Sandra shares her heart for the plight of young refugees
For Major Sandra Pawar, a Salvation Army officer originally from Australia now serving in the Southern Territory of the United States, a disturbing observation while sitting at a café in Greece turned into a master’s thesis. This passion has now been realised in a book. More Than Just a Refugee details the issue of unaccompanied minors living as refugees across the world and the unique challenges they face. She recently shared with Salvos Online journalist KIRRALEE NICOLLE how her work propelled her in this direction.
Can you please tell me a little about yourself – your work in The Salvation Army and how you came to work with refugees?
I identify as a ‘womb to the tomb’ Salvationist. My parents, who are retired officers of The Salvation Army, raised me within this community. My love for The Salvation Army and its values runs deep, and when I reached an age where I could choose my own path in worship and work, I remained committed to The Salvation Army because I wholeheartedly believe in its mission.
Before becoming an officer in The Salvation Army, I worked in youth ministry and with homeless youth and women. My passion for justice issues and supporting vulnerable populations has been a consistent thread throughout my journey as an officer.
I have a strong desire to learn about and engage with diverse cultures, which has led me to travel around the globe and gain insights from others. This commitment to serving the world took us to the UK and Australia for overseas service. Although these countries are Western, our corps were wonderfully multicultural, and we cherished those experiences.
While in the UK, I attended a memorial service for a little boy named Alan Kurdi, who tragically washed ashore after his family’s boat capsized while seeking safety in another country. His death garnered international attention, shining a light on the refugee crisis. It was during this time that I first learned about refugees, and their stories deeply moved me. This drove me to travel to Greece several times, including leading a mission trip with a group of women and participating in various efforts to aid The Salvation Army as they supported the influx of refugees into their country.
What prompted you to write this book? Was there a specific moment you knew you needed to write it?
After my initial visit to Greece, where I met refugees and listened to their stories, I was deeply affected by the situation of unaccompanied minors. My heart truly ached as I witnessed so much that profoundly disturbed me, igniting a desire to take action. The scene depicted in the introduction of my book captures the exact moment I realised I had to make a difference. At that time, I was pursuing my master’s degree in international community development, and I chose to focus my thesis on the challenges faced by unaccompanied minors in Greece. However, once I completed my thesis, I felt compelled to raise awareness about this issue on a larger scale, which led me to transform my thesis into a book that broadened its focus to a global perspective rather than just concentrating on Greece.
What are you hoping people will get from this book, and how would you like them to respond?
I aim to raise awareness about this issue, emphasising that it transcends politics and is fundamentally a humanitarian concern, one that we can address through biblical principles. My goal is to shed light on the hardships faced by refugees and asylum seekers, encouraging individuals to let the Holy Spirit guide them in their responses.
This book reflects my passion, and it would mean so much to me if readers engaged with the material, contemplated the questions at the end of each chapter, and dedicated time to pray for those in need. Ultimately, I hope to inspire genuine care and discourage indifference towards both the issue and the individuals affected.
I feel really blessed to have been given this opportunity, and this book represents my heart. I am thankful that others understood my heart and felt that this subject was important and something others needed to know about. I pray this becomes an issue of the heart for others, too.
More Than Just a Refugee can be purchased internationally here.
