On February 10th we posted on a story from Boise, ID where a prospective volunteer for World Relief claimed she was asked to sign some document agreeing with the religious views of World Relief before she could volunteer to help refugees. If you don’t know the post, perhaps you should read it, here, first before reading the following comment from Ralph Parker, a refugee volunteer in Atlanta.
Here is what Mr. Parker is reporting to us:
My local contact at World Relief-Atlanta confirms that there is no
policy to allow only Christian volunteers. No spiritual assessment form
is used and no questions of a religious nature is brought up. They are a
Christian agency and most employees are Christians as are volunteers.
Their Atlanta office has always been multicultural with people of many
religions employed. They employee Burmese, Bhutanese and Arabic
caseworkers. The only thing that is asked is that potential volunteers
read their mission and value statement. I am a non Christian and I would
sign their code of conduct. While they work in the examples of Jesus and
his grace, values represented are universal for most religions and to
those without religion based on a sense of moral values. I do not see
why any Non Christian would not sign this if they truly want to work
with refugees. The World Relief staff has been outstanding and many have
been on staff for years. It is not uncommon for them to visit during non
work hours. In my humble opinion, as far as Atlanta is concerned they
are above reproach and many refugees have told me they wished they were
with them.
I have no idea what their Boise office was asking the potential
volunteer to sign. It would be interesting to see it.