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INTENTION : |
That refugees, forced by violence to abandon their homes, may find a generous welcome and the protection of their rights.
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In the stranger we meet God; opening our doors for the stranger means welcoming Him: I was a stranger you welcomed me (cf. Mt. 25:35).
Time and again, we witness acts of generous hospitality towards refugees: Tunisians opened their homes and shared the little they had with those who had fled the violence in Libya. In Togo, most of the asylum seekers who had fled the violence in C?te d'Ivoire were accommodated in host families. In France, the "Welcome" network is an example of hospitality in action: It consists of families and religious communities offering a temporary home to house asylum seekers.
In general, however, the attitude towards asylum seekers and refugees is rather hostile: They are perceived as unwelcome competitors for jobs, land, and public goods, as criminals or even as dangers to public welfare or national security. States have for years made every endeavour to close their borders to "unwanted" immigrants. In consequence, men, women and children in urgent need of protection are turned back to countries where they are in danger of being subjected to hunger, violence or human rights violations. Many even end up in detention centers.
Hospitality is deeply a human and Christian value that recognises the claim that someone has, not because he or she is a member of my family or my community or my race or my faith, but simply because he or she is a human being who deserves welcome and respect. Both Jewish and Christian scriptures stress the importance of hospitality to strangers. Those who do so are rewarded: Abraham is given a son because of his hospitality (Gen. 18:1-10, 19:1-3). Therefore do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels unaware (Hebr. 13:2).
For many civilisations and religions, hospitality is also a core value. In Islam, the Qur'an calls on the Muslim to "be kind ... to the neighbour who is of kin, and to the neighbour who is a stranger, ... and to the traveller" (4.36).
For the Pashtuns, melmastia (hospitality) is one of the ten principles that form the major components of their ethical code (Pashtunwali). Hospitality is also highly valued in Buddhist scripture: The Dhamma-pada (a Pali compendium of Buddha's teachings) advocates a life of generous giving to overcome the suffering caused by desire or craving. In Hinduism, the Taittiriya Upanishad proposes a form of hospitality that welcomes guests as if they were divine. And in Judaism, "showing hakhnasat orchim (hospitality) to guests is considered a mitzvah. When one knows of strangers who are hungry or need a place to relax, it becomes a legal obligation. Some rabbis consider hakhnasat orchim (literally the "bringing in of strangers") to be a part of gemilut hasadim (giving of loving kindness)," a foundational point of Jewish tradition.
Hospitality is not about going where refugees are, to be with them and to help them there. It is first and foremost about letting them come to where we are. Hospitality is to create a safe place where host and guest can experience trust, mutual acceptance, where an intimate knowledge of each other is possible. Offering hospitality means recognition of the individual, not to be treated as an anonymous number but to be recognised as a bearer of "the right to have rights". It is, therefore, not only a domestic practice. It also has an important political dimension: It is a challenge not only for individuals but for entire societies and states.
Amaya Valcarcel
Jesuit Refugee Service
International Advocacy Coordinator
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