There is a question whether any of our testimonies speaks to the current crisis caused by the rise of the worldwide population of displaced persons. Certainly Friends, themselves had been displaced from their homes and families at the beginning of the Friend’s movement, The founder of the Friend’s Society, himself, George Fox, not only persecuted, and imprisoned, but driven out from his home, only to be given sanctuary, or find refuge -due to persecution- by his future wife, Margaret Fell. Also, Friends suffered the greatest need as displaced persons when they were exiled from England and the American colonies to Barbados and surrounding areas where many members of the religious society lived until 1750.
As a matter of fact, the Sanctuary Movement in America was started by among others, a Quaker named Jim Corbett who began to give refuge to Central Americans in 1982. The Sanctuary Movement addressed problems of the exodus of people from Central and South America, primarily considered undocumented in the U.S. They are considered people persecuted by governments-not by churches as was the case for 18th Century Quakers. During our times the number of people seeking refuge has again increased. Where 1,000 Quakers found sanctuary in and near Barbados in the 18th Century, and where 1 million Central Americans sought sanctuary in the U.S. during the 20th Century, more than 7 million Venezuelans sought refuge, primarily in Colombia and Peru in the 21st Century.
The question arises, because Friends sought refuge from religious persecution in the 17th Century, is there a testimony that guides their to act in favor of people seeking refuge from political persecution in the 21st Century? Here, randomly, are a list of Friend’s testimonies and a description of the guidance each provides to worshipers:
- Community -This is the act of Quaker worship where people sit together to hold each-other in the light. The act of worship extends to support church members give each-other outside of worship as a social community. The act is extended again to speak for and support people in need from other faiths and even societies.
- Equality -The “inner light” or inspiration in Quaker worship can be expressed by each and every person, a person’s duty to be guided by the “inner light” is not denied due to race, creed, gender, nationality, or color, etc. This can be extended to help in public accommodations, also.
- Integrity -This is the ethical sense of honesty where people want their actions to resemble their beliefs It is the sense of making a commitment from the heart and following through with it. By extension we are capable of committing to acts of charity.
- Peace -A sensibility gained from the “inner light.” The meaning extends from the truth of seeing God in everyone to the actions that are predominantly non-violent. This can be extended to providing remedies for acts of violence.
- Simplicity -A recognition of a person’s oneness with God. It is common for Friends to make this a lifestyle choice and look and speak plainly. By extension everyone is included in God’s plan.
- Stewardship -This is the opposite of materialism. In this way people are encouraged to be rewarded by God. By extension worldly gifts can be given to people without conflict.
There are a number of testimonies from Friends that allow people to act in a manner commensurate with agreeing that migration due to political persecution can result in sanctuary. At each testimony where I have written, “by extension,” that testimony allows Friends to extend refuge as sanctuary. Here is a more detailed description of each action:
- Community is extended in testimony to speak in support of and to want to give refuge to everyone in need. Community allows Friends to support migrants from Venezuela, Ukraine, and Gaza who have fled political persecution.
- Equality allows Friends to acknowledge the “inner light,” and “that of God” in everyone. It is important to note that the phrase “in everyone” is not a political right assigned by a government to a group of people it has determined to be privileged. It is an attestation to scripture, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? (1 Cor 3:16). Our notion of equality contradicts the popular view, “you don’t want people who hate your country to come into your country.” (Charlie Kirk, speech at Missouri University, Oct. 2023) By extension of the testimony of Equality we can provide public accommodations to everyone.
- Peace allows use to politically consider our enemies as brothers. Brothers can have non-violent solutions to problems that come between them. By extension of the testimony of Peace Friends can remediate sufferers of acts of violence. Friends can favor this remediation across borders.
- Integrity, Simplicity, and Stewardship support our efforts to follow our testimony into a plan of action.
How is it that refuge from religious persecution can be translated into a defense of refuge from political persecution? Here are some population groups facing religious and political persecution.
What do we learn from this long list that includes more than 17 countries worldwide and is not complete? The end result of persecution, both religious and political is displacement of large populations. Also, religious and political motives to execute violent policies often overlap. Also, both governments and churches are willing to conduct violence against people due to their chosen religious or political identity. Displacement and loss of valuables take place. Religious and national identify overlaps. Violence is a weapon of choice for both governments and churches. What actions do Friend’s testimonies allow them to take?
What are Quakers doing about the international crisis for people seeking refuge?
Here is one solution, Quakers Aid Refugees and Migrants (QARM), at https://qarn.org.uk
Also, see this article on sanctuary at Friend’s Meetings in the USA, “Lending Their Hands.”
Here is a list of activities that have been conducted worldwide in aid of the various displaced people who face crisis. Use this list for an internet search to educate yourself, and to get involved.
- Visit UNHCR or United Nations Refugee Agency to educate yourself on the problem. Learn what the UN Refugee Agency is doing world-wide in order to approach the question of what we can do as a local Meeting.
- Refugees International, at www.refugeesinternational.org, “advocates for lifesaving assistance, human rights, and protection for displaced people and promotes solutions to displacement crises.”
- The Gender in Emergencies Group says it is “Helping humanitarians to put gender equality into practice.” They are particularly concerned with how women suffer seeking refuge.
- The Women’s Refugee Commission, at www.womensrefugeecommission.org works to “create a better world for refugee women and girls.”
- MIRPS – Regional response in Central America and Mexico, at www.globalcompactrefugees.org/gcr-action/countries/mirps-marco-integral-regional-para-la-proteccion-y-soluciones, is an inter-governmental agency a regional-cooperation-framework-uniting-countries-of-origin, -transit, -and -destination. It supports responsibility-sharing, reinforces protection measures, and expands solutions for refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people, and returnees who require international protection.
- Learn more about Maria Machado here, View Fox New’s piece on the recent recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. VIEW.
- Learn more about the UN Under Secretary Tom Fletcher HERE.
- Learn more about United Nations Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, HERE