Rev. Nicholas Whereat's story
Rev. Nicholas Whereat shares his story of taking part in the End the Waiting Campaign, and the long road toward justice for people seeking asylum.
Over the last 75 years, Australia has welcomed one million refugees — and that legacy is one of our greatest strengths. Here, James Harris, Common Grace’s Justice for People Seeking Asylum Coordinator, shares Atta’s story.
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When Atta arrived in Australia in 2010, he thought he had reached safety.
Instead, he was sent to detention.
Having fled Afghanistan as a young Hazara man, Atta left behind his wife, parents, brothers and sisters in search of protection and the chance to build a future. What followed was years of uncertainty.
"We didn't know," Atta recalls. "When you ask them, when is my visa coming, they say it is not in our hands."
Like thousands of people seeking asylum in Australia, Atta found himself trapped in limbo. He worked whenever he was allowed. He built friendships. He contributed to his community. But life remained on hold.
Ten years passed before he could travel to see his wife again. She could still not enter Australia. On this visit, his wife became pregnant with their first child.
His son was born in 2020 while COVID-19 restrictions prevented him from travelling. The first time he met his son face-to-face was in an airport in Iran when his sonthe boy was two years old.
"I still have the video," Atta says. "When he saw me, he called me Baba and came and hugged me."
After fourteen years of uncertainty, Atta finally received permanent residency in 2024. Today, his wife and son are with him in Australia.
"My hope is that he becomes a good person for this country," Atta says. "Maybe an engineer, a doctor, maybe swimming for Australia one day."
📸 Atta and his wife and son, at home in Australia
Atta’s story is a reminder of the cost of prolonged uncertainty.
Today, the world has more displaced people than at any other time in history. Yet Australia continues to fall short of the welcome we are capable of offering.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to practice love, care and welcome. Across Australia, churches are living out that calling every day through hospitality, friendship, advocacy and practical support.
We are grateful for the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce members, the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project, who walked alongside Atta through years of uncertainty, helping him navigate the visa process and supporting him when life felt impossible. Their witness reminds us that welcome is not simply an idea—it is something we practice.
As we celebrate one million refugee stories in Australia, we must also remember those who are still waiting.
Join us in calling on the Australian Government to expand Australia's Refugee and Humanitarian Program to 27,000 places, grow community sponsorship and complementary pathways, and ensure people seeking asylum have access to work rights and Medicare while their claims are processed.
Because no one should have to wait fourteen years to belong.
Together, let's #EndTheWaiting.
Join in taking action
Common Grace is launching the next stage of the #EndTheWaiting campaign at our 2026 Refugee Week Webinar. Sign up to join this webinar, co-hosted by National Council of Churches’ Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT), on Thursday 18 June 7:30pm - 9pm, to find out how you and your faith community can join these calls to #EndTheWaiting.
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Common Grace is thankful to be sharing stories of welcome as part of Refugee Week 2026 celebrations of 'A Million Stories' to mark the remarkable milestone of Australia granting one million permanent humanitarian visas since 1947. Explore further stories below.
James Harris is Common Grace’s Justice for People Seeking Asylum Coordinator and Director of Strategic Projects with NAYBA, where he leads The Welcome Home Project, supporting churches to engage in community refugee sponsorship. He has served in many roles globally, including being based in Jordan with World Vision and Nauru with Save the Children. James is a co-founder of the global Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage movement.
