Supplies for Afghan Refugees Arrive at Birmingham Airport
As news of the plight of refugees from Afghanistan was reported around the world in mid-August 2021, with distressing scenes of families struggling to leave their country, they started to arrive at Birmingham Airport. Within 48 hours, 1,000 bottles of water, over 20,000 nappies, and hundreds of sanitary pads, tins of powdered infant formula, and ready-made formula, provided by members of the Church from the areas of Northampton and Milton Keynes, were delivered to the airport.
Steve Edwards, a Church member who volunteers for the Red Cross, was on the scene to witness the thousands of refugees arriving with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. Following his prompt report back to local leaders, led by Robert Clayton, and the local JustServe committee, an action plan was immediately formed for members of each congregation to voluntarily donate money for goods to be purchased for the refugees whilst in ten-day quarantine. Steve’s initial comments when serving at the airport were, “A difficult situation. Lots of families, and we are mainly feeding them with sandwiches prepared at the airport and giving out blankets and clothing.” He was then able to list the items which would be of most need to the refugees.
The prompt response by around 800 members was a demonstration of the words in Matthew 25:35, ‘’For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink”, adding to the service of hundreds of thousands of Church members all over the world.
With thousands of refugees from Afghanistan arriving daily, the situation will evolve as they are housed and supported around the UK. As Church leader Reyna I. Aburto stated in April 2018 general conference, “Miracles happen when the children of God work together guided by the Spirit to reach out to others in need”.1
Note