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Lending a helping hand. At the Souda Camp on the island of Chios, Greece, 2016. Photo: Magnus Aronson/WCC

Lending a helping hand. At the Souda Camp on the island of Chios, Greece, 2016. Photo: Magnus Aronson/WCC

”We are a movement of people whose faith has called us to open our hearts and our communities to refugees,” reads the presentation of Faith Over Fear, a new initiative brought to the fore by Religions for Peace, UNICEF, and a global coalition of religious leaders, including the World Council of Churches.

The #FaithOverFear initiative ”invites people of all religions to let their values guide them in the service of others", and offers tools and inspiration for sharing stories of how people from all walks of life can help alleviate the situation of people in need.

Testimonies are numerous:

”The Judeo-Christian and Islamic philosophies are all based on peace and love and welcoming the stranger… For me, religion is peace and love,” says Allison.

”My faith is built on the idea that the Gospel is about things that make life better for everyone… If we can’t get welcoming, including and loving the stranger right, the rest fall apart,” says Frances.

”One of our Rabbis made an announcement that they were going to be starting a conversational English program matching congregants with asylum seekers from Russia. I feel like God tapped me on the shoulder and said, ’Harold, this is something you should be doing’,” says Harold.

”Called to service through our Christian faith, the WCC as a fellowship of churches has a long-standing commitment to supporting the lives and the rights of refugees,” reflects WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

“We therefore continue to call on world leaders to find ways to strengthen the protection of refugees, through a spirit of shared responsibility, shared values and common interests. But we also continue to encourage our member churches and all people of good will to support refugees through the little things, be it by lending a helping hand, inviting them for a meal, or by participating in initiatives led by their church or faith community,” Tveit adds.

Learn more, at www.wechoosefaithoverfear.com

WCC work on Migration and social justice