AMECEA: Promotion of Integral Human Development Coordinator Urges Church to be Motherly to Refugees
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
On the occasion to mark World Refugee Day (WRD) celebrated annually June 20, to honour and build empathy and understanding for the plight of refugees from around the world, AMECEA’s Integral Human Development (PIHD) Coordinator has urged the Church to be a mother and a voice of the many people forced to flee their home country due to conflict or persecution.
In his homily during the Saturday, June 19, Eucharistic celebration convened by the Nairobi-based Jesuit Refugees Service (JRS), coordinator for the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) PIHD Fr. Paul Mung’athia Igweta invited all the people of God to be “our brothers and sisters keeper.”
Basing his reflection on Pope Francis’ document “Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking,” Fr. Mung’athia disclosed the need for the Church and entire community to “confront the reality of the people forcefully displaced so as to protect their dignity, improve the quality of their life and come up with solutions for challenges emerging from modern forms of persecution, oppression and slavery.”
“Refugees are human being who need our understanding and kindness,” said Fr. Mung’athia who was the main celebrant during the Saturday celebration that brought together various collaborators of AMECEA including Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), the Muslim community, members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), refugees and other Christians.
By attending to the wounds of refugees, said Fr Munga’thia, “We are putting in practice God’s commandment of love which Jesus bequeathed to us when he identified with the suffering, the foreigners, and the innocent victims of violence and exploitation” among others.
He reminded worshippers the need for solidarity in “raising our voices and keep giving hope to refugees that they may not be discouraged.
On his part, the Country Director at JRS Kenya Mr. Angelo Pittaluga called for change of perspective on how the society view refugees.“We keep looking at refugees and displaced persons as people different from us. We see them as a bother to our society yet we need to embrace them as people who can also bring help and support to our communities,” the Director said adding, “Refugees are members of the same human family.”
Additionally, the JRS Director narrated, “If we change our perspective and see refugees as our brothers and sisters, we will welcome, support and integrate them in society and at the same time recognize their importance.”
And reiterating the JRS Director’s message the representative from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Mr. Glenn Jusnes highlighted that “refugees are ordinary people in an unordinary situation.”
According to Mr. Jusnes who is the Senior External Relations Officer at the UNHCR representation in Kenya. “We need to look at positive stories about refugees knowing that together we can convert our challenges and difficulties.”
He disclosed that about 82.4 million people flee from their countries annually hence it is the duty of each and every person to “promote the talents, resilience, dreams and hopes of these refugees so they may feel worthy in the society.”
Refugees who were present during the Saturday celebration which marked 20th anniversary of WRD that was themed “together we heal, learn and shine,” show-cased their various talents such singing, dancing and art works among others.
The WRD was established on 20 June 2001 in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
