Justice Week 2018: Encountering Refugees - Geneva College
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Justice Week 2018: Encountering Refugees

Picture of Justice Week 2018: Encountering Refugees
Campus Life Humanities and Liberal Arts

Each year, Geneva College marks Justice Week, an important event on the Geneva campus for all students. Justice Week is an opportunity for the Geneva community to come together to pray, learn and to develop a deeper understanding of the concept of biblical justice. Justice Week at Geneva includes a number of activities, programs, dialogues and conversations that raise awareness of a particular topic. In previous years, the programs have covered a wide array of topics including poverty, pro-life, social justice, hunger and disaster relief.

This year, Justice Week at Geneva tackled the topic of refugees, including their lives and how they are treated by modern society. Emphasis was placed on how Christians should view and treat refugees from foreign countries. As Christians, we are called to be good and loving neighbors to our brothers and sisters both foreign and domestic. Vibrant hospitality should be a vital characteristic of Christians, and it is a core value of Geneva College.

Justice Week 2018 allowed students to learn more about the refugee crisis in the Middle East and how to approach refugees and better understand their trials and lifestyles. Justice Week activities included:

Monday – Agapo Organization of Pittsburgh introduced students to refugees currently being shown the deep love of Christ-followers in their ministry.

Tuesday – Fellowship of Christian Athletes co-sponsored an exploration about what it means to be displaced through Spoken Word and Open Mic Night: “Seeing Each Other in the Other.”

Wednesday – The documentary, Salam Neighbor, an award-winning film and campaign to connect the world to refugees, was screened. The film explores the inside a Syrian refugee camp with the first filmmakers allowed to be registered and given a tent inside the camp.

Thursday – “Walking in their Shoes: A Simulation” enables students to put themselves in the mental frame of mind as a refugee and imagine all the steps they took upon this journey. Upper Room: A Prayerful Response gathering followed.

Friday - Canvas on Campus features special guest artist Herb Baily, ministry director of Uncommon Grounds Café in nearby Aliquippa, PA. Baily helps students create their own piece of art in response and reflection on the theme of Justice Week.

Refugee crises are multi-faceted; they can involve politics, human rights, economics, and religion. Justice Week can help us get past the debates and better understand where refugees come from and how they think about the world and surroundings. Understanding refugees can help Christians show them the love of Christ. Once we love them and get to know them, we can recognize that we share something essential with them - in a way, we are all refugees in this world, hoping to find our way home.

Geneva College’s Core Values inform all that we do. With Christ as King and under scripture, we: Serve with grace, Pursue Godly wisdom, Foster academic strength, Engage culture faithfully, Inspire vibrant hospitality and Honor one another. Contact Admissions for information about becoming part of our Christ-centered academic community, 800.847.8255 | admissions@geneva.edu.

- Jacob Yarnell ‘19

Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.

Feb 9, 2018

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