Generosity of the poor
I can't remember if I wrote about this when it happened, but a while back (maybe six months) we had a guy come to our church who was waiting to hear from the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission on Refugees) about whether or not he could be classified as a refugee. Thailand does not welcome refugees. So stateless people are thrown in a detention center. But the UN will still grant people papers declaring they are in fact refugees. You get a stipend to live on and wait for some country to grant you asylum. You are free in Thailand at that point unless the authorities find you, then you still go to the detention center.
Anyway - this guy approached. He'd been turned down twice. He was waiting to hear about his third appeal. He had nothing. No place to stay. No food. No nothing. The Refugee Center (an small agency helping with his appeal) gave him a little pocket money and assistance while the claim was processed.
A month later his third application was turned down. They said they wouldn't consider any more appeals. I have no idea why. Perhaps his story wasn't verifyable. He saw government officials murder his family. Fled his country. Fled a neighboring country when people from his country came looking for him. Ended up in Thailand. Denied status. So what's he supposed to do? He's illegal. He has been turned down and told no more applications. He cannot receive assistance from the Refugee Center anymore. They stop after the claim is processed.
He comes to me. "What should I do?"
I don't know. They didn't cover this in Seminary. So I ask around. Most people say that the only thing to do in this situation is buy a fake identity and try again with the UN in another country. It's either that or recommend a life of crime. I tell him, I don't know. This is what others are saying. Nod, nod. Wink. Wink.
A couple of months later he's at church. Very excited. He's got his fake passport. You should know they aren't cheap. About $800 US on the street in Bangkok for high quality I hear. Now he's got to get a legitimate fake visa. A trip costing another few hundred US. Remember this is for someone who is now illegally in the country and has no way of making money. He does it.
A few weeks ago he came with the good news that someone had given him frequent flyer miles to another country. He leaves tomorrow. So I invitd him for lunch today. We just sat and talked. I (nor my church) has ever given him any cash. We have been friendly towards him and provided him with friendship. I was surprised he kept coming to church to be honest. At first I thought he came hope to get cash. Perhaps, but he stayed. All the more interesting because he considers himself a muslim. But he calls me his pastor. And he was quoting Jesus to me over lunch today telling me how good God (refering to Jesus) has been to him. :)
Now here's what makes me write. He told me he'd saved $150 US to take with him to his new country. That's not a lot of money. His plan is just to turn in his passport and explain to immigration in the next country who he is. He'd saved $150 US. His case worker at the Refugee Center told him about a Rwandan man who has been in the immigration detention center now for 1 year. No visitors. Stateless. No hope of going anywhere ever. Upon hearing this... my friend goes to the store. Buys some snacks and other things. Goes to the immigration detention center during visiting hours with his fake passport and real fake visa and takes the risk to visit this Rwandan he doesn't even know. He spend $30 of his $150 to buy the guy gifts.
I asked him why? Didn't it feel like a big sacrifice? He said, "It was a privilege. Then he told me the story of Matthew 25. And said, 'that man is Jesus to me.'"
I was dumbfounded.
Anyway - this guy approached. He'd been turned down twice. He was waiting to hear about his third appeal. He had nothing. No place to stay. No food. No nothing. The Refugee Center (an small agency helping with his appeal) gave him a little pocket money and assistance while the claim was processed.
A month later his third application was turned down. They said they wouldn't consider any more appeals. I have no idea why. Perhaps his story wasn't verifyable. He saw government officials murder his family. Fled his country. Fled a neighboring country when people from his country came looking for him. Ended up in Thailand. Denied status. So what's he supposed to do? He's illegal. He has been turned down and told no more applications. He cannot receive assistance from the Refugee Center anymore. They stop after the claim is processed.
He comes to me. "What should I do?"
I don't know. They didn't cover this in Seminary. So I ask around. Most people say that the only thing to do in this situation is buy a fake identity and try again with the UN in another country. It's either that or recommend a life of crime. I tell him, I don't know. This is what others are saying. Nod, nod. Wink. Wink.
A couple of months later he's at church. Very excited. He's got his fake passport. You should know they aren't cheap. About $800 US on the street in Bangkok for high quality I hear. Now he's got to get a legitimate fake visa. A trip costing another few hundred US. Remember this is for someone who is now illegally in the country and has no way of making money. He does it.
A few weeks ago he came with the good news that someone had given him frequent flyer miles to another country. He leaves tomorrow. So I invitd him for lunch today. We just sat and talked. I (nor my church) has ever given him any cash. We have been friendly towards him and provided him with friendship. I was surprised he kept coming to church to be honest. At first I thought he came hope to get cash. Perhaps, but he stayed. All the more interesting because he considers himself a muslim. But he calls me his pastor. And he was quoting Jesus to me over lunch today telling me how good God (refering to Jesus) has been to him. :)
Now here's what makes me write. He told me he'd saved $150 US to take with him to his new country. That's not a lot of money. His plan is just to turn in his passport and explain to immigration in the next country who he is. He'd saved $150 US. His case worker at the Refugee Center told him about a Rwandan man who has been in the immigration detention center now for 1 year. No visitors. Stateless. No hope of going anywhere ever. Upon hearing this... my friend goes to the store. Buys some snacks and other things. Goes to the immigration detention center during visiting hours with his fake passport and real fake visa and takes the risk to visit this Rwandan he doesn't even know. He spend $30 of his $150 to buy the guy gifts.
I asked him why? Didn't it feel like a big sacrifice? He said, "It was a privilege. Then he told me the story of Matthew 25. And said, 'that man is Jesus to me.'"
I was dumbfounded.
