Connect, equip & represent
About us
The Refugee Campaign is about enabling Christians in Europe to respond well to the refugee situation within Europe.
EEA, in partnership with the Refugee Highway Partnership and other experts, has created and gathered FAQs and resources to help you to understand, reflect biblically, pray and respond practically or in advocacy. We link with networks of ministries across Europe so that together we can understand the trends and help one another respond.
We invite you to get involved in local projects, to take part in the annual World Refugee Sunday, to create opportunities for dialogue by showing “The Peace Between” and to join us in political campaigning to encourage Europe to live up to its Judaeo-Christian values in treating every migrant and asylum seeker with dignity and fairness.
Much of the media seems to convey the impression that Europeans no longer care about migrants, asylum seekers or refugees.
But the crisis continues.
· From January to the end of August 2021, more than 63,000 people crossed the Mediterranean looking for a new life in Europe. But there were an estimated 1,195 deaths. Source: UNHCR
· They mainly came from Tunisia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Syria, Iran, Guinea, Eritrea, Sudan and Morocco.
· Only a few European nations are willing to accept them as refugees.
· Too many remain in desperately overcrowded refugee camps or simply disappear. Many end up as trafficking victims.
· The politics of the situation is too difficult. Politicians know that they will lose votes if they advocate for a policy of welcoming more people.
· The situation is unsustainable already. It is likely that refugee numbers from conflict zones in places like Afghanistan, Eritrea or Mali will grow again. What will Europeans do then? We cannot continue to outsource the problem to countries in the region. Turkey for example already has 4 million refugees and does not want any more.
That’s the sad and bad news. And we need to pray.
But there is good news too.
There are countless churches, NGOs and local projects reaching out in humanitarian aid and in befriending refugees, helping people settle well into European life.
There are wonderful stories of churches growing dramatically due to the arrival of Christian refugees. Or they have seen many former Muslims come to faith in Jesus.
Let’s pray for more good news.
We pray that the many FAQs, resources and articles featured on this site will inspire you to keep loving our foreign neighbour. And we pray for God’s blessing on all the fabulous organisations and churches who created these resources and are doing amazing work to love their refugee neighbour.
The number of refugees arriving now on the European continent are nowhere near the figures of 2015/2016. Nevertheless, according to the UNHCR the number of refugees and internally displaced people is still at a record high. And recent developments in, for example, Mali, Belarus or Afghanistan don’t bode well. Meanwhile, European member states are still discussing the right response, both politically and practically, while fencing off the borders. But behind the staggering numbers are people, people like you and me, created in the image of God. Therefore, let’s renew our efforts to pray, to respond practically and to speak up. Justice, solidarity and compassion are important Biblical and European values that should help us to look beyond mere self-interest. Click here to read EEA’s call to action.
We believe that hope overcomes fear.
Together we can speak out, learn and make a difference. The Hope for Europe Refugee Campaign aims to combine Christians, churches, member- and specialist organizations to be the response to the asylum Crisis in Europe.
In partnership with
Support us
Let´s connect!
Via E-Mail
Via Facebook
EEA policy positions on the asylum crisis
EEA call to action
News
-
Europe is getting weary
Migration has been a hot political topic across Europe since 2015 when large numbers of people sought sanctuary here.
Read more
Several years later, the number arriving is not so big, although more than a 1000 have died so far this year as they tried to cross the Mediterranean. But, with conflicts in Africa and Taliban rule in Afghanistan, most people predict that many more will try to come to Europe. -
One brilliant project among thousands – a launderette that changes lives
Countless Evangelical churches and organisations across Europe are involved in welcoming and caring for asylum seekers and refugees. Some have done so for decades. Others have responded to more recent refugee arrivals. Here’s the story of just one great project.
Read more -
Migrants, Refugees, and Us – A Call to Action
Refugees make headlines regularly. Yet this news tends to vanish quickly. However, the human tragedy is ongoing. It is not and will not vanish in the near future. This is one of the reasons the EU is debating a new Migration Pact. But refugees are not just impacting the EU. They are a European task.
Read more
