For months now, almost every day, the first pages of newspapers, European and non-European, broadcast the tragedy that is taking place in the Mediterranean. There are refugees arriving from the coasts of Africa with the hope of ending their despair.
But unfortunately it is not like that. Many refugees do not know what awaits them along their exodus. Unfortunately innocents children are involved, forced to live a tragedy that they will carry with them forever, if they survive.
The migrant situation continues to be traumatic.
Members of the Inter-European Region of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (EUD) show their sorrow at the news that continues to bring migrants on the run and many of them drown at sea. We are not insensitive to the anguish of those who are not saved, especially the gaze of parents who see their children drown, or the children who see their parents drown.
We are not insensitive to the images reported in the newspapers where once again we see lifeless children. A gruesome and unacceptable situation.
While the leaders are busy debating the appropriate solution, which seems to be increasingly remote, the list of those drowning and missing continues to increase.
As Adventist Church we expresses our deep concern over the prolongation of this tragedy, we appeal to all the leaders who are in charge of finding a suitable solution, to quickly find every possible solution to stop this massacre.
As Christians and believers, we cannot and will not remain insensitive to every human life that succumbs so violently, especially when it comes to children.
We understand how important it is for a government to protect its borders, but we also ask the leaders themselves to consider the value of their resolutive intervention.
We are aware that the vast majority of these migrants are seeking shelter from the desperation that has long assaulted them. Nobody wants to leave their country, the city where they were born and grew up in. We're not talking about habits, but rather needs to be met and protection which is at the top of the list. And when this fails, despair takes over, then the people would even take the challenge of jumping into the void. Many unfortunately won't be able to tell about it.
It is not difficult to imagine the state of mind of those who undertake the journey at sea forced to get on boats that they know are not absolutely safe. But unfortunately desperation is also added to the escape from torture, from unnecessary violence, from the slavery they have encountered along their exodus. We are not insensitive to this scenario.
As an Adventist church we have established a world day dedicated to migrants, meeting them, making them talk, inviting them to make us understand the reason for their courageous choices. Their stories do not need comments.
Around the world and especially in Europe ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency), is offering its incomparable support encountering the needs of migrants where and when this is possible. You can see it on YouTube.
In the Bible the question of the migrant is clearly expressed by the Lord himself who appeals to take into account those who are forced to leave their country.
As an Adventist Church, we appeal to all authorities, religious or otherwise, to join in prayer to ask the Lord to convince those who must intervene, to do it as soon as possible and resolutely.
