Missions Mobilization
Global Christian Experience / Experiential Activities

3.6 Refugee Loss Simulation

ActivityHigh EngagementOn-Site (No Travel Required)

High Engagement · On-Site (No Travel Required)

This activity is a guided simulation designed to help participants emotionally grasp the realities of displacement, loss, and uncertainty that refugees experience.

Rather than focusing on information transfer, the Refugee Loss Simulation uses embodied decision-making and storytelling to cultivate empathy and humility.

Why This Activity Matters

Most people struggle to imagine the depth of loss refugees endure because it is far removed from their lived experience.

This activity helps participants:

  • Feel the weight of forced choices
  • Experience loss of control and uncertainty
  • Reflect on how trauma reshapes identity, security, and hope The goal is empathy and awareness, not role-playing or comparison.

How to Run the Activity

Use the Refugee Loss Simulation Activity guide as your primary resource.

That guide includes:

  • Complete setup instructions
  • Participant prompts and pacing
  • Facilitator narration and stories
  • Built-in emotional safeguards Refer to the simulation guide for all mechanics and facilitation details.

How the UNHCR Report Is Used

The UNHCR Global Forced Displacement Report is a supplemental reference, not a script.

It is intended to be used:

  • Before the simulation (to provide factual context)
  • After the simulation (to ground emotions in reality)
  • As optional reading for participants who want deeper understanding It should not be read aloud or worked through during the simulation itself.

The report helps leaders and participants:

  • Understand the scale of global displacement
  • See that the stories reflected in the simulation are not isolated
  • Anchor emotional responses in verified global realities You may reference one or two key statistics briefly, but avoid overwhelming the experience with data.

Facilitator Posture (Very Important)

As the facilitator:

  • Name clearly that this activity is intense by design
  • Give participants permission to opt out if needed
  • Discourage humor or commentary that minimizes the experience
  • Keep a calm, grounded presence throughout This activity requires pastoral sensitivity, not performance.

Debrief & Reflection

Allow generous time for debriefing.

Initial Processing

  • Invite one-word responses to describe how participants feel

  • Normalize silence and emotional processing Deeper Reflection

  • What was hardest about this experience?

  • What did you notice about control, loss, or uncertainty?

  • How did this activity affect the way you think about refugees? Spiritual Reflection

  • What does it mean to love our neighbors who carry this kind of loss?

  • How might God be inviting us to respond—with prayer, humility, or presence? Avoid rushing participants toward action. Let awareness settle first.

When to Use (and When Not to Use)

This activity works best:

  • With prepared facilitators

  • In emotionally safe environments

  • After some biblical or worldview grounding You may want to skip this activity if:

  • Time is limited

  • The group includes individuals with unprocessed trauma

  • Adequate debrief space cannot be provided CCC does not require this activity—but when used well, it is deeply formative.

Final Note

If participants leave this activity:

  • More compassionate toward refugees
  • More aware of the cost of displacement
  • Less quick to judge and more quick to pray Then the simulation has served its purpose.