Friends,
We shd pray for our Prime Minister & the Home Office: "By the end of 2023, the Prime Minister has pledged to clear the backlog of 92,601 so-called 'legacy' cases which had been in the system as of the end of June last year." (Independent Newspaper)
The costs are eye-watering: "Home Office spending on asylum in the year to June rose by £1.85billion, up from £2.12billion in 2021/22." (GB News) The asylum crisis is costing Britain £4 billion a year* [comparative annual UK figures: prisons £.5 billion, schools cost £106 billion]. As Christians, we should not be angry so much at footing this bill as taxpayers, but because able-bodied young people are left in limbo and unable to properly contribute to society, so that sparse public funds will not be able to go to those really in need of welfare.
"Lord, please would these precious people, made in your image, all 175,457 people waiting for an initial decision on their asylum claims, become productive members of UK society, or where their claims are judged spurious be speedily removed, so that they can help contribute to the welfare of their country of origin rather than being left in limbo, unable to do paid work and often left anxious and depressed. Help us as churches to help them integrate and learn English; and may we be enriched and challenged by the many beautiful things in their cultures, so that our churches more and more resemble the 'house of prayer for all nations' which our Lord Jesus died to create. And may many who observe the kindness of UK churches be pointed to the Lord Jesus' wonderful grace and become followers of Jesus. Amen"
Your brother in Christ,
Jeremy
* I assume this includes all costs, not least the hotel accommodation, but the GB News article doesn't clarify.
