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Zara* knocked on our door looking for English lessons on the first day of the Great Britain Covid-19 lockdown. She spoke very little English and seemed quite young considering she had two primary-age children with her. I could also see that she was pregnant with her third child, and managed to understand that she was a refugee who had been married since she was thirteen years old. When lockdown restrictions were eased, we initiated weekly English conversation sessions with her.
One day we received a happy message from Zara along with a photo of her beautiful newborn baby daughter. English sessions continued in her home, or occasionally walking and talking in the local park.
Before long, James* met Zara’s husband and began one-to-one English sessions with him too. Rafiq shared the story of his traumatic journey from home-nation to the UK, and how along the way, he experienced kindness, care and love from followers of Christ in many places. He was questioning why people of his own faith were not there to support him or his family in their time of need and was very grateful for the support of Christians.
It is the demonstration of God’s love for this refugee family that has sparked a curiosity about the motivation behind our kind and caring actions.
Only three months after the birth of her daughter, a very distraught Zara called Ann*. She was pregnant again but did not want another pregnancy. Apart from the financial implications and cramped space in their sub-standard 2-bedroom flat, Zara suffers from Gestational Diabetes. She doubted her ability to cope with two babies under one-year-old, plus maintain care for her two older children at the same time.
We assured Zara of our support throughout her pregnancy and beyond, and introduced her to other friends who also gave Zara the support she needed. We took a very active role in the life of her three children and made sure Zara got the rest she needed throughout her pregnancy; we prayed with the family whenever we were with them; we arranged for someone to accompany Zara to her prenatal checkups, because in Zara’s culture she would never do this alone; and we worked hard to secure a bigger and safer flat for the family, but have so far been unsuccessful.
As the day grew closer for baby’s delivery, Zara asked Ann to be her birthing partner… such an honour! A baby boy was born and has brought much joy to the family.
Since then, Zara and her family have accompanied us to church on two occasions, and Zara has said that she would like to read the Injeel (New Testament) together. It is the demonstration of God’s love for this refugee family that has sparked a curiosity about the motivation behind our kind and caring actions.
*James and Ann are Interserve partners working in Great Britain. All names have been changed to protect identities.
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