ATLANTA — In an unprecedented moment of moral reckoning, Global Ministries and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) of The United Methodist Church today issue The Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge, a bold and urgent call to action from faith communities across the nation. With 45 initial signers, including CWS’ Covenant Members, this declaration is more than a statement—it is a solemn and unshakable commitment by religious leaders and organizations to stand against policies that endanger refugees and immigrants.

At a time when the United States faces defining choices about its treatment of the displaced and persecuted, this powerful declaration is a collective stand for justice. It calls on all people of faith to root their advocacy in scripture and directly challenges political leaders to remember that America’s identity is inseparable from its immigrant history. The way the nation treats its most vulnerable will not only shape communities at home but will define the country’s moral standing in the global arena.

Following the administration’s executive orders that oppose the proud American tradition of welcome, directives to abdicate our leadership around the world, and enactment of policies that keep families separated, the Declaration says:

Together in faith and rooted in love, we resolve to continue in the centuries-old practice of Christian communities walking alongside refugees and immigrants in their pursuit of safety and dignity. We pledge to restore and promote hospitality and welcome to those seeking refuge – regardless of where they are from, how they pray or what language they speak.

Guided by our faith, we stand together against the sweeping measures that are devastating vulnerable families and jeopardizing their futures. These actions not only cause immediate harm but also threaten our country’s long-term ability to welcome and support those in need. We grieve for the families who have been torn apart, had years-long reunification plans cancelled, been detained and deported, have been unjustly blocked from accessing asylum protections, and have been left without access to the basic assistance they need to thrive.

Joined by CWS’ Covenant Members and faith leaders and communities across the country, this declaration comes at a time of uncertainty for the United States Refugee Admissions Program.

Rick Santos, president and CEO of Church World Service adds, “Against a backdrop of cuts to essential programs, a seeming push towards isolationism and rhetoric that encourages us to distrust our new neighbors, this Declaration is an urgent reminder of our values. As followers of Jesus Christ, we welcome, we don’t turn away. We cherish inclusivity, we don’t spurn it. And, ultimately, our values lead us to community instead of division.”

Roland Fernandes, general secretary of Global Ministries and UMCOR, states, “Central to many faith traditions is the call to welcome the stranger and care for those in need. The administration’s immigration policies undermine our moral obligation to offer refuge and support to those seeking safety and a better life. We must advocate for a more compassionate and inclusive approach to immigration that reflects the gospel, values all lives as sacred and promotes justice and peace.”

The Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge is issued today with the support of CWS’ Covenant Members, individual faith leaders and congregations, and organizations such as: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA; AME Zion Church; Catholic Legal Immigration Network; The Episcopal Church; Friends United Meeting; Latino Christian National Network; Mennonite Central Committee US; Sojourners; and World Relief.

The Declaration is now open for signatures from across the country, and will continue so through Lent.

For more information, or to speak with Fernandes, contact Susan Clark at communications@umcmission.org.

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ATLANTA – A family from Venezuela has just arrived in the city of Danlí in the south of Honduras and presented themselves to Honduran authorities. They have come a long way – through Colombia, into Central America through Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. But now, their 8-year-old son, who is with them, lies with his head on his father’s shoulder. He is unresponsive.

Fortunately, the United Methodist Mission in Honduras (UMMH) opened a clinic in Danlí two and half years ago and today, the Honduran migration officers notify the clinic when they encounter sick or injured migrants passing through. The clinic team arrived quickly to assess the boy’s health and agreed that he needed immediate medical attention…in a hospital. He was near death from severe dehydration, and the team convinced his parents to follow the advice. The specialized care saved his life.

In 2024, the Rev. Daniel Contreras, a new missionary assigned to UMMH, became the interim country director and he has confirmed that the small clinic served 10,000 patients last year. “The United Methodist Church in Honduras is committed to ministry with the poor and marginalized. Our health work started with a project for the elderly in Danlí, which then developed a fruitful partnership with the authorities. Sadly, the need for a clinic for migrants is greater now than it was before,” Contreras noted.

Others who are referred to the clinic, either by immigration officers or by word-of-mouth, receive direct care from the professional staff at the clinic. They see many cases of less severe dehydration, which they can treat, people with chronic diseases who have run short on their medications, malnutrition, respiratory problems, diarrhea, cold and flu, skin diseases, gastrointestinal infections, foot and leg injuries and wound infections. In most cases, migrants recover and continue their journeys, whatever their destinations may be.

The Government of Honduras promotes universal health coverage but lacks sufficient funding to cover its own citizens, much less the transient population. The city of Danlí has seen as many as 1,500 immigrants passing through each day. Migrants’ need for free, accessible primary health care is great and so the government has found ways to partner with the church’s ministry, such as providing consulting rooms and an ambulance.

The clinic is open eight hours a day, five days a week, and they see an average of 67 patients daily. The volume of patients has continued to increase, but there is uncertainty about whether the flow of migrants to the North will continue as a new U.S. Administration changes policy and procedures for immigrants at the U.S. border with Mexico.

Although the Methodist Church in Honduras is small, it has found ways to contribute important resources to local communities through its mission and ministry. Health care for passing migrants was a needed resource that church members and leaders in Danlí believed they could provide. With a series of grants (currently working on a phase 3 grant) from Global Ministries through Global Health and United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and partnership with immigration officials, the primary health care clinic they envisioned has become a reality. In addition, the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, has a close relationship with the UMMH. Its support in 2024, the congregation’s third annual grant, helped to meet the clinic’s increased demand for services.

Christie R. House is a consultant writer and editor with Global Ministries and UMCOR.

UMCOR and Global Migration

Learn more about migration ministry and programming through Global Ministries and UMCOR.

Global Health
Through United Methodist conferences and health boards, Global Ministries works to strengthen whole networks of health responses, from revitalization of facilities and staff training to building better water sources, developing sanitation facilities and promoting nutrition. Global Health concentrates on eradicating preventable diseases, such as malaria, HIV and AIDS, and COVID-19, and supporting the most vulnerable populations, including mothers, newborns and children.

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ATLANTA – “What do you need?” the Rev. Cory Thrall of Legacy United Methodist Church asked Global Neighbors, a Church World Service affiliate nonprofit organization and community partner whose mission is to foster welcome for immigrants in Bismarck, North Dakota.

As the pastor of Legacy UMC in Bismarck, a city of around 80,000 people, Thrall leads a congregation that is 125 years old. Its membership consists of different ages and ethnic backgrounds, although like the town, most of its members are white.

Building relationships with new and diverse neighbors is at the core of Legacy’s history and ministry. The church seeks out ways to embody a spirit of welcome and belonging. In 2024, a Mustard Seed Migration Grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) provided Legacy with financial support to reach its Ukrainian neighbors in a unique way.

As Thrall listened to Global Neighbors’ response, he learned that their biggest need was to help people learn to drive, provide furnishings, and offer transportation.

But Thrall took it a step further. He wondered if Legacy members could connect more deeply with Ukrainian neighbors through shared recipes and meals. Having done this before with neighbors from Liberia and Ghana, a member of Legacy provides cooking lessons for a dish using local ingredients, and then the following month, immigrants or refugees teach Legacy members how to make something from their homeland. Ukrainian newcomers enthusiastically received the invitation, saying they wanted to cook with the church. So began a time of cooking, sampling and even competition for the best recipe.

“There was so much excitement as to who would win a prize. People were so proud and celebrated each other,” church member Kenton Carlson said. Prizes of cooking utensils, aprons, and other kitchen supplies were awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Carlson wasn’t sure how their new friends would react to competing with each other, but they embraced it. Even though the collective group was speaking different languages, the smiles, noise, and laughter assured them they were together in spirit.

Many congregations may wonder how to take the first step to embrace strangers and those from other cultures. Table fellowship and group activities can tear down walls and facilitate interaction. “Opportunities like this are a great conduit to serve and do God’s work,” said Carlson.

While those who leave their homelands may experience isolation in a new setting, Legacy’s outreach goes beyond table fellowship. Thrall shares that when “a family arrives in Bismarck, both partners have to work to survive. That usually means that one partner is stuck at home while the other takes the car.” Public transportation can be difficult in a city like Bismarck. Their bus system runs less frequently and shuts down after 5 p.m.

In addition to the shared meals, Legacy also provides driving lessons and other forms of assistance its newest neighbors might need. They meet Christ in return. Sometimes, the things they do may feel like small things, but it puts “our work on this earth into perspective,” says Carlson. While returning home with a Ukrainian refugee from an insurance appointment, Carlson’s new friend kept saying, “You understand me! You understand. You understand.” Reflecting on the conversation now, Carlson said, “Wow, I just did a little thing, and it brought him so much.”

The Rev. Neelley Hicks is a freelance writer for Global Ministries and UMCOR.

UMCOR’s Mustard Seed Migration Grant program is designed to encourage local United Methodist churches to engage in ministry with migrating peoples in their midst. UMCOR awards grants of $2,000 USD to up to 100 churches in the U.S. to engage in new, one-time community-based service projects and ministries focused on migrants and refugees. Learn more and apply today.

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ATLANTA – Central to many faith traditions is the call to welcome the stranger and care for those in need. From a theological and faith perspective, the Trump administration’s immigration policies raise troubling ethical concerns that challenge core religious values of compassion, love and welcome.

Sweeping measures, framed as deporting illegal migrant criminals, are effectively criminalizing and terrorizing ALL migrant communities in the U.S., regardless of legal status.

Border security policies that set aside humanitarian considerations fail to recognize the plight of individuals fleeing violence and persecution. Such actions undermine our moral obligation to offer refuge and support to those seeking safety and a better life.

Economically, immigrants contribute to our communities and serve vital roles in various industries, driving growth and innovation. Many have been in this country for years. They are most often seen as gifts to our communities, not threats. By forcibly removing them and restricting entry for others, we diminish the richness and diversity they bring, which is counter to the belief that all people are created in the image of God and deserve dignity and opportunity.

Global Ministries condemns these actions, which disregard the fundamental dignity and rights of migrants, many of whom are families in need of our concern and care.

Additionally, the divisive rhetoric often accompanying these policies is antithetical to the teachings of love and unity found in many faiths, leading to increased intolerance and hatred of migrants in the U.S. We must advocate for a more compassionate and inclusive approach to immigration that reflects the gospel, values all lives as sacred and promotes justice and peace.

Instead of fostering division, we should focus on building bridges and advocating for comprehensive immigration reform that embodies compassion, justice, and the inherent worth of every person.

In Deuteronomy 10:18-19, we are reminded of God’s love for the foreigner, who is given food and clothing, and we are called to do the same: “And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”

God calls us to welcome the stranger. We must commit to build a future where compassion and justice prevail regardless of passport status.

We reaffirm our call on individuals, pastors and local churches to take immediate action:

• Pray: Uphold the protection and well-being of migrants in your prayers, and seeking bold leadership from communities and policymakers.
• Volunteer: Connect with local organizations such as Church World Service or the Immigration Law and Justice Network to assist nearby affiliates.
• Support Projects: Apply for Mustard Seed Migration Grants of $2,000 to aid migrants in your community. Learn more and apply here.
• Learn: Join this Feb. 10 webinar organized by Church and Society and others to learn about the UM response to immigration justice.  Learn more and register here.
• Advocate: Contact elected officials to express your support for migrant rights and sign up for Church World Service Action Alerts  for advocacy opportunities.
• Donate: Contribute to the Global Migration Advance (#3022144) to support programs that aids migrants and refugees. Give here.

Roland Fernandes is the general secretary of Global Ministries, UMCOR, and Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church.

Learn more about migration ministry and programming through Global Ministries and UMCOR.

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ATLANTA – United Methodist churches in the U.S. will have the opportunity to help immigrants, migrants and refugees living in their local communities again in 2025. The United Methodist Committee on Relief’s (UMCOR) Mustard Seed Migration Grant program, now in its fifth year, provides congregations with up to $2,000 for a one-time, community-based service project.

“As Jesus shares in his parable, small mustard seeds have the potential to grow into something pervasive that spreads throughout a field,” said Roland Fernandes, general secretary of Global Ministries and UMCOR. “Since the start of the program, we have seen United Methodist churches learn more about immigrants, migrants and refugees in their communities and address their needs through these grants. The ‘seed’ of welcoming strangers has been planted in new and unique ways in congregations around the country.”

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until Sept. 1, 2025. Up to 100 churches will be awarded a grant on a first-come first-serve basis. New applicants, as well as churches that have completed a Mustard Seed project in the past, are welcome to apply. Monies will be dispersed within four weeks of application approval and the project must be completed within six months.

“Now, more than ever, UMC congregations need to learn about migrants by working with them in their own communities. Now, more than ever, migrants need to feel welcomed and loved by their neighbors,” said the Rev. Jack Amick, director of Global Migration for UMCOR. “Mustard Seed Migration Grants can help congregations that wish to walk on a journey together with migrants.” 

Examples of projects completed by United Methodist churches in 2024 include:

First United Methodist Church in Troy, MI, helped resettle a recently arrived refugee family by providing furnishings and household items. Volunteers helped install items in the home which greatly helped the family’s transition during a difficult time.

Brookstown United Methodist Church in Pfafftown, NC, provided support to a Haitian family that needed stable housing, English as a Second Language pre-school and further integration into the community. 

Charleroi United Methodist Church in Charleroi, PA, created a clothing ministry to offer coats, gloves, bedding, towels and other essential clothing to immigrant families in need.

Legacy United Methodist Church in Bismarck, ND, provided refugees with cookware and cooking classes alongside longtime local residents which helped a “dish exchange” among Bismarck locals and refugees.

For the full list of 2024 recipients, click here.

To learn more about the program requirements and to apply online, click here.

Contact mustardseed@umcor.org with questions or for more information.

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About the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)

Founded in 1940, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the global humanitarian relief and development agency of The United Methodist Church. A part of United Methodist Global Ministries, UMCOR works in more than 80 countries worldwide, including the United States and its territories. The agency’s mission, grounded in the teachings of Jesus, is to alleviate human suffering with open hearts and minds to all people. Working in the areas of disaster response and recovery and migration, UMCOR responds to natural or civil disasters that are interruptions of such magnitude that they overwhelm a community’s ability to recover on its own.

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ATLANTA – Supporting migrants and refugees is fundamental to the work of Global Ministries and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Since its founding in 1940 during World War II, UMCOR has consistently stood alongside displaced people across the globe, assisting those impacted by war, civil unrest and manmade and natural disasters.

As the United States faces potential large-scale immigration policy changes, including the likely mass deportation of thousands of migrants, Global Ministries and UMCOR will prioritize protecting migrants’ rights, reaffirming a longstanding commitment to core humanitarian principles. We will intensify efforts to amplify the voices of migrants and create pathways for integration. Through comprehensive programs spanning global advocacy, church engagement, legal support and practical assistance, Global Ministries and UMCOR will continue to provide hope and support to those most vulnerable in their journey to safety and opportunity.

There are several ways that individuals, pastors and local churches can get involved in ministry with migrants and refugees:

• Pray for the protection and well-being of migrants, for bold leadership and for positive action on the part of individuals, churches and communities.    
• Volunteer with local organizations in your community. Contact Church World Service, Immigration Law and Justice Network or similar organizations to see how you can assist the affiliate nearest you.
• Implement a Mustard Seed Migration Grant project to assist migrants in your own community. Applications for grants of $2,000 will be accepted up to December 13, 2024. Learn more and apply here.
• Contact your elected officials to let them know that you welcome migrants. You can sign up for Church World Service Action Alerts to learn how to become involved in advocacy efforts that support migrant rights.
• Donate to the Global Migration Advance (#3022144) to support programming that aids migrants and refugees. Give here.

Grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ, Global Ministries and UMCOR alleviates human suffering without regard to race, religion or status. We believe that welcoming the stranger is essential to The United Methodist Church.

Roland Fernandes is the general secretary of Global Ministries and UMCOR.

Learn more about migration ministry and programming through Global Ministries and UMCOR.

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ATLANTA – The Rev. Eliad Dias dos Santos served members of very poor and unwelcome communities for a decade in her home country of Brazil before becoming a United Methodist missionary in Rome, Italy. She got to know women who had turned to prostitution to feed themselves and their families, and the situations of their children, and other women who had been trafficked or were assaulted and left with no support. When she describes them as unwelcome, she means particularly unwelcome in the church.

“I think it is not possible to stay in the church building and create services for people in the streets,” dos Santos explained. “Normally, the church waits for these people to come to the church, but they do not come. And if they do, they are often not welcomed. They are not even invited into the church. So, I decided to serve the people in the streets.”

As part of her seminary training, dos Santos spent three years working with Catholic sisters in a project to serve prostitutes on the streets of São Paulo. It happened to be in the same community as the church she grew up attending, but she had never seen the community from this perspective and did not know the reality of life in poor spaces.

“Working in the streets was a new conversion experience for me,” she said.

She learned how to slowly build relationships with people on the street simply by being there, outside the church, day after day. She could talk with people in a way that helped them open up about their situations. She listened so she could discern what a next step might be. In this way, she learned how to be of service, when to call the police, when and where to find safe shelter for those who needed it.

The children on the streets are of special concern to her. They may be used to make money for the family or trafficked to another place while their parents think they are working or being taught a trade as an apprentice. But instead, they enter the very worst of circumstances with no way out. Eliad also worked to overcome these situations, even if it meant breaking down a dangerous trafficking circle. She found teenagers but also children as young as six and eight years abused in this way.

“Some of these people come from generations of people who lived in the street,” she said. “These children were born in the street, they grow up in the street, they don’t go to school, and their parents and grandparents have done the same. They don’t have documents or ID.”

After she entered missionary service, dos Santos traveled to Rome, Italy, to work with migrants coming into Italy from African countries, South America, Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Often, they too end up in the streets.

“The difference in Italy from Brazil is that here in Rome, there are associations for the distribution of food. People have breakfast, lunch and dinner. In Rome there are now 12 associations that do this, but, only for food. There are no other services offered,” dos Santos noted.

The Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy, of which the Methodist Church of Italy and the Waldensian Church, also affiliated with the Methodist Church, are members, received a grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to build on this project. The church dos Santos works with, called 20^th of September Methodist Church, offered a breakfast project for six years, but the congregation only distributed food for the homeless on Sundays…in the church.

“When I arrived here, after I learned about the process for services in Rome, I asked to have a space outside the church to distribute the food, so we could talk to the people, look into their eyes, listen to their histories. We began to build relationships with the migrants we met.” And so, dos Santos began the long-term process of building a social service program that would answer the needs of the people seeking assistance.

“The idea is to create a place of service all day – people have food but they no place to stay, no space for work,” said dos Santos. “People stay in the parks, in the bus station. We needed a space for the people to stay together to learn things and to form a supportive community – learn Italian and apply for the documents they need in Italy. People often have to wait a year for documents and they cannot work without them.”

Today the church in Rome helps people with their documents, referring them to the correct office and checking to see what is missing. “And we have a space to teach them Italian, because Italian is not offered in many places in the world – it is used in Italy only and a small section of Switzerland. Sometimes violence erupts against immigrants who don’t speak Italian. I visit them in the hospitals and accompany them to social services.”

Friday the church is open for people to come for social services and Pastor dos Santos offers counseling sessions on Wednesdays as well. She listens to find out what people need and how the church can be of better service.

“My question is often, ‘what is your dream here? What do you want and need?’ The church is open for me to walk with you for this moment, to listen and help you find your community with other immigrants.

“I have worked with people who believe that Jesus continues to walk with his people and with the excluded. As Christians, we are the presence of God in these people’s lives, not only helping them materially, but fighting for a more just and safe world.”

Christie R. House is a consultant writer and editor with Global Ministries and UMCOR.

Global Missionaries
Global Ministries missionaries are a tangible connection between The United Methodist Church and mission. Through denominational or ecumenical ministries, missionaries bear witness to God’s presence all around the world. They are called by God and sent out to serve by the church, usually placed in a new cultural context beyond their country of origin. Missionaries engage in ministry that is defined by mutuality and partnership, seeking to expand the mission of God already present and active in people and places. Explore the work of Global Ministries missionaries.

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ATLANTA – “Today, my children are studying and have what they need thanks to the kindness of the Comunidad de Paz Haws. My children are happy to have attended the Christian camp and my baby has had what he needs since his birth.”

This testimony of Patrice*, a single mother from Guatemala, speaks to the importance of local churches opening their doors to receive and offer help to migrants who have endured hardship and sometimes horrific circumstances to ask for asylum in the United States.

Comunidad de Paz Haws was developed by Haws Avenue United Methodist Church in Norristown, Pa. In 2023, the congregation received a $2,000 Mustard Seed Migration Grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to expand its ministry in an area with a large Hispanic-Latino population.

A year after Patrice’s husband was killed in their village, she began to receive threatening messages that her children would meet the same fate. She packed up what she could and headed north with her children through Mexico and into the United States. They, like many immigrants crossing the U.S. border in the last three years, were received by the U.S. Border Patrol and loaded onto a bus. They did not even know where the bus was going.

Two young men from Nicaragua welcomed by Comunidad de Paz Haws described how they suffered from hunger, cold and mistreatment in a refugee camp at the border. They arrived in Pennsylvania in the middle of winter with nothing but a t-shirt, shorts and sandals. They came to the church seeking clothing and some food.

The Rev. Lisa DePaz, pastor of Haws Avenue UMC, describes her church as being an aging and small church that lacks the financial resources to help alleviate the economic needs of arriving immigrants. “It has been a barrier to actively demonstrating God’s love,” she said. “This grant has helped fulfill the goal of reaching out to this community.

“As a result of this project, anxiety, loneliness, misinformation and a sense of not belonging have significantly decreased among the 11 refugees and immigrants we served.” Haws UMC provided assistance with rent and bus tickets for transportation to job interviews. Single mothers, the majority of the recipients, received necessary supplies for their babies.

While some congregations can meet and interact with migrants in their communities, others are restricted by state or federal laws. The Somerset UMC congregation in Massachusetts wanted to help new arrivals.

When the project started, Jane Larsen, the church’s Staff-Parish Relations chair, networked to find ways to get supplies into the local hotel where Massachusetts was housing the migrants.

“Due to rules and regulations, we were not allowed to have direct contact with the migrants. All donations were given to them by the National Guard who were stationed at the hotel. Only the National Guard and our Town Health had access.” A key strategy for the congregation was to make friends with the health agent and members of the National Guard. This turned out to be the best way to serve those inside the hotel.

The state provided minimal supplies to arrivals to help with basic needs. Through the grant money and donations from church members, additional items, such as winter clothing, could be provided. In addition to supplies and food items, seven car seats were purchased so families could take their children to doctor’s appointments and other places.

In late December, the migrants were moved to better accommodations in Raynham, Mass. The church continued to deliver supplies to Raynham. The families were aware that the donations were given by members of Somerset United Methodist Church and through an UMCOR Mustard Seed Migration Grant.

Maple Grove United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ohio, set up an English conversation ministry to help more migrants with basic English skills.

But they also used their grant to focus primarily on one family, to help them through a complicated asylum process. The family, with a teenaged girl and a baby, fled from Ghana to Brazil to spare the young woman from the practice of female circumcision and the stigma and harassment of refusing to accept the practice. They made their way up the continent into the United States to ask for asylum, but then discovered attaining asylum is not easy or straight forward.

The family from Ghana was sent from the southern U.S. border to New York City, where they began their asylum request. They knew of a large Ghanaian community in Columbus and moved the family there. But that meant starting all over. They decided, on their New York lawyer’s advice, to move back to New York until their asylum paperwork could be finished. It took five months, and all the while, Maple Grove UMC found ways to support them.

Now the family has Social Security numbers, work permits, and state identification, which allows them to work and access Ohio medical and other family support systems. Their asylum case has been transferred to Ohio, so it will take an additional year before they know if they will be granted asylum.

The congregation has accepted this Muslim family, which now comes regularly to church. One member took off work and drove all the way to New York to bring the family back to Ohio because the mother was in her last month of pregnancy.

The Rev. Patricia Wagner, pastor of Maple Grove UMC last year, says the family became part of the congregation. “That they are Muslim, and that they dress in traditional style with head coverings, seems to make no difference to anyone anymore,” she noted. “When the family returned to worship, the congregation applauded. We had a baby shower for the mother in the next week, and soon their son was born.”

Being in community with migrants can be as creative as a congregation’s collective imagination and a Mustard Seed Migration Grant can be the push over the top that launches a new ministry. These three congregations took the chance of starting something new and have given and received the blessings of shared lives and the abundance of God’s grace.

Mustard Seed Migration Grant applications are open for 2024 projects. To learn more, visit https://umcmission.org/story/mustard-seed-migration-grants/.

* Name changed.

Christie R. House is a consultant writer and editor for Global Ministries and UMCOR.

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ATLANTA – As Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion against the Gaza Strip approaches its fifth month, Palestinians across the region, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, experience the loss of their jobs and the inability to move across checkpoints, or buy or sell food. They face a constant threat of harm and harassment, not because they are anywhere near Gaza, but because they are the Palestinians within reach.

Amid the scenes of overwhelming death and destruction, by God’s grace, small miracles happen each day.

Amir*, a Palestinian youth, finds it nearly impossible to cross the Palestinian/Israeli line to get to his school in a safe way. Yet, his school, community and United Methodists giving through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) created a way for him to continue his education. Hope Secondary School opened a remote learning station in his neighborhood and provided him with an electronic tablet and a place where wi-fi still works.

In this way, Amir has been able to rely on the safety of his own community and continue his education – a small but important miracle for him and other students.

“As we support our partners across the Middle East, we continue with faith and hope to encourage one another at this time,” said Roland Fernandes, general secretary of Global Ministries and UMCOR. “In the face of so much loss – Muslim, Christian and Jewish lives, the 28,000 men, women and children lost in Gaza, our hearts are breaking. But we believe that God is with those who suffer, and we are a small part of a much larger effort to work for peace in the region.”

Gaza is bound by the Mediterranean Sea down its entire west coast and an Israeli fence more than 37-miles-long on its east side. All crossings but one into Israel have been closed by Israel since Oct. 7, 2023. There is a crossing into Cairo, Egypt, at Rafah to its south, which Israeli authorities close much of the time. Rafah is where hundreds of trucks wait in line for a chance to cross the border into Gaza to provide emergency aid. Food, water and medical supplies go unused until something happens to stop the bombardment and allow drivers to complete their mandate to deliver aid.

Just as nothing gets into Gaza, nothing and almost no one can get out. Even news is sparse because of communication blackouts, lack of electricity and fuel, and because more than 82 journalists reporting from inside Gaza have been killed.

David Wildman, Global Ministries’ United Nations and Middle East liaison, traveled to the region in December 2023 with a South African international solidarity delegation. They met with Palestinian Christian colleagues and human rights leaders across Palestine, Jordan and Egypt, as well as in Tel Aviv with the families of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. “There is a trickle of aid getting through,” Wildman said. “There should be more than 500 trucks going into Gaza every day, but there are at most 120 allowed to pass from Cairo to Rafah, but the little aid that gets in cannot reach all the people safely.”

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians in the Near East (UNRWA) has had its shelters in Gaza bombed and reports 152 of its workers have been killed in the current crisis, more than in any other crisis in the world.

On January 26, in a case for genocide brought against Israel by the South African government, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague ordered Israel to stop its military actions that have caused so much death and destruction, allow complete, unhindered humanitarian access, prevent and punish ‘direct and public incitement to commit genocide,’ and preserve evidence of atrocities.

“We’re watching the world struggle with what to do to stop the genocide,” Wildman said. “There is a growing call around the world for an immediate cease-fire as a necessary first step. The only time since Oct. 7 that any hostages have been released was during the humanitarian pause in November, which saved lives. Palestinian prisoners were released, but since Oct. 7, more than 6300 Palestinians have been detained, often without charge. The message to us from families of hostages was: ‘release all for all’ – all hostages for all Palestinian prisoners.”

Among the members of the visiting delegation was also Bishop Ivan Abrahams of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and the general secretary of the World Methodist Council. “We decided that Christmas can only have meaning for us if we heed the call from our siblings in Palestine, and we go and stand in solidarity with them. We felt strongly that we needed to break the silence, that we could not be complicit, that it was our moral implication and a biblical imperative to go and stand by those who suffer from such injustice.”

UMCOR, like other humanitarian agencies, has found it difficult to get relief into Gaza. A long-time Global Ministries’ partner, the Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees (DSPR) of the Near East Council of Churches, has staff in Gaza that have been working with what they have, but they, like 90% of all Palestinians in Gaza, have been displaced. UMCOR affirms the ACT appeal for Gaza relief that will support the work of DSPR, but how soon the aid can reach Gaza is a real challenge. An emergency grant to provide 14,000 people with emergency food rations made it to the DSPR in Gaza early in the conflict.

In efforts to support Palestinians in places like the West Bank and the Northern Galilee section of Israel, where most Palestinian citizens of Israel live, UMCOR supports partners that serve marginal and vulnerable Palestinian communities. Though many of these have specific areas of service to specific populations, they now find their communities need emergency help. Two grants to Hope Secondary School  have helped Palestinian children and families affected by the repercussions of the war in Gaza.

A grant to Princess Basma Centre in Jerusalem served an urgent need for the development of a telemedicine program for Palestinian children with disabilities whose families confronted closed check-points when they tried to take their children to their medical appointments at the center. Another grant is in the works for the Four Homes of Mercy for Disabled Children.

A grant to the Al Quds Foundation provided counseling to children and youth in the Shufat Refugee Camp. This Palestinian camp, like others in the West Bank, has received multiple incursions by Israeli soldiers, sometimes in the middle of the night, during raids that end with young men being removed and jailed.

The Rev. Jane Eesley, a Global Ministries missionary, serves as the advocacy coordinator with the Methodist Liaison Office in Jerusalem. “The United Methodist Church chose not to start another church but to support what is here through Greek Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican churches,” she explained. “We trust in the body of Christ that is already here and in the indigenous Palestinian Christians. They are grateful for the ways we conduct a ‘servant ministry’ alongside them. A lot of people turn away and flee from suffering. It is important to be here among those who suffer.”

The Methodist Liaison Office offers a way for United Methodists to hear directly from Palestinians in the Holy Land through a weekly online gathering every Wed. at 1 p.m. EST. Register by sending an email request to office@MLOJerusalem.org and the office manager will send the link to join the hour-long meeting.

Another way to support Palestinians in the region is to continue to give through the Advance, as the projects in the Middle East are still operating. Though Gaza is the territory under bombardment, Palestinians in the West Bank and other places have experienced repercussions. The UMCOR International Disaster Response is another way to give.

Finally, Palestinian Christians have reached out to Christians across the world to call for an immediate cease-fire and to trust in God and pray for them. “They believe God will find a way we can’t even see,” noted Eesley. “Tell others about Palestinian Christians. There is great anxiety among them that before too long, there will be no more Palestinian Christians to witness in the place where Jesus was born.”

*Name changed to protect identity.

The Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, UMC, in New York City, recorded a service of prayer and worship for the Middle East on January 30, 2024: A Spiritual Call and Response for Palestine. David Wildman talks about his trip to Palestine starting at minute 38.

Christie R. House is a consultant writer and editor with Global Ministries and UMCOR.

The post A ministry of prayer and presence in the Middle East appeared first on Global Ministries.