New Urban World Journal: Vol 7 (1), January 2019

By Thomas P Albinson, Brad Coath and John D Trotter

The New Urban World Journal is published by Urban Shalom Publishing. This edition focuses on migration and hope in the city. Articles include 'Finding Hope in the Global Refugee Crisis,' a reading of Matthew's gospel for a displaced community, 'A ministry of place for people on the move,' and reflections on life on the U.S/ M

• Language: English
• Publisher: Urban Shalom Publishing
• Release date: Jan 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9780648472513

Thomas P Albinson

Tom Albinson has been serving refugees since 1980. In response to the need for an international mission agency designed for ministry in refugee contexts, he founded International Association for Refugees (IAFR) in 2009. Over the years, Tom has provided leadership and ministry support to missionaries serving refugees in Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. In 2013, Tom was appointed by World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) to serve as Ambassador for Refugees, Displaced and Stateless People. Tom is an active founding member of the Refugee Highway Partnership - a growing international network of Christians serving forcibly displaced people.

Book preview

NUWJ2019Jan_cover.pngThe New Urban World Journal is published by Urban Shalom Society with key partners Newbigin School for Urban Leadership, World Evangelical Alliance and Micah Global. The January 2019 issue is also sponsored by Bakke Graduate University, Nazarene Theological College and CMF International.

New Urban World

Vol. 7, no. 1 (Jan 2019)

Managing Editor

Andre Van Eymeren

Associate Editors

Bryan McCabe

Lynne Taylor

Amy Van Eymeren

Graphic Design

Amy Van Eymeren

Front Cover Photo

Carmen Janosch

Publisher

Andre Van Eymeren, International Coordinator Urban Shalom Society

Key Partner - Micah Global

Sheryl Haw, Director

Editorial Correspondence

Email: [e-mail]

The journal is available to purchase through online book stores.

Journal Origin

ISUM and NUW (ISSN 2201-0203) were established in 2012, in Klong Toey, Bangkok, Thailand, by the International Society for Urban Mission. The Journal is published semi-annually. COPYRIGHT ©2019 Urban Shalom Publishing. Print ISBN: 978-0-6484725-0-6

eBook ISBN: 978-0-6484725-1-3

Editorial Disclaimer:

Manuscripts published in New Urban World reflect the opinions of their authors and are not understood to represent the position of the Journal, its publisher, editors, ISUM, the Urban Shalom Society, or any other individual or group.

Contents

Editorial

Words For The Landless:

Matthew’s Gospel As Good News For A Displaced Community

Finding Hope In The Global Refugree Crisis

A Ministry Of Place For People On The Move

Book Review:

Building Communities Of The Kingdom

A Great Lament

Life On The U.S./Mexico Border

Urban Shalom Society Update

Editorial

Welcome to the January 2019 edition of the New Urban World Journal. In this edition we focus on migration and how this global phenomenon affects the urban environment. According to the 2017 United Nations International Migration Report (https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/international-migration-report-2017.html) 258 million people are considered migrants. UNHCR figures show of that 258 million, 68.5 million people are forcibly displaced - 40 million within their country, 25.4 million are seen as refugees and 3.1 million asylum seekers (https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html). The reasons for forced migration vary from civil war to natural disaster to people group persecution and so on. Responses from potential host countries vary from a welcome to closed border policies. Many experiencing forced migration find themselves in a hellish limbo, effectively being seen as non-persons, languishing in detention centres or living in substandard conditions as part of refugee camps, seemingly without hope.

Into this environment, Brad Coath, urban practitioner with Urban Neighbours of Hope, juxtaposes a contemporary experience of being a refugee in Australia with the audience of Matthew’s Gospel. He prophetically asserts that true justice ‘…is that which concerns itself with care of the poor and the welcome of strangers.’

Next, as founder of the International Association For Refugees and World Evangelical Alliance’s Ambassador for Refugees, Tom Albinson is well placed to speak hope into the refugee crisis. In his article, he begins to map a pathway to hope, stating that refugees are more than people in need, that God is active in the space and that local churches are becoming connected right throughout the refugee highway.

Our third academic article is by John Trotter. John, a long-time mission practitioner and pastor explores the creation of place for people on the move. He encourages us that working with migrant groups is a long-haul activity with many layers and nuances. He believes it takes prayer, discipleship and hospitality to make a difference in an urban migrant setting.

Sami DiPasquale, Executive Director of Ciudad Nueva and resident in El Paso on the US – Mexico border, also gives us an insight into this highly contested space. As well, Jon Humphries a Uniting Church minister in Australia shares an urban lament. We share an update on the Urban Shalom Society and feature a book review by Prof Bryan McCabe.

Finally, I hope this recently past Christmas season was a time of refreshing and renewal as you remembered the birth of Jesus, not only our saviour, but a person with a history of forced migration.

Every Blessing

Andre Van Eymeren

Words For The Landless:

Matthew’s Gospel As Good News For A Displaced Community

Brad Coath

introduction

Ravi made the long and dangerous journey from Sri Lanka to Australia by boat in late 2012, fleeing the aftermath of civil war in which Tamils continued to face harassment, abduction, and torture. After twenty-three days on the ocean, he and his fellow travelers arrived at Cocos Island, where he was taken by the Australian Navy to Christmas Island. He spent the next two years in immigration detention in Darwin and Melbourne, before finally being allowed to live in the community. Ravi’s struggle however, was only beginning.

In 2015, he married Thivya, who had come to Australia in 2013 from a refugee camp in southern India, and in 2016 they had their first child. Ravi and Thivya moved to Dandenong in Melbourne’s south-east where they developed strong links with other Tamil community. After Ravi’s case for asylum was rejected in March 2017, Ravi became increasingly depressed and anxious about what was in store for his young family. He worked multiple jobs, but when his work rights were revoked he resorted to working cash-in-hand laboring jobs, finding himself underpaid and with no power to insist on safe work practices on building sites. In April 2018, Australian Border Force officers came to Ravi and Thivya’s home at 3am one morning, where Ravi was taken back into detention to await removal back to Sri Lanka.¹

Ravi’s situation is not unique. He is one of 68.5 million forcibly displaced people around the globe, of which 25.4 million are refugees, 3.1 million are asylum seekers, and 40 million are internally