Holiday Statement on Slavery and Displacement

At this time of the year, we are reminded of the Bible stories of families, even entire people groups, who were forced from their homes and pursued new lives for God’s promise and promised lands. Current news echoes the Biblical stories, as hundreds of thousands are forced to leave their homes because of race, ethnicity or religion.

CNN reports on Ethiopian refugees being sold into slavery in Libya, tens of thousands of Haitians displaced by the 2010 earthquake returning to an uncertain home 18 months from now, hundreds of thousands of Rohingyans driven from their home country because of their beliefs, and years of ongoing challenges experienced by Syrian refugees.

As a global university committed to viewing the world through God’s eyes, we are heartbroken by these realities. We call on the countries of the world, as well as the members of our campus community, to fulfill our essential responsibilities as God’s children, to meaningfully respond to our neighbors, wherever they live, and to continue to condemn the actions of those who restrict the freedoms and destroy the homes and lives of our neighbors.

The issue of slavery and human trafficking continues to be a staggering injustice. A conservative estimate from recent studies, as reported by the International Labour Organization, shows that 40 million people are currently enslaved worldwide through either forced labor or forced marriages. Additionally, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that more than 65 million are currently considered refugees worldwide.

As we finish the semester and look forward to our celebrations with family and friends this holiday season, let’s remember those who will not be afforded the same opportunity. May we work and pray together as we strive to help the displaced and marginalized find a home—with us. Let those prayers be geared towards asking God to lead us as we consider how we can lift our voices as well as commit our efforts to finding tangible solutions to these sobering and difficult injustices.

“Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:33–34
 

(image source: https://www.diyatvusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/human-trafficking-fact.jpg)