Meet the Christians Who are Opening their Arms to Syrian Refugees

William Stocks knocks on a small apartment door with nothing but his English language books and a desire to help.

The door opens to a household full of Syrian refugees who recently fled to America from war-ravaged Syria. Stocks was there for the usual English lesson he teaches to the family. 

His visits come during a storm of political controversy in America. Many are concerned the increase of Syrian refugees in America could be a threat to national security and open the door to domestic terrorism. Meanwhile, others argue the U.S. has an obligation to provide refuge to the millions of Syrians who have been displaced by the violent civil war.

When Stocks knocks on the door of this Syrian family's house, he does not bring a political agenda, but what he calls the love of Christ. 

"My job is to serve these people because they need to be served," he told The New York Times. 

His efforts seem to have a positive effect on the members of this family. Anwar, the husband and father, says his family is receiving more than just an English education, but "goodness" too. 

Stocks is not the only Christian who has made it his mission to reach out to Syrian refugees. Some 1,055 churches are working to resettle refugees. These churches partner with World Relief, an organization that works to "end the cycle of suffering, transforming lives and building sustainable communities."
 
World Relief and the churches who work with them engage the refugees in their community by providing school supplies to refugee children, kitchen supplies, bedding, and other household items. 

Rev. Bryant Wright, the senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, is one of the churches who have partnered with World Relief. 

Wright acknowledges the risk of terrorism, but he thinks his efforts could prevent radical Islam from plaguing the refugee community.

"Think of it from a strictly practical standpoint," he told the Times. "Would it be better for these people to see Americans reaching out with love, and showing them all of the blessings Americans can have? Or do we turn our backs on them, and make them more sympathetic to Islamic terrorism?"