“No one becomes a refugee by choice; but the rest of us can have a choice about how we help.” – UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi

A person was displaced every two seconds last year, many of them children, according to the UNHCR’s Global Trends report released on the eve of World Refugee Day.

The number of forcibly displaced people across the globe increased by 2.9 million last year. There are now 68.5 million forcibly displaced across the globe. About 16 million of these are newly displaced. That is equivalent to an average of 44,400 people being forced to flee their homes every day in 2017.

This increase is a result of persecution, conflict or generalized violence – the same issues that have led to an increase in hunger.

From the report:

Refugees who have fled their countries to escape conflict and persecution accounted for 25.4 million of the 68.5 million. This is 2.9 million more than in 2016, also the biggest increase UNHCR has seen in a single year.

Asylum-seekers, who were still awaiting the outcome of their claims to refugee status as of 31 December 2017, meanwhile rose by around 300,000 to 3.1 million. People displaced inside their own country accounted for 40 million of the total, slightly fewer than the 40.3 million in 2016.

In short, the world had almost as many forcibly displaced people in 2017 as the population of Thailand. Across all countries, one in every 110 persons is someone displaced.

Hope is Greater

Feed My Starving Children meals reach many forcibly displaced people worldwide. Our partners work tirelessly to bring nutritious meals to families and children in need.

More than half of refugees are children, including many who are unaccompanied or separated from their families, according to the report.

This need cuts right to the heart of FMSC’s mission to feed God’s starving children hungry in body and spirit.

We are honored to work side by side with others working toward the same goal with others who share our belief that hope is greater.

Hope is greater than conflict. It’s greater than drought and famine and disease. It’s greater than earthquakes and hurricanes. It’s greater than poverty. And it’s greater than displacement.

Thank you for believing this. Every time you put on a hairnet and pack meals or write a check or drop a quarter in a bucket, you are saying, "Yes. Hope IS greater."

What you do makes a difference. We need you more than ever as conflicts and natural disasters continue to wreak havoc in the lives of children around the world.

Join us in a prayer from the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

Our Gracious Lord,
There are many in Your world today who have been forced from their homes by persecution and violence.
Keep them in your constant care, and bring them to a place of safety.
Be the Good Shepherd to refugees who are in flight. Guide them to the green pastures of safety.
Be the Everlasting Father to refugees who have lost home and loved ones. Lead, protect and provide for them.
Be the Great Physician to refugees who are suffering. Grant them healing and hope.
Be the Hiding Place to refugees who are languishing in camps. Shelter their souls as well as their bodies.
Be the Deliverer to refugees who have been able to return home. Restore their lives so that those who have sown in tears may reap in joy.
Be the Wonderful Counselor to refugees who have been resettled. Help them find their way in a new land.
Be the Giver of all good gifts to those who serve refugees. Empower them to do justice and love mercy and walk humbly with You.
Be the Lord of lords to all the earth, that those who rule would do so in justice and righteousness, and no one would have to become a refugee anymore.
We ask these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus.

Amen.