Give the Gift of a Welcome: Mori’s Story
Mori had just started to feel settled in a local community in the UK after the journey he had been on. He couldn’t believe that he had now been relocated to another town over 100 miles away, without being given a choice and with just a few hours notice. Amazingly, his pastor was able to use the online Welcome Network and connect him with a new church that was ready to welcome Mori into the community.
Morteza, or Mori to his friends, was born and raised in a Muslim family in Iran. In his country, he had everything - a master’s degree, a good job in finance - everything except the freedom to know God. Mori came to know Christianity as not just as a religion but as a way of life. Read below from Mori about how God’s will worked in his life:
“I was abroad on vacation when I found out from my mother that security forces had discovered my conversion to Christianity and raided my house to arrest me and my family. I will never forget my mother’s cries when she begged me not to return home at any cost.
The penalty for leaving Islam in my country can be death! I had to run away from my country and leave my family and the life that I had built.
When I arrived in England, I didn't have any friends or know anyone. I was transferred to a hotel in a small town knowing nothing about the UK asylum process; the hotels, the length of stay, and the expectation of moving or staying. Three people we have known in the church have been moved on, with a phone call in the morning and gone by the evening. People who we have learned from, laughed with, cooked with, and shared the love of Jesus in our church family.
I always knew that my stay was temporary and that one day I would leave! Another separation, this time from my new family with all the good memories and friendships. I was transferred to Folkestone in a van and entered the camp at midnight. Seeing a military camp in the middle of the night was a scary sight! I was very nervous…”
Thatcham Baptist Church found two Welcome Network Churches near Mori’s new location. Using the referral system, Mori was able to be introduced to a new church the same day that he was moved.
‘Christ's love has no end! This is a lesson I learned in Christianity.’
- Mori
Practicing love and hospitality is foundational to the Christian life. There are over 1000 churches in the Welcome Network that are ready to offer a welcome to refugees or people seeking asylum who are relocated at short notice. Welcome Churches is equipping and resourcing these churches, to give more refugees a welcome when they arrive in the UK. We are also providing important information and tools about life in the UK to refugees, to help them to settle and thrive in their local community.
Give the Gift of a Welcome this Christmas to help ensure that more Welcome Network churches can be there to welcome refugees and people seeking asylum throughout the country.
