How to be a Friend to an Immigrant
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How to be a friend to an immigrant
“Treat the foreigner the same as a native.
Love him like one of your own.
Remember that you were once foreigners in Egypt.
I am GOD, your GOD.”
Leviticus 19:34
There are many ways to begin but there’s no better way than learning from them.
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Questions about the listener’s background
"What prompted your move to (USA, Canada, etc)?"
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Questions that ask the listener’s opinion or advice,
"Where are you favorite places to eat in your area?"
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Questions that involve the listener’s imagination or ask for their emotions?
"How to do feel about the school your children are attending?"
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Discover the joy of practicing acts of kindness:
Surprise the new neighbor with a plate of homemade cookies or a potted plant.
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Find a need and meet it:
Are they in need of ESL classes? Refer them to local schools or church programs.
Do the need help with childcare? Refer them to a list of trusted babysitters or watch their children for a few hours.
Are they going through some crisis as a family? Reach out with a simple gesture, such as a card or a phone call, expressing care and offering prayer.
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Invite them over for a cup of coffee or tea – in your home or a coffee shop.
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Take an interest in their culture: Learn a phrase or two in their language or discover a tradition from their culture and ask them to explain it to you.
Used with permission: Intercultural Network, A division of Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada. For more info: interculturalnetwork@crusade.org
Related Reading:
Love is Patient and Kind
Where is my Home?
TODAY's Thought: Daily Devotional 
