Dagmar Dorn was asked to present a short devotional for the special ADRA program on youtube for the Refugee Sabbath 2023:
This year again, we are called to remember the millions of refugees on the move on this planet. The number of refugees has never been higher than this year. Half of the migrants are women. Women and children are among the most vulnerable groups and risk becoming victims of human trafficking and prostitution.
In the Bible, there is a story of a girl who had been taken captive as a result of a war between Israel and Syria. She was taken to the home of a captain of the Syrian army called Naaman, to serve his wife in their house.
The young girl had been robbed of her parents, siblings, family, and her youth. She came from freedom to slavery, from her home country into a strange land. From a loving family to serving a foreign mistress. Have you heard very similar stories today?
Unfortunately, they often end in violence, modern slavery, and prostitution.
Interestingly, the girl in this story was taken to a good household where she was treated with dignity and respect. The Bible says that Naaman was a good and honorable man.
Although she was a slave, her master's illness troubled her. She could have been sad, bitter, depressed, angry, furious, or full of hostile feelings toward her master because of her situation, but she seemed more concerned about his wellbeing and tried to find a solution for his illness.
I wonder what kind of upbringing she had. Her parents had already planted respect and love in this girl's heart. What a testimony to her parents.
She felt compassion for her master and wanted to help Him
2 Kings 5:3 And she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy."
Naaman’s fate was changed by this girl. She felt compassion for her master and wanted to help him by sending him to her homeland to be healed by the prophet there. Naaman was blessed through this girl.
We are also called to show respect and preserve dignity through humanitarian acts.
Aren't we all displaced persons? Displaced from our original home. God has mercy and compassion on us. He treats us with dignity.
He asks us to do likewise with our fellow humans, to take a stand against violence and bring back dignity!
Dagmar Dorn, EUD Women’s Ministries Director
See the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zXVA_0FfqY
Starting at 6:30 min