Nashville, TN (December 8, 2016) – Today our world is witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record with an unprecedented 65.3 million people around the world being forced from their homes, 10 million stateless people denied a nationality and access to basic rights, and nearly 34,000 people forcibly displaced daily due to conflict or persecution in their homeland. In response to this need for help, online Christian retailer Cokesbury.com is taking strides to offer hope to those in crisis.
This month, book readers can make an economic impact to help in alleviating the refugee hardship by choosing to purchase the book Refuge by Anne Booth and Sam Usher through Cokesbury.com in the month of December. From now through December 31, 2016, Cokesbury will donate $3 from the sale of each book sold to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating human suffering that coordinates thousands of relief programs in the U.S. and across the Globe. The book’s publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, will also donate $1 to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
Refuge is a timely rendition of the nativity story that follows Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus as they travel in a strange land, hoping to find refuge in the kindness of strangers. Its message encourages readers to consider the modern day implications of being forced to flee one’s home country.
“Cokesbury operates daily with a missional focus, but there’s no better time to encourage others to participate in showing the true Christ to the world than at Christmas.” said Blake Aldridge, Cokesbury’s Executive Director of Marketing. “We hope that this opportunity will encourage people to select gifts with a purpose, such as the Refuge book or the fair trade items that we proudly carry, as they not only bring joy to the recipient but also help to share God’s love with the world.”
Cokesbury is the retail division of The United Methodist Publishing House. Founded in 1789, The United Methodist Publishing House is a publisher and distributor to The United Methodist Church and the greater Christian community. Their mission is to reach more people in more places with quality services and resources that help them come to know and deepen their knowledge of God through Jesus Christ, learn to love God, and choose to serve God and neighbor. Visit them online at Cokesbury.com.
