would you take in a refugee?

[FLA]

I'm not going to get political on this, I'm just curious what you think you would do if the situation came up.

I would take in at most a couple (kids are too much for my sick mom) who are Muslim or Syrian. But I could only afford to do it if the gov't subsidized their food and clothing. We don't have the money to take on the total cost of the refugee.

I asked my parents what they would do. And both said they would take someone in. I am surprised at this, they are elderly and not well.

I would feel safe since they are getting 2 yrs of vetting. I wonder if it will come to this

[creditcardfree]

I currently would not. I legally can't house anyone else in the home we are renting. However, depending on the circumstances I definitely would assist temporarily, if I owned my own home.

Many churches tend to help these families arriving here and usually look to put them up in their own apartment rather than living with strangers, at least that is how I have seen it done.

[StormRichards]

No, absolutely not. I have a pre-teen daughter. I am not inviting anyone I don't know to live in my house.

[snafu]

During the Vietnam pandemonium as military left, all charity organizations, society's, churches, schools, retail businesses etc. put their resources into overdrive to provide for refugees. Everyone was asked to help by signing a commitment from long lists of needs. We joked it resembled a Chinese menu, [3 from list #1 , 2 from list # 3 etc]. Most churches had an 'Adopt a Family' program so that you were the #1 resource for your adopted family. It was like caring for a newly placed infant but they were all full sized. There were only modest costs but you were on duty 24/7.

Our schools all had food and clothes drives. Moms sized [form chart] organized and hung clothes on giant racks. Medical offices donated OTC products and Children's Hospital collected and dispersed RX products.
My folks owned an apartment building and everyone from the Landlord Society offered short term free accommodation from vacancies.

Canada has a very specific government program for refugees, not immigrants ...refugees, are people who cannot return to their homeland because they will be killed. In this case, there is not anything resembling a homeland to return. Like the Balkans or Lebanon, eventually there will be some taxpayer paid repatriation

[Thrif-t]

Honestly, no. But I would donate or provide assistance to whatever community church or organization that needed my help.

[Outdoorsygal]

We are renting so we cannot really do this...but I would let them squat on any of the land we own.
Likely help with obtaining some kind of shelter or loan out our tent trailer.
I would do that for anyone though

[clatoden99]

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Rules? Same as for any other person I would have in my home. No extra-special crazy lunatic rules only for Muslims or refugees from crazy lunatic Muslims.

People are all people. Those poor folks have been forced to leave everything - everything - they have EVER known.

Imagine your 80 yo grandma in Iowa. Bombs are going off all around her. Military people are shuffling about, randomly executing men she's known since they were babies.

They're screaming at her to GO GO GO

So she bundles up some photos and clean underwear in a blanket and starts walking with the others. She doesn't know any language but English. I mean, she's lived in Iowa her whole life, right?

I'll skip the two week walk to the refugee camp and the 16 months she spends there, sleeping on a cot in a tent.

So, she finally gets to the US. And everyone tells her that she can't have a place to live out her remaining years.

We're all Christians, you see, and we're SO ruled by fear that we can't help an old woman. Go sleep on the ground.

I would welcome anyone, from anywhere who has been displaced because of war.

This includes men and women of any age.

I am not a Christian, but what would Jesus really do?

[snafu]

Sorry, I was called away, unable to finish my remarks. Everyone I knew contributed in some way to help the VN refugees to the best of their ability in their own circumstances.

I would certainly take a refugee into my home on the understanding I was doing my best to be helpful. We believe in freedom of religion so prayers are good, whatever the deity. I know there are foods they don't eat and many abstain from alcohol so I'd try comply as much as possible. I figure Canadian style foods [in packages] will seem pretty strange.

[bjl584]

No. I'm not really in a position to do that. I'd donate to some cause, but I couldn't invite someone into my home.

[rennigade]

Nope, not a chance.

I wouldnt take anyone in period unless it was a close friend or relative. And even then there would be a time frame as to when they will be leaving.

[creditcardfree]

No, absolutely not. I have a pre-teen daughter. I am not inviting anyone I don't know to live in my house.

That would be my other hesitation! I also have a teen daughter at home, but she has a big heart, so I would guess she would want to help.

[bigdaddybus]

nope, I have adopted 2 kids out of foster care and their is so much need in the US that goes unfilled. I would be more likely to take in homeless American kids than refugees from another country

[MonkeyMama]

Absolutely, yes. We have the means to help.

I am not a Christian either, but I am a human with compassion.

[Butterscotch]

Yes I would take in a refugee. Ideally a woman or children, but I wouldn't be against a man. Not his fault he's a man and I don't assume all men are deviants.

[james.hendrickson]

Guys - James here. Wearing my moderator hat, I moved this to the "everything else" section.

FLA - thank you for posting a relevant and timely topic.

The subject is important. And it is not about saving money and it is not about finance. The refugee topic is also highly likely to start a fight, so I went ahead and made the decision to move the thread.