, stable and economically successful nations and those that have been born into civil war, into corrupt leadership, or into religious extremism.

The tiny island of Lampedusa, (which is closer to Libya than to Italy), has taken a key role in the migrant crisis. This is because it is the first land that people arrive on when traveling across the Mediterranean in their boats. This island that has a population of 6,000, saw in one month in 2011, nearly that same number arrive.

It was Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, (an Italian author whose name is given to the island that he never visited), that said, "Dying for somebody or for something, that was perfectly normal, of course; but the person dying should know, or at least feel sure, that someone knows for whom or for what he is dying."

It is important that we take heed the calling in the Bible to listen and speak for the voiceless.

When I look at the Bible I see a story of a people who were under oppression; who were continually attacked from corrupt leaders; who were treated badly and who had to flee to find a better a life. Out of the story comes a Messiah, who ends up being one true Saviour.

I am no expert in this area, but what I know is that we need greater understanding of our roles in the Kingdom of God. We need to come to a greater understanding of how we understand the body of Christ.

I hope as you read this you will firstly begin to pray. Prayer is at the heart of change.

Secondly I believe we need to advocate for these people. Speaking against stereotypes and speaking well of people is what God is about.

Thirdly if we can find a way to act, it is our calling to do so.