Our journey from South Africa to Australia in early 2024 has been a profound testament to the hope that migrants carry. As we dealt with the uncertainties of moving to a foreign country and then navigating the challenges of starting a new life in a country so different from our own, our faith and trust in God has been our anchor. We are reminded that even though we may walk through a "darkest valley," as Psalm 23:4 says, we do not need to fear, for God is with us. 

The wave of migration has brought people across the miles to a place unknown to them. Theirs is an exodus that leads them to an unforeseen future holding on only to their faith in God. Thousands of migrants set out to settle in a foreign land with hope to seek refuge, security and a bright future for their families. They leave behind a home known to them and with certainty embark on a new place only to realize it is different from what they left behind. Nevertheless, it does not dishearten them to overcome every obstacle they come across with.

Being in a new country, migrants have to adapt to a different lifestyle, culture and practices. They surmount every difficulty that springs up as they struggle to learn everything. In spite of the challenges they face, they never doubted the unceasing protection of God. The reality of the trials of life they have gone through cannot be denied. They are beset with hardships and sometimes failures, but they don’t yield. Only trusting God keep them going because they know He does not abandon them.

As we celebrate the Jubilee of Migrants from 4-5 October, we also commemorate the 111^th World Day of Migrants and Refugees in the Church.

Every year, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees invites us to pause and remember the journeys of countless women, men, and children who leave behind their homes in search of safety, dignity, and opportunity. This year, as we mark the Jubilee of Migrants, the Church calls us not only to remember their struggles but to celebrate their resilience, their gifts, and their profound role in shaping our shared humanity.

The Jubilee of Migrants reminds us that migration is not just a social or political issue – it is a deeply spiritual one. As the document affirms, the Church herself is a pilgrim, a community always on the move, journeying together. People who are migrants embody this truth in a tangible way: they are living witnesses of human vulnerability and hope, carrying with them the possibility of new life, renewal, and communion.

Pope Francis has reminded us in his message for the 108^th World Day of Migrants and Refugees that history reveals a clear truth: “the contribution of migrants and refugees has been fundamental to the social and economic growth of our societies. Their work, their youth, their enthusiasm and their willingness to sacrifice enrich the communities that receive them”. Their stories are not marginal – they are central to who we are as a Christian community.