Let me tell you a true story about refugees. There were over 100 who had already fled their home country together because of severe and dangerous persecution. They had sought refuge in one country, but now needed to move on. They paid a lot of money to arrange two small boats to carry them across precarious waters to a country where they thought they could be free and safe. One of the boats was so leaky that after just a short ways, both of the boats turned around and went back to where they started. Those refugees in the leaky boat decided either not to risk it again or to overload the boat that had a chance of making it. The bravest or the most afraid launched out again on their dangerous journey.
Sixty-six days they were on that boat, many of which were quite stormy. Lots of seasickness, one baby born, and lots of prayers—as if they were their last words.
Finally, they made it to land—not where they intended to land, but at least they made it to land. They were received—more or less–by the locals, although theirs were very, very different cultures, different languages, and very different values.
Housing and food were barely adequate for the harsh weather that they experienced. Some of their people got sick, some died—actually many died.
As the traditional story goes, the winter months passed and after a successful harvest, these surviving refugees set aside three days to give thanks for their blessings. They invited the locals to join them, so 50 pilgrims and about 90 Native Americans feasted on deer and turkey and corn and much more, giving thanks to God for His provision.
We told this story to about a hundred refugees mostly from Iran, Iraq, and Syria on Thanksgiving Day in Athens, Greece, many of whom had quite similar stories of escape from danger and oppression. Sherrylee and I sat at the table with two families of believers from Iran who fled because they were persecuted as Christians. I asked if they ever wanted to go back, and they said they could never return for fear of being killed.
We shared turkey and cornbread dressing, green beans and mashed potatoes, apple and pecan pie—quite a feast, but before that feast we stood together, held hands, and thanked God for His provision—in Jesus’ Name.
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