Jeremiah's Field (Bloor Street United's no-interest loan fund for refugees has taken its name from a passage in the Book of Jeremiah in the Hebrew Bible.)

The prophet Jeremiah lived almost 800 years after the Israelites first arrived in "The Promised Land." It was a difficult time for the Israelites. Babylon was a super power and was attacking Israel. Jerusalem was under siege; their precious temple was in danger of being destroyed; people were starving and many were being deported. They were in  despair.  In the midst of all this, their beloved prophet, Jeremiah, was mocked by the authorities and thrown into jail.

While he was in jail, Jeremiah's cousin, Hanamel, came to visit him. He asked Jeremiah to buy a field that he owned. As a relative, Jeremiah had the first right of purchase. No one wants to buy real estate in a country under siege by a superpower.

But, Jeremiah decided to buy the field. He bought the field as a symbolic act to say to the Jewish people: "I believe you DO have a future in this country. I believe that things will get better for you and that God will bless you in this land and that you will prosper."

And  that is the message we want to give the refugees who come to us in financial need: "We know you have been through hard times. We know you have experienced war and terrible fighting. We know you have suffered torture and many losses. But we believe things will be better for you. We believe that God will bless you in this land and that you will be a blessing to Canada. We believe that so much that we are prepared to lend
you some of our money.

Here are the words of the prophet as found in the 32nd chapter of the Book of Jeremiah:
Then my cousin Hanamel came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, "Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours. Buy it for yourself." Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.

And I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. ......And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Heriah, . . . and  I charged Baruch, saying, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds . . . . and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may be preserved for a long time.

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land." (Jer.32: 6-15)

And that is why we call this no interest loan fund, Jeremiah's Field.