New Strategic Partners, World Relief
18 [The Lord your God] defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:18-19
Currently, it is estimated that there are over 100 million people in the world who have been forcibly displaced due to violence, war, famine, criminal activity (like human trafficking) and extreme poverty. Of these 100 million people, over 3.6 million refugees and an estimated additional 2 million asyless/asylum seekers are our neighbors, residing among us in the U.S.
The story of human migration goes back to the beginning. Adam and Eve were forced to leave their home when they were expelled from the Garden as a consequence of their disobedience. Abraham and Sarah left their home by choice to migrate to Canaan in response to a call from God. Severe famine prompted Jacob and his family to migrate to Egypt. Moses led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt in a great migration to the Promised Land. And in the New Testament, Jesus, Mary and Joseph migrated to Egypt as refugees to flee persecution by Herod.
Scripture is clear how we are to receive and treat those who are strangers among us. Leviticus 19:33-34 instructs, "When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the stranger. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." Proverbs 31:8-9 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Micah 6:8 instructs us to act justly and to love mercy. In the New Testament, the author of Hebrews states: 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
An essential act of our discipleship to Jesus is to become people who treat foreigners with respect and dignity and show hospitality with compassion and understanding. This is why we are partnering with World Relief.
For 80 years and across 100 countries, World Relief has been partnering with churches to reduce the suffering of displaced families around the world and welcome immigrants to the United States. World Relief meets a broad spectrum of needs beginning from the moment a refugee, asylum seeker or immigrant’s feet touch the ground. Their support includes helping families resettle in a new home and community, learn English, find employment, and aid in the adjustment of children and youth. All of this and more continue until families are able to navigate community resources, employment, government systems and healthcare on their own.
So, what is Open Life’s role? In our recent meeting with World Relief’s Church Engagement Specialist, the pastoral team felt particularly moved in some specific areas. Though members of Open Life may engage in any capacity they feel called or equipped, our primary focus as a church will be on the following:
Post-Release Welcome Center RV We can play a part in welcoming those upon their release from the Tacoma ICE Processing Center. People in the detention center may be held for a few days or even years while awaiting their hearing. Upon their release, we may greet them with friendliness, find necessary resources to communicate travel plans, assist with the purchase of tickets and provide transportation to the bus or airport or connect them to a host home if they need a temporary place to stay.
Good Neighbor Teams We can come alongside World Relief staff for 3-6 months to ensure a family is on a path to self-sufficiency. We may cultivate friendships and aid community integration by grocery shopping together or helping to navigate enrollment in needed programs. We may help a family by connecting them to resources to provide for their basic needs.
Youth & Family and Other Services We can connect Open Life families with World Relief families, serving in areas like digital literacy, ESL, the community garden, employment preparedness and more. We may come alongside World Relief staff to facilitate after-school programs, summer camps and home visits as God moves the heart of our church and we have relevant gifts.
Prayer One of the most-needed resources according to World Relief staff is the power of God to move on behalf of the people they serve. We can partner with World Relief in prayer. You’ll see added resources in our prayer room offering specific prompts to guide us further into this important task.
We are excited about this new partnership and the opportunity to serve our global neighbors here in our own community. Serving at World Relief requires rigorous vetting which Stephanie will help to facilitate initially. Vetting includes background checks and training, most of which is self-paced online. If you’re anxious to get started, visit https://worldrelief.org/theworkshop/ and enroll in the “Intro to Resettlement” course.
Check the Open Life App for links to express interest in these areas.
Currently, it is estimated that there are over 100 million people in the world who have been forcibly displaced due to violence, war, famine, criminal activity (like human trafficking) and extreme poverty. Of these 100 million people, over 3.6 million refugees and an estimated additional 2 million asyless/asylum seekers are our neighbors, residing among us in the U.S.
The story of human migration goes back to the beginning. Adam and Eve were forced to leave their home when they were expelled from the Garden as a consequence of their disobedience. Abraham and Sarah left their home by choice to migrate to Canaan in response to a call from God. Severe famine prompted Jacob and his family to migrate to Egypt. Moses led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt in a great migration to the Promised Land. And in the New Testament, Jesus, Mary and Joseph migrated to Egypt as refugees to flee persecution by Herod.
Scripture is clear how we are to receive and treat those who are strangers among us. Leviticus 19:33-34 instructs, "When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the stranger. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." Proverbs 31:8-9 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Micah 6:8 instructs us to act justly and to love mercy. In the New Testament, the author of Hebrews states: 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
An essential act of our discipleship to Jesus is to become people who treat foreigners with respect and dignity and show hospitality with compassion and understanding. This is why we are partnering with World Relief.
For 80 years and across 100 countries, World Relief has been partnering with churches to reduce the suffering of displaced families around the world and welcome immigrants to the United States. World Relief meets a broad spectrum of needs beginning from the moment a refugee, asylum seeker or immigrant’s feet touch the ground. Their support includes helping families resettle in a new home and community, learn English, find employment, and aid in the adjustment of children and youth. All of this and more continue until families are able to navigate community resources, employment, government systems and healthcare on their own.
So, what is Open Life’s role? In our recent meeting with World Relief’s Church Engagement Specialist, the pastoral team felt particularly moved in some specific areas. Though members of Open Life may engage in any capacity they feel called or equipped, our primary focus as a church will be on the following:
Post-Release Welcome Center RV We can play a part in welcoming those upon their release from the Tacoma ICE Processing Center. People in the detention center may be held for a few days or even years while awaiting their hearing. Upon their release, we may greet them with friendliness, find necessary resources to communicate travel plans, assist with the purchase of tickets and provide transportation to the bus or airport or connect them to a host home if they need a temporary place to stay.
Good Neighbor Teams We can come alongside World Relief staff for 3-6 months to ensure a family is on a path to self-sufficiency. We may cultivate friendships and aid community integration by grocery shopping together or helping to navigate enrollment in needed programs. We may help a family by connecting them to resources to provide for their basic needs.
Youth & Family and Other Services We can connect Open Life families with World Relief families, serving in areas like digital literacy, ESL, the community garden, employment preparedness and more. We may come alongside World Relief staff to facilitate after-school programs, summer camps and home visits as God moves the heart of our church and we have relevant gifts.
Prayer One of the most-needed resources according to World Relief staff is the power of God to move on behalf of the people they serve. We can partner with World Relief in prayer. You’ll see added resources in our prayer room offering specific prompts to guide us further into this important task.
We are excited about this new partnership and the opportunity to serve our global neighbors here in our own community. Serving at World Relief requires rigorous vetting which Stephanie will help to facilitate initially. Vetting includes background checks and training, most of which is self-paced online. If you’re anxious to get started, visit https://worldrelief.org/theworkshop/ and enroll in the “Intro to Resettlement” course.
Check the Open Life App for links to express interest in these areas.
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