What if one day you were forced to leave your family behind and move to a new country where you know no one, and had to work 7 days a week without rest?

Thanks to COVID-19, most of us have become more aware of the plight of migrant workers in our midst. We’ve reacted with horror at just how cramped their living conditions are, or the limited aid and resources they have access to. But let’s not stop there. Let’s start by examining why we’ve thought it’s okay for them to live this way.

We often see only the gleaming buildings they construct, the work they do behind the scenes…how they stand under the heat of the sun day after day to build us homes that will shelter us. But just because they’re from a foreign land, or might not openly complain about their situation, it doesn’t mean that they don’t need rest like us. Think about the sacrifices they’ve made. Many of them are often more educated and gifted than we think, but haven’t had access to the same opportunities that we’ve had. Or circumstances may have forced them to abandon their dreams for the sake of their families.

As exiles on this earth, how can we love the foreigners in our midst, and make our nations a home and a shelter for them too (Leviticus 19:34)? Let’s extend a hand of hospitality and open our hearts to them.

  • Invite them to join your church activity/fellowship (when it reopens).
  • Volunteer to teach them computing or language skills.
  • Greet them when you see them and thank them for their hard work.
  • Offer to buy them a cold drink or treat during extra hot days!