Refugee Experience

June 20 is World Refugee Day, a day to remember the millions in our world who have been forcibly uprooted by persecution and violence. Many will never be able to return home and may never be able to live in safety – unless a U. S. community, like Buffalo welcomes them in.

Journey’s End Refugee Services is a Christian and community-based organization in Buffalo whose mission is to welcome refugees to Western New York. Journey’s End was begun more than 20 years ago by members of Bethlehem Presbyterian Church and others who felt a call to resettle refugees in Western New York. The Presbytery of Western New York has been a major financial supporter of the agency, which has received a grant from the Outreach Ministry Team in both 2008 and 2009. Through the years many local Presbyterian churches have sponsored refugee families and provided financial support to JERS. 

This year on June 20th, Journey’s End will celebrate World Refugee Day by sponsoring The Refugee Experience – an event for youth over age 14(all day) and adults (in the afternoon).This event will begin at 8:30am at St. Martin’s In-the-Field Episcopal Church on Grand Island for youth and their leaders or at 1:00pm at Trinity United Methodist Church on Grand Island for adults and parent and end at 4:00pm at Trinity United Methodist Church. During the day participants will experience a snapshot of the life in a refugee beginning with their escape from persecution; meet refugees, who now live in Western New York and hear their stories; eat a community meal and worship together.

Please encourage the youth and adults in your church to participate in this event. Registrations are required by June 8th to John Harbison, 773-7002 or johnharbison1@gmail.com or Tom Tripp, 839-5868 or tntljt@roadrunner.com.