Did you know that Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. founded Jesuit Refugee Service on November 14, 1980?

On this special day, we reflect on 44 years of service and we give thanks for the countless volunteers, staff, donors, and supporters who have made this mission possible. Together, we have witnessed the transformative power of faith, action, and accompaniment. 

What began as a small initiative to provide education and support to refugees in Southeast Asia has grown into a global organization that serves millions across over 58countries. 

For over four decades, JRS has embodied the Jesuit tradition of finding God in all things, offering a ministry of compassion, justice, and solidarity with the most marginalized. With a deep commitment to the dignity of the human person, JRS has walked alongside refugees in their journey of displacement, striving not only to address immediate needs but also to foster long-term resilience and hope. 

In the face of some of the world’s most complex crises, JRS has been a voice for the voiceless, advocating for the rights of refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) on the international stage. It is a reminder to us all that our collective humanity is bound by the shared responsibility to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable among us. 

A word from our Country director, Norbert Piché : 

I’ve been working with refugees for 30 years.  I’ve met people from all over the world: from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.  They are all very different from each other.  There are leaders, shy people, talkative people, angry people, impatient people, carefree people, happy people, you name it.  But one thing they all have in common is a disposition for hospitality.  When I visit them, they welcome me as if I were part of their family.  It’s impressive and touching at the same time: people who hardly know me and who have very few resources receive me and offer me what they can and even more, I would say.  

One day, some people from French-speaking Africa started calling me ‘The Great Burnt One’.  Not understanding the reason behind it, I asked them why they were calling me that.  They explained to me that when a black person gets burnt, their skin tends to turn white.  That’s when I realised that they considered me to be one of them.  

On this 44th anniversary of the Jesuit Refugee Service, I invite you to get to know a refugee and to let yourself be known.  Become their friend, walk alongside them; perhaps you too will have the chance to become a ‘Great Burnt One’.