Refugees
written by: Michael Natt
In the spring of 2022, I had a very distinct dream. In the dream, I was standing in front of a hotel, and a black van drove by and took a right turn. Afterwards, another black van stopped in front of the hotel, which was headed to Hamburg, and then drove off, taking a right turn.
After pondering the meaning of this dream for a few weeks, I determined that I was supposed to go to Hamburg, Germany. There is also the city of Hamburg in my home state of Minnesota, but I did not feel a calling to take the easier route.
My oldest daughter has lived in Berlin for the past 15 years, so I contacted her to see if she was available to meet up in Hamburg for what has become our annual meet-up in various European cities. So, we booked a hotel and planned an adventurous trip.
I also contacted my friend Jürgen, who lives in Hamburg. Jürgen and his wife, Monica, are part of All Nations International (ANI), a ministry with a vision to see Jesus worshiped by all the peoples of the earth. They focus on giving those who have not yet had access to the gospel the opportunity to get to know Jesus. Many who have not yet heard the gospel are refugees from Muslim nations who have fled to the West to escape war and persecution.
Since January 2015, 71,000 refugees have arrived in Hamburg, and 39,000 are still living in the city. Most refugees came from war-torn Syria, and from the troubled areas of Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Eritrea. During my time visiting Jürgen, I learned more about the plight of refugees, and I had the opportunity to share a meal with two men from Iran.
Branded by the government as an activist, Nima took his 7-year-old daughter and fled his country, walking 3000 miles to freedom. Likewise, Mohamed left friends and family, passing through eight countries to reach freedom.
They met each other at a refugee camp, and I met them at a Farsi Welcome Café in Hamburg. Nima spoke fluent English, so he brokered our three-way conversation. Mohamed showed me the bullet wound in his abdomen and the bullet that was still lodged in his forearm.
I prayed with Nima for a quick and safe reunion with his wife, and I asked God to bless them in their new homeland. Mohamed, a self-described agnostic, also requested prayer.
My daughter and I went on to take a walking tour and a boat tour of Hamburg, as well as a modern jazz concert at the magnificent Elbphilharmonie concert hall. On our way back to the hotel that evening, I noticed that the front of the hotel looked vaguely familiar. When I saw a van take a right turn just past the hotel, I knew I was in the right place.
- Refugees - September 18, 2025
- A Young Woman From Albania - November 8, 2024
- Surrounded - May 21, 2024
