Episcopal Migration Ministries offers virtual reality refugee experience

Examples of the Church’s mission and ministry on display in the Exhibit Hall include a tent from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees  (UNHCR), offering an experience of solidarity with  refugees’ journey as they seek asylum in a safer place, like the United States. The display offers visitors a “virtual reality” experience of the life of a young Syrian refugee. With a simple cardboard viewer, which holds an iPhone, visitors get a 3-D, 365-degree view of life in the refugee camp.

“The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society resettles refugees in partnership with our 30 resettlement affiliates in 26 dioceses across the United States,” commented Samuel McDonald, who oversees the work of refugee resettlement as Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Director of Mission for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.  “In 2014, 70,000 refugees were resettled in the U.S., 5,155 of whom were resettled through the work of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society."

“Involving Episcopalians in the work of refugee resettlement is as much a part of the work of refugee resettlement as the refugees themselves,” McDonald explained.  “Answering God’s call to share in this work gives us as people a faith a great gift to share in God’s mission and to meet Jesus in an incarnational way.”