In recent years, The Netherlands opened up for thousands of asylum seekers; Afghans, Iranians, Sudanese, Angolese, Armenians, people from Sierra Leone and many other nationalities. They have often left behind a painful life of political repression, civil war and poverty. They continue to face an uncertain future. God asks of us to love the aliens. Gave desires to help the church in The Netherlands as well as in the rest of the world to realize and fulfill a threefold task:
Preaching the Gospel
Many asylum seekers come from predominantly Muslim countries. It is often impossible in their own country to freely hear the Gospel. Their arrival in a Western country offers unprecedented possibilities for the Christian church. Here they have freedom to hear about the Savior Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. What a miracle it is when a Muslim gets to know Jesus and can witness to his own people about Who He is.
Welcoming refugees in the church
An asylum seeker is often filled with feelings of uncertainty and loneliness. The Christian church in particular can offer the warmth of a community that cares for the widow, orphan and alien — a community that offers the comfort an asylum seeker needs.
Meeting practical needs of refugees
An asylum seeker often has practical problems, in addition to his spiritual and pastoral needs. The Christian church offers a host of possibilities to help in this way, from donating second-hand clothes to teaching language skills. It also may be necessary to offer housing to asylum seekers in critical circumstances, for example to those who are not assisted by the government and end up on the streets.
Gave strives to link churches with refugees, that together they may follow Christ. Gave assists churches in starting work among refugees and setting up good working structures. Gave offers intensive assistance, advice and supportive materials.
Gave - The Netherlands
Regional teams
Gave offers churches in The Netherlands assistance, courses and materials for working among asylum seekers. Gave helps the local church get started, so they can then work independently among asylum seekers. Gave wants to offer intensive assistance, that is why Gave chose to work with regional teams. Four teams can be of service to the church in this way.
Language teams
In addition to that, Gave has language teams, which focus on a specific group of asylum seekers. Currently, a Farsi Team organizes activities (Bible studies, cell groups, conferences) among people from Iran and Afghanistan. Also, meetings and Bible studies are organized for Somali, Arabic and Russian speakers and Kurds. The plan is to organize language teams for these groups as well.
Secondary activities
Gave encourages churches to build contacts with the asylum seekers in their own area. Gave considers this its front line work, the primary activities. When the contacts intensify, if often becomes evident that asylum seekers have a need for meeting people within their own cultural boundaries. That is why Gave started secondary support activities. Such activities are intended for specific groups of asylum seekers. For example: cell groups, conferences, BEE (English language Bible education) and praise evenings.
Courses
- Church and Refugee
- Counseling Refugees
- Bible studies with Refugees
- Activities for young Refugees
Materials
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Course syllabus Church and Refugee
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Course syllabus Counseling Refugees
- Training manual for youth work among Refugees
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Practical ideas for working with refugees
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Multilingual songbook
- Training manual for Bible studies with Refugees
- Lesson outlines for Christian primary education
Multicultural youth camps
Vacation weeks for asylum seekers and Dutch young people. Playing sports together, taking Bible studies and cultural experiences. The aim — have young people from different parts of the world meet each other and get to know God.
Helpdesk
Gave offers answers to all kinds of questions via the help desk. Some of the questions we answered at Gave: An asylum seeker moved to another part of The Netherlands; do you know a church that can contact him? An asylum seeker has to return to Cameroon; do you know Christians who can assist him when he goes back? How do I set up a children’s club at the refugee center? A Farsi man who became a Christian in The Netherlands has to return to Iran, what can I do for him? Where can I buy Arabic Bible study materials?
Children camps
Gave is in cooperation with YOY and Wegwijzer (Dutch children camp organization) in placing asylum seekers children in YOY-children camps. During the camp weeks the children hear the Gospel in a creative way.
Electronic newsletter
Gave is sending a newsletter by email to people who have contacts with asylum seekers. The newsletter informs of activities where asylum seekers can be invited (e.g. Armenian praise evening, conference for Iranians and Bible school for foreigners).
National training day
Gave annually organizes a national training day for encouragement and support of Christians who have contacts with asylum seekers. There are speakers, and work shops about relevant subjects (“Bible study and cell groups”, “youth work”, “how to deal with illegal asylum seekers”, “Christian politics and asylum seekers”, “dealing with disappointments”, etc.).
Gave - international
Gave wants to use the experiences that she developed in The Netherlands to help Christians in other parts of the world. That is why Gave assists and supports starting similar organizations in other countries. Several Gave materials have already been translated.
- Practical ideas for working with refugees translated in English, German and Danish.
- Course syllabus Church and Refugee translated in English, French and German (the chapter about the legal procedure has been omitted, because that differs per country).
- Course syllabus Counseling Refugees translated in English
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Multilingual songbook translated in English
Cooperative agreements
Gave participates in the
Refugee Highway Partnership. Gave’s role is to coordinate the European activities. The RHP was formed by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), in which several organizations worldwide share their knowledge and experience.
History
Gave is a Dutch acronym, meant 'Gastvrijheid aan Asielzoekers door Vriendschap en Evangelisatie (Hospitality to Asylum seekers through friendship and evangelisationl)
In 1992, a small group of young christians was reflecting on the Biblical commission to proclaim the gospel and provide hospitality to strangers. An important consideration was that while missionaries are going abroad to take God's Word there, the possibility had now arisen to bring the gospel to the many foreigners in this country. It also appeared that God was providing an open door among just these people for the message of His Word. There was a void: many refugees were not being reached with the gospel and in many places, Churches seemed to need help and advice regarding Church work among refugees.
This group of young people believed that the Lord had placed this on their path and a working group was formed which, through the many contacts, within a few years grew to become the interdenominational organisation Stichting Gave. There are appr. eight full-time workers and more than twentyfive part-time workers employed; the work is still growing.
actueel
Vertrek Henk van den Brink
6 februari 2007
Henk van den Brink stopt als directeur van Stichting Gave.
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