Hope Across Borders: God’s Word for Diaspora Communities
When people pack their lives into bags, whether carefully calculated or rushing to flee danger, and step onto a plane, bus, or boat bound for a new land, they carry more than just belongings. They carry memories of home, the weight of loss, and the fragile hope of starting again.
Across the globe, diaspora communities are reshaping the cultural scene of cities and towns. Their stories tell of strong resilience unknown to most of us. But they are also stories of longing: longing for belonging, for safety, and for a voice that speaks to their hearts.
A Global Movement of Displacement
The numbers are staggering. Millions of people across the world are on the move, driven by conflict, poverty, or opportunity. Refugees from war-torn regions, migrant workers in industrial hubs, international students in bustling university campuses - each group faces unique challenges. Yet they share a common thread: the need for community and the hope of faith.
Bible Societies across the world are stepping into this space, with a mission that is simultaneously timeless and urgent: to ensure that every person, no matter where they are, can encounter God’s Word in a language and format they understand.
This year, Bible Society Northern Ireland have the privilege of supporting a few of these projects across the world.
Austria
Austria has become home to thousands of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Nigeria, and most recently Ukraine. Many arrive traumatised, uncertain of their future, and often unwelcome in their new surroundings.
The Austrian Bible Society has faithfully served these communities since 2016, providing free Scriptures in the hear languages of these refugees and asylum seekers. Bibles, New Testaments, audio proclaimers, and special Scripture selections are distributed in refugee camps, homes, detention centres, and prisons.
For many people, a Bible in their own language is a lifeline, bringing comfort and hope. One of the Ukrainian recipients in Vienna said, “A Bible in one’s own language is, for many, like a piece of home.”
Another recipient in a prison in lower Austria said, “This book (the Bible) gives me a sense of friendliness and inner peace… I understand that God gives me peace and that the way to happiness is to follow Him.”
Iran
For the past four decades, Christians in Iran have lived under immense pressure and persecution. Converting from Islam is treated as a crime, owning a Bible is illegal, and Bible distribution is absolutely forbidden.
Despite these conditions, the Church is growing at an astonishing rate. Many new believers describe life-changing encounters with Jesus - moments of revelation, visions, or dreams that draw them to faith, but it is impossible to know Jesus without a Bible.
It is in this context that the Iranian Bible Society (in Diaspora) are working with over 200 covert partners, distributing thousands of Scriptures annually, training leaders, and equipping house church networks. What might seem as simple as owning a Bible can spark a whole revolution for Jesus in a community.
One Body
Scripture reminds us that in Christ, we are one body; one family. Serving diaspora communities is not just about serving ‘others’ but in fact recognising that the Church is a global family that crosses every border.
Bible Societies around the world cannot continue this vital ministry without your support. Every pound you give helps someone in a diaspora community to encounter Christ through His Word.
When God’s Word crosses borders, hope follows.
This spring, as we watch the world around us reawaken from winter, and as we prepare to celebrate the hope of resurrection at Easter, let us remember those who are far from home, searching for their new home. By supporting these projects, we can place the Bible into the hands of those who need it most.
Together, we can serve diaspora communities, strengthen the global church, and live out the radical welcome of Christ.
Will you join us?
