The challenge of xenophobia and how we deal with refugees has not yet been dealt with. Maybe it would be a good starting point to accept refugees and migration as facts of life. For now, however another outburst looms as the now (in)famous Central Methodist is accused of harbouring 'illegals' and messing up our city centre. In another Radio 701 interview, caller after caller expressed their disgust at the stench, the squalor and the overcrowding at this (pretty mainline, non-emergent) church.
Yet, it remains a question, what is the Spirit telling us of this overcrowded refugee church. Of course, the pastor here, never goes to town about their fantastic growth or their fame. From what we hear it's simply a case of a dirty, messy and black African church, a refuge for the most vulnerable, arriving many times on foot, fleeing decay, disease, death. It is a church that is known to be open to acknowledge the reality of migration, of the vulnerable of the shocking face of how the powerful maintain their positions of power. For these poor people, this church is a sign of hope and as such, for the property developers, the business people around the church, a source of disturbance. I'm sure these neighbours would hope and pray for a quiet, middleclass faithful and possibly, they are doing everything in their power, to make it happen- so that this church can stop being a refugee church, and again be a 'normal' church, a good neighbour.
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