"I was hungry

and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me

something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed

me... Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the

least of these..., you did it to me."

Words of Jesus Christ as

recorded in Matthew 25:35&40

News Flash!

Jesus of Nazareth has

recently been displaced from his home. Far from his home.

To no home at all. Far, far away from all he knew. From

all he had. From all he once loved as home. At no fault

of his own.

And "displaced' is the

nice word for what has happened. "Kicked out"

even sounds too sterile for what happened. Unless you

allow yourself to see the rough and hard boot of the

savage attacker and hear the bone-crunching kicks to the

body... and to the face... and to the head... and to the

heart. Kicked out! Too sterile? Unless you allow yourself

to see the piles of death left behind as messages to

scare even the bravest of those who would think about

staying and resisting. Yes, kicked, and kicked, and

kicked out he was.

Simply stated, while he was

trying to live a "normal" and productive

existence, forces of hate and violence began to rage

around him. In fact, the hatred and violence were

directed specifically at him because of his ethnic

origins. Imagine that. He was the designated enemy of a

demon-possessed war machine only because of his no-choice

birth into his family and culture.

When the killing began he

surely resisted. He surely tried to keep what he had and

loved. He surely attempted to fight the evil foe. But it

must have been too much to expect any good result from

those efforts. His bravery was surely better displayed in

discretion and valor as he worked for the lives and

safety of those whom he loved. They could not fight for

themselves as yet. They could not survive under these

horrible conditions without him.

So, what did he do? He gave

in to "displacement." Leaving everything that

could not be carried from his home, he lead those whom he

loved in the direction away from the jaws of death. He

and those whom he loved walked... and walked... and

walked... and walked. They were joined by other displaced

persons who were walking and walking and walking.

Because of their numbers

- their large and growing numbers - there was

no special attention given them. They were not quickly

rescued and restored. They were not quickly taken in and

cared for. Their medical needs were not quickly met.

Their basic needs for life were not around the next bend.

But they survived. Somehow they survived.

At the end of the first

long road there was some help. Jesus and those whom he

loves found tents and food and water lines and

information. Some information was bad, very bad. It said

"NO!" No, you can't go back home. No, you won't

survive a return to your previous life. No, you have no

hope in the past.

But some of the information

was good. Not great, but good. It said, "Yes!"

Yes, you have a future. Yes, you still have opportunity.

Yes, there are those who care about you and want the best

for you. Yes, you may go to a land far, far, far away.

Yes, there will be people there to help you and care for

you and even love you.

And so Jesus and those whom

he loves went to the far, far, far away place. In fact,

they CAME to the far, far, far away place.

And that place is here.

Right here! Right here in Fayette County, Ga. Jesus and

those whom he loves are safe now.

But they are not without

needs. They need a place to live. They need food to

eat and water to drink. They need a helping hand to get

established and started on their new lives. They need

jobs and schools and a community And yes, they need

money. And so do the people who want to help them.

That's where you come in.

Would you help? Would you give Jesus and those whom he

loves food and water and a welcome even though they are

strangers?

Of course you will!

Here's your chance: At

least three Kosovo families are coming to Fayette County

within the next week. Three local churches (that I know

of) are "sponsoring" these three families. But

the disciples in these churches are more like

coordinators. They need the community to offer

"hands-on" assistance also.

Maybe for now your best

opportunity to give Jesus food, water and welcome is for

you to give an offering to help settle the Kosovars here

in our community. If this is what your heart leads you to

do you may use these three churches as channels for your

tax-deductible gift.

Prince of Peace Lutheran

Church

257 Hwy. 314

Fayetteville 30214

770-461-3403

Providence United Methodist

Church

592 Bernhard Rd.

Fayetteville 30215 0

770-719-8800

Holy Trinity Catholic

Church

101 E. Walt Banks Rd.

Peachtree City 30269

On the "memo

line" you can write "Welcoming the

stranger" if you wish.

Thank you. God Bless You!

Kollmeyer is senior

pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in

Fayetteville.

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