I was a stranger and you invited me in

After the world marked World Refugee Day last month, imagine having to flee your home country and living on £8 a week with no access to toothpaste. This is the reality of life for many of the refugees, and asylum seekers Elim’s Daniel Habtey, Elodie Josland and Hani Shadad are helping.

MISSIONARY DANIEL HABTEY: Working with Elim Missions and CAM International in Huddersfield. Supporting displaced people from Eritrea.

Which refugees are you supporting? We’re supporting the Eritrean diaspora who are displaced through persecution.

Our vision is to help Eritrean refugees become competent, skilled, socially responsible and ethically minded.

This transformative process aims not only to equip them with skills but also to instil a sense of responsibility, community engagement and giving back to society.

How are you helping? Persecution can be devastating on a personal and community level.

Most refugees have to establish new lives, careers, family and friends from scratch.

Being disconnected from their roots can lead to hopelessness, while perilous journeys involving mistreatment and kidnapping can be traumatic.

Giving hope, encouragement and showing compassion is crucial.

We help them rebuild their lives by fostering personal development, leadership and offering basic support for physical needs.

The aim is to enable them to overcome their challenges and become a blessing, to heal their trauma and focus on their future and to enhance their personal, family and community lives.

How did you get into this work? As refugee myself I was persecuted, faced a perilous journey through places such as the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea and was arrested in Libya, yet God turned my life into a blessing.

My past is healed, the present makes sense and my future is secured.

Now I’m trying to help others because I understand their situations. As Joseph said, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

… story continues