People are displaced from their homes for many different reasons, such as famine, wars, and religious persecution. When we hear about these crises happening around the world, we can easily feel helpless. While Send Relief can provide you with numerous opportunities to care for refugees, one immediate action we can all take is prayer. Here are five ways you and your church can pray for displaced people:

1. God’s Work. Pray for God to work in the lives of refugees. For those who are already believers, pray that God would use their trials and suffering to bring them closer to Christ. Pray that He would be their hope and their sustainer. Pray that they would find church communities in their new homes.

   When praying for refugees who do not yet know the Lord, ask God to open their eyes to who He is and their need for a Savior.

2. Safety. Pray for their physical safety of displaced people. Ask the Lord to provide them with the means to escape war, famine, and persecution. Pray for consistent access to necessities like food, water, and safe shelter. Pray for their ability to acquire jobs so they can provide for themselves and their families.
3. Healing. All brokenness is ultimately a consequence of sin in the world, and only the gospel offers true restoration and healing. Pray for emotional healing from the trauma of their refugee journey. Pray for spiritual support to come around them. Pray for access to necessary medical care. Pray for reunification of separated families. 
4. New Homes. Pray for their new homes and communities as they adjust to a new culture. Pray for access to safe and affordable housing. Pray for friends for their children, for kind and caring neighbors, and for a welcoming community. Pray for grace and patience as they adjust to new customs, languages, and cultures.
5. Relief Agencies and Churches. Pray for the networks that will support refugees as they resettle in the new locations. Pray for the development of programs that serve them. Ask God to raise up laborers for the harvest and to call people to minister to refugees in areas of need. Pray for local churches to be open and welcoming to refugees in their cities and for opportunities to share the gospel.

For more on how your church can be engaged in caring for refugees, check out Send Relief’s course on “How to Care for Refugees.”