Today, June 20, is World Refugee Day, an international day designated by the UN to honor refugees around the globe and the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country in order to escape conflict or persecution. So today we have some resources and ways to move toward solidarity with refugees from our team peacebuilder Jennie Telfer, who collaborates with Trauma Rescue Aid (TRAID), a refugee-led peacebuilding organization providing mental & physical health care, food support, and other forms of tangible aid to Sudanese families who fled the war in Sudan.

The unended Korean War persists because of fear and the fact that our leaders (in the USA, South Korea, and the DPRK) have so far been unable to sustain a de-escalatory spiral, but that can change. Here are some ideas for US actions and how you can advocate for them.

We must cultivate political will among American leaders to end the “forgotten” Korean war. It is long past time for the Korean people to have the peace and sovereignty they need to determine their own future. Here are some ways you can learn about the ongoing war and advocate for peace.

With so much bad news threatening to drown out hope, I felt challenged to write down a positive vision. If you feel that all your effort for good is in vain, remember that Jesus told his friends how to respond in these moments—to feed the hungry, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and visit prisoners (Matt. 25). May Christians be known for such love.

Hegemony.
Do you know that word?

I hadn’t learned it until college:
Intro to International Relations.

I didn’t know the word, 
reached for a dictionary
and was shocked to read it meant “dominance.”

Why would we study dominance?
My innocent idealism believed we would study

how to make the world more whole…
not more controlled…
but, I come to recognize, 
we often truly believe that
domination is the path to the good….

The South Korean President declared martial law on December 4th, 2024. The world watched with amazement as the Korean people rallied to their National Assembly in the middle of the night. Lawmakers pushed through police and soldiers to gain access to their parliament and voted to overturn martial law within six hours. What lies underneath this strong reaction? What's happening in the aftermath? And what can we learn from it?

We all encounter circumstances, people, and conversations that scare us. It is natural for our defenses to automatically kick into gear, preparing us to fight or escape at any cost. This is why I am amazed whenever I meet people who instead manage to pause their defense reactions long enough to engage their curiosity and seek to better understand their partner in conflict. This kind of dialogue is truly courageous.