Jesus was born in an IDP Camp

In May this year I visited an internally displaced peoples (IDP) camp in Jijiga town of Somali region. It was not the worst I have seen, but this visit left me emotionally distressed for weeks. IDPs who had fled inter-ethnic violence were sheltered in a slaughter house that was not yet in use for its original purpose. In the middle of the building were two women who had given birth a few hours before my visit. These women had to surround themselves with a few stones for privacy. I cried.

Mary and Joseph were displaced from their home and fled about 150 km to Bethlehem when Mary was nine months pregnant. Like is typical with places of displacement, the IDP camp where Joseph and Mary fled to was crowded. Like many pregnant women in IDP camps, Mary needed somewhere private to give birth, but the only place available was a stable. Not long after the birth of Jesus, Mary was displaced by conflict once again and Joseph had to take his family and flee to Egypt; Mary and her family including Jesus were displaced a second time and this time became refugees.

Many around the world will be celebrating Christmas through this month. Let us not forget people who are currently in the same situation as Mary and her son Jesus. Many asylum seekers and migrants are facing horrendous situations in their quest for a home. These people are in our countries. This is a time to review the migration and refugee policies being developed and implemented in our countries.