THOSE WHO LOVE PEACE
MUST LEARN
TO ORGANIZE
AS EFFECTIVELY
AS
THOSE WHO LOVE WAR.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Heading 5
About
In 2021, a group of believers from multiple churches in the Bay gathered to pray. They had noticed a surprising gap: services existed throughout the Bay that could help refugees, but many who were arriving in need had no idea how to access this support. It also became evident that there was need for new support: concerted efforts in neighborhoods where communities couldn't access what was available outside their locations. The idea of an alliance began to grow: a group of services that could gather together to cross barriers and let our refugee neighbors know that we are here; they don't have to be alone.
Shortly after this network began to form, Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. In time, Ukraine was invaded; violence escalated in Haiti and Central America; war continued in Syria, Congo, and Sudan; tens of thousands were arrested in Iran. The song Baraye ("For" in Farsi) encapsulated the cry of so many hearts, with lyrics crying out for life in a world so full of death.
As we spoke with our refugee friends and with men and women still living in locations of violence, the substance of this dream became more clear: to not just offer services, but a community; to help families who had experienced terror and loss rebuild; to see restoration. The group continued to pray, to meet, and to seek a way forward.
Today, the Friends of Refugees (FOR) Alliance exists to continue our effort love our refugee neighbors.
In a world that too often unites around what it is against, we gather because of what we are for. We seek unity in a world of division and fear. We seek order in place of chaos. We seek light instead of darkness; life instead of death; love instead of harm. Join us in standing with and for our refugee neighbors.
Values
We affirm the inerrancy, authority, power, wisdom, and beauty of Scripture. As we seek to bless our city, we do this by living according to the teachings of Jesus. In light of this, we are committed to:
Respect
Relating to others without pretension or discrimination; honoring the dignity of each human; expressing this respect in cultural forms that are understood and valued; honoring others' personhood, volition, and autonomy
James 2:2-4, 2 Corinthians 5:16
Integrity
Transparency and authenticity: no deception, no manipulation, no exploitation
2 Corinthians 4:2, 2 Corinthians 8:21
Humility
Rejection of pride and arrogance; engaging with a posture of servanthood that mirrors the example of Christ
Philippians 2:3-8, Matthew 20:25-27
Patience
Not insisting on our own way; handling time generously
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Honesty
Speaking truthfully, loving genuinely
Colossians 3:9-10, Romans 12:9
Privacy
Honoring boundaries; being trustworthy; treating individuals with full personhood and the dignity that this calls for, not as projects
Luke 6:31, Romans 12:15
Protection
Fulfilling policies that uphold the safety of communities that we serve; being proactive rather than reactive; moving beyond good intent to good practice
Proverbs 3:27-28, Jeremiah 22:3, Isaiah 1:17
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Understanding
Replacing assumptions with awareness; taking the time to understand communities that we serve; listening more than we speak
Philippians 1:9-11, James 3:13, Proverbs 4:7, Proverbs 11:2
Unity
Maintaining unity in the Spirit and in how we serve together; collaborating in a way that invites different parts of the body to be involved in a a dynamic that is orderly, mutually encouraging, and glorifying to God
John 17:20-23, Philippians 2:1-4, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, John 13:35
Love
Practicing love according to its biblical definition, as innately tied to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; as imitators of Jesus; in a posture that seeks to serve rather than control; in alignment to God’s mandates; maintaining all other ideologies in submission to his Lordship, as the highest commands that rises above and encapsulates all others
John 3:16, Mark 12:30-31, Matthew 5:45
