Posts by chicagoland
Q&A with Ukraine Response Coordinator Robert Hessenauer
February 2023 marks the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. From the beginning, the global community of World Relief has been responding — welcoming Ukrainians seeking safety in the U.S. and working alongside Christian agencies and churches in Ukraine and the surrounding countries of Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Moldova to support those displaced by the ongoing war.
Over the past several months, it has become clear that a long-term presence in Ukraine is needed in addition to the current and future support of Ukrainians now living in Chicagoland. World Relief has been called to respond.
How World Relief Chicagoland is responding locally.
Here in Chicagoland, World Relief has welcomed and served over 1,200 Ukrainians through our offices in Chicago, DuPage County, and Aurora. We anticipate the arrival of many more in the months ahead. Illinois is the second most requested state for Ukrainians seeking safety in the US, with the vast majority coming to the Chicagoland area.
This past year we launched a new team focused on serving Ukrainians, supporting sponsors, and partnering with Ukrainian churches. Through strategically partnering with people like you and with local churches and community agencies within and beyond the Ukrainian community, we know that we can continue to welcome and serve the growing numbers of Ukrainians arriving in Chicagoland who are searching for a safe place to live.
To learn more about our local response, click here.
How World Relief is responding around the region of Ukraine.
To lead our ongoing response in the region around Ukraine, Robert Hessenauer was welcomed into the role of Ukraine Response Coordinator. Following is an excerpt from his interview about what World Relief hopes to accomplish in the region.
Why should Americans care about what’s going on in Ukraine?
Since most of us live an ocean away, it’s easy for Americans to fall victim to the news cycle and assume that the suffering experienced across Ukraine is new. In reality, the Russo-Ukrainian War has been ongoing since 2014, wreaking social and economic havoc across the country for nearly a decade. Now that missiles are flying, Ukraine’s already-vulnerable communities are in a very fragile state. It’s hard to find work, electricity is scarce and many struggle to find reliable hot water or shelter.
What’s more, Ukraine’s freezing climate makes it unique from most areas where World Relief works. Cold-weather poverty is a challenge that requires speed and resilience but also patience and prayer. I believe that we should care not only because we as Christians are called to serve the most vulnerable, but also because the challenges Ukraine is facing are immediate yet deeply complex with many nuances. Therefore, it requires listening, patience and grace when hearing the news and responding to needs.
How is World Relief planning to tackle these complex challenges in the coming year?
So far, World Relief has already developed close relationships with partners across Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. Moving forward, we plan to build partnerships with organizations based in Ukraine itself. Thankfully, World Relief’s emergency response to Ukraine with regional partners lends us both the expertise we need in areas such as winterization and food shipment as well as key relationships we’ll be able to leverage as we carry out cross-border refugee assistance.
Once firmly established in Ukraine, we will launch a needs assessment, which will include learning from local churches, organizations and government officials about how World Relief can leverage its capacity and partnerships — both current and future — to serve the community. We plan for food and NFI (non-food items such as blankets and cooking items) assistance and winterization aid to be the core pillars of our work in the short-term.
Can you share something about one of these regional partners World Relief is working with?
World Relief has been on the ground in Romania working with a local partner called Fight For Freedom (FFF). Though FFF started as a prison and homelessness ministry, they pivoted to humanitarian aid for refugees when Ukrainians arrived near the border with very specific needs.
FFF has grown tremendously since last February. I’ve witnessed their staff really pour out their hearts for Ukrainians, sacrificing so much for their neighbors up north. Their work has also received recognition from Ukraine’s government, which has requested their help in receiving refugee children from Kyiv and Odessa.
Already, FFF has received 200 children from Ukraine and found temporarily housing until they are able to return home. And this is in a country whose border disputes, language barriers and other cultural divisions with Ukraine have made direct refugee responses to its citizens very challenging.
What unique role do you see us playing as we establish a presence in Ukraine?
I think that World Relief fills a niche that no other organization can fill in Ukraine for two reasons. First, we have a unique relationship and a high level of credibility with churches around the world, allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of fleeing Ukrainians rather than starting from scratch. Second, World Relief has been working in the United States to help resettle Ukrainian refugees for nearly 20 years, giving us insight into multiple sides of their struggles and stories. Both these things allow us to connect with Ukrainians and meet them in the midst of their struggle in ways that others cannot.
Learn how you can make a difference by becoming a Ukranian sponsor.
How can we be praying for Ukraine right now?
I would be grateful if readers prayed for faithful, compassionate team members as the Ukraine team grows and expands in the region. Please also pray for the safety of the local organizations and World Relief’s partners as they do their work in Ukraine, move across borders and meet the needs of Ukrainians. Lastly, I’d ask that our readers pray for the churches of Ukraine — that they are able to continually rely on Christ and look to him for strength and guidance in the midst of these desperate times.
We are grateful for Robert and all of our staff across the globe who go further to meet those in need. By giving monthly or a one time gift, you can help us serve even more people here in Chicagoland as we move forward together.
Sam Pence serves as a Partnership Content Specialist at World Relief and has a passion for seeing communities transformed through radical kinship, faith and service. He lives in Washington, D.C. and enjoys running, reading, and writing songs when not working alongside his incredible World Relief teammates.
5 Things You Should Know About the Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
Early in the morning on February 6, massive earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria. For many of us who live thousands of miles away from the devastation, it can be hard to imagine the profound scale of loss. It’s even harder to know how best to respond.
And yet, if you’re like us, your faith compels you to respond.
At World Relief, our mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. When natural disasters like this one occur, those who are already in vulnerable situations are put at even greater risk. By responding together, we can extend the love of Christ to those who are suffering in their greatest time of need.
That’s why we’ve shared five things you should know about what’s happening in Turkey and Syria. Here’s why we at World Relief are responding and how you can join us in praying for and serving those who are suffering.
1. How widespread is the impact of the earthquakes?
The earthquakes struck in the early morning hours in a region that has not experienced a major earthquake in over 200 years, leaving residents little prepared. As a result, the devastation has been widespread and severe.
At the time of writing, an estimated 36,187 have died in Turkey and more than 5,800 in Syria. These numbers continue to rise. More than 5 million people across Syria are now in need of shelter while nearly a million more men, women and children are now homeless in Turkey as a result of the earthquakes. Basic infrastructure, including power and water, has been completely demolished in some areas.
The earthquake’s devastation is further compounded by freezing winter temperatures and, in Syria, decades of civil war have left residents especially vulnerable.
2. What are the greatest needs and how is World Relief responding?
Those impacted now grapple with freezing temperatures, decimated infrastructure and profound loss and trauma. The greatest immediate needs include shelter, water, power, blankets, non-food and sanitary items and psychosocial counseling.
World Relief is responding on the ground through long-standing, trusted partners, including Tearfund Germany and the Integral Alliance. Our partners are connected with local churches and organizations in Turkey and Syria who can more quickly deliver aid. This is especially essential for hard-to-reach regions or where international aid may be restricted by governing authorities due to protracted conflicts.
Our local partners are working especially hard to provide assistance to the most vulnerable, including the elderly, children and persons with disabilities.
Thus far, our response efforts have included:
- Establishing mobile kitchens and distribution centers for food, water, hygiene supplies, emergency shelter, heaters, batteries, tools and more
- Operating mobile hygiene trailers that offer toilets, showers and washing machines
- Facilitating a kids club and trauma counseling center for children impacted by the disaster
- Providing mobility devices such as wheelchairs, protheses and walkers to those who need them
3. What will happen after the initial response?
Natural disasters on the scale of what we’re seeing in Turkey and Syria affect every facet of life. Responding immediately is essential to ensure the survival and safety of as many people as possible. At the same time, we at World Relief understand that rebuilding and restoring what has been broken — whether infrastructure or lives — takes time and commitment.
That’s why we’re beginning conversations with our trusted partners in the region to determine how we can best come alongside local communities so that they not only survive the current crisis, but can flourish and thrive in the future. In places like Syria, which have already been wracked by unimaginable conflict and loss, this commitment is all the more important.
4. Has World Relief worked in the affected region before?
Yes! World Relief formerly had programming in both Syria and Turkey which we transferred to our partners at Tearfund Germany in 2019. We continue to have a strong relationship with Tearfund Germany, allowing us to respond quickly and effectively through our partners who are still at work in the region.
Additionally, World Relief has been helping Syrian refugees resettle in the U.S. for over a decade. Members of the Syrian community in the U.S. have become our coworkers, neighbors and friends. We are grieving and praying alongside them at this difficult time.
5. How can I help?
- Pray: As in all things, we first turn to prayer. Pray for those who are still missing to be found, for the injured to be healed, for the hungry to be fed, for the cold and weary to find shelter and for the grieving to be comforted. Pray also for those responding to do so with wisdom and endurance. Â
- Give: You can rush help to Turkey and Syria by giving today. Your donation will support our partners at work in the region, ensuring more help can reach more people in this time of great need.
- Share: As the news cycle moves on to the latest headlines, you can help keep Turkey and Syria in the prayers of your friends, family and neighbors by sharing what you’ve learned in this blog.
Farzana’s Story
Less than two years ago, a young Paralympian, Afghan woman named Farzana arrived alone in the United States. Kabul had fallen to the Taliban.
She never imagined she would end up here, far removed from the home she knew and a family she loved. Now alone in a foreign country, she was unable to speak the language, understand the culture, or communicate her needs.
Fast forward one year later to World Relief’s Spotlight Event. This same young woman sits confidently in front of an intimate crowd at a coffee shop and openly shares her experience – with her own English words. Here, Farzana shares what it was like to flee Afghanistan, adjust to a new life in a foreign country, and the one thing that made a huge difference.
Her Life Before
Farzana never imagined a day when she would be forced to flee her home. It was difficult for anyone to believe that 20 years of progress in Afghanistan could revert back to its former state of Taliban rule and oppression.
After all, life had been good for Farzana. Her days were filled with things that mattered most to her. She was grateful for the support of her family – which included her parents, three sisters, and one brother. She cherished the laughter and celebratory times she enjoyed with her extended family. And she thrived in her passion to play basketball as a Paralympian athlete.
The Taliban Effect
When the Taliban took over in August 2021, life as Farzana knew it was abruptly altered. For her safety, she was encouraged to leave home and her family along with it.
The familiarities of every day life – working, practicing with her teammates, spending time with her family – were replaced with the unknown. She now resided in a world that no longer made sense to her.
Struggling to navigate a foreign culture, an unfamiliar language, and confusing systems, Farzana faced her biggest challenge: how could she live here alone?
The Paralympian Experience
On the surface, Farzana’s disability as a female Afghan might have been viewed as a disadvantage. Yet Farzana fought to be resilient, tenacious and independent. Something she would later need in her unexpected experience as an immigrant.
What helped shape these qualities within her? The unconditional support of her family and others as she competitively trained on the basketball court as a Paralympian.
The One Difference
Farzana might have felt alone, but she wasn’t alone. She ended up with another extended family in the United States that made a world of difference. The volunteers and staff at World Relief helped Farzana create a safe space to live. They supported her. Practiced English with her. Encouraged her to push past her challenges. They helped her accomplish her goals and continue to journey with her today.
And she has always had a remarkable friend walking right alongside her.
Her New Life
Farzana now lives independently in her own place. She is working, attending school, and thriving in her use of English. And she is back on the courts, living out her passion for basketball once again.
Her biggest dream? To be reunited with her family and to inspire other girls with disabilities that they too can accomplish their goals.
The Part You Play to Impact the Life of an Immigrant or Refugee
Immigrants and refugees in vulnerable situations are trying to navigate a foreign world without a safe space to do so. Volunteers at World Relief help provide this safe space by journeying with them and together, overcoming the barriers that can impede their success. You too can play an essential role in helping our new neighbors rebuild their lives by becoming a volunteer.
Catch Farzana’s whole story at the Spotlight event.
Watch other stories of transformation on World Relief Chicagoland’s YouTube channel!
More like this:
New Opportunity in the U.S.: Jenny’s Story
Tatyana Sigidina, Ukranian Church Liaison
Hello, I am Tatyana Sigidina, and I joined the church team as Ukrainian Church Liaison in December 2022. I was born in Ukraine in a huge Christian family, the eighth child of eleven. After finishing high school and seven years of music school, I got a diploma for tailoring women’s clothing.
In the 1990s, when the Soviet Union (USSR) dissolved, God opened the door for evangelism. After attending Donetsk Christian University, I went as a missionary to Russia and taught children at a public school for Bible Study and youth groups. 
I got married in 1997. God gave me a great husband, Oleg. A year later, we welcomed a first child into our lives who is hard of hearing. Two years later, we moved out of the country to the United States. On the first day living in US, I met people from World Relief who welcomed and took care of my family as we settled in Washington state. I now have three children: Lisa, David and Tim.
My all-time favorite hobby is music and I took some college classes to complete an associate degree as a music teacher. For the past 15 years, I’ve taught  private music lessons. 
 When I came to America, one of my desires was to see all immigrants get a chance to experience welcome like I did when I got here. I am happy to be a part of the World Relief staff now, and I look forward to helping any refugees who have the same types of troubling situations in their country. I am ready and willing to open my heart to them as others have done for me.
Prayer for Syria and Turkey After Devastating Earthquakes
Join World Relief Chicagoland in lifting up a prayer for Syria and Turkey. On February 6, 2023, two earthquakes caused enormous destruction. Currently, thousands of people have died and many thousands more are injured or missing. The process of rebuilding homes, businesses, and lives will take many years.
Within our community at World Relief Chicagoland, this tragedy feels very close to home. Our staff have family members living in both Syria and Turkey who are grieving the loss of their own loved ones, homes, and the lives they once knew. We also serve refugees and immigrants who came to the U.S. from Syria and Turkey, leaving loved ones behind.
We know that many of those impacted are among the most vulnerable – some are refugees who fled Syria for Turkey while others are persecuted minority groups or those in poverty.
Recovering from this devastation will be very difficult.
As our community grieves, we invite you to join us in prayer for Syria and Turkey. Thank you for joining World Relief Chicagoland in asking God to bring an end to suffering and a reign of justice on the earth.
PRAYER FOR SYRIA AND TURKEY
God,
In the face of unspeakable tragedy, the suffering of those in our community, and the destruction and loss of life in Syria and Turkey, we pray what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 10:
Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely, you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed.
Comfort the people whose family members and friends have died as a result of these earthquakes. Draw close to them.
Equip believers in Syria and Turkey to show the love of Jesus to their neighbors by helping in tangible ways and sharing the hope of the Gospel.
Inspire generosity in the hearts of people in the United States and across the world, prompting individuals to give the resources and money needed to help communities rebuild.
Empower the Church in America to show radical love for our immediate neighbors who are grieving the loss of life, beauty, and peace in Syria and Turkey.
Let us not turn away, but help us be your hands and feet to love those who are suffering and bear witness to your presence with them.
God, hear our prayer.
Amen.
You Can Help
World Relief is responding to provide immediate assistance through our network of long-standing partners and churches in the region. You can help reach more people in need by responding with us today. Give now to rush help to Turkey and Syria.
Read a press release from World Relief regarding the earthquakes on February 6, 2023.
World Relief Mobilizes to Provide Immediate Support to Devastated Communities in Wake of Turkey and Syria Earthquake
February 7, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md. – In the wake of a devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, World Relief has mobilized resources on the ground to provide immediate assistance and long term support for search and recovery efforts.
“We join with our international partners in grieving the significant loss of life from the earthquakes and extend our prayers to the impacted communities,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “At World Relief, we desire to see a world free from suffering, and when disaster strikes, our faith compels us to respond. By providing immediate emergency aid, World Relief is committed to delivering hope to impacted communities and assistance in rebuilding from this disaster both in the short term and in the years to come.”
World Relief is partnering with local partners and churches on the ground in Turkey and Syria to provide support and resources to impacted communities including food and clean water, emergency medical assistance, safe shelter, sanitation and hygiene, and psychosocial support.
World Relief is committed to extending the love and compassion of Christ to suffering and grieving communities in Turkey and Syria by joining with its international partners to provide immediate support and build resilience.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
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World Relief Chicagoland staff are praying for the people impacted by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
World Relief Urges Congress to Reject H.R. 29, Warns It Will Hinder Fight Against HumanTrafficking and Harm Vulnerable Children
January 31, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md., January 31, 2022 – World Relief joined with other like-minded organizations to
send a letter today to members of Congress urging them to vote against H.R. 29, a bill recently
introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. If signed into law in its current form, H.R. 29
would leave many vulnerable people fleeing persecution and violence shut out from protections
offered under current law, including unaccompanied children who are among the most
vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking.
“[H.R. 29] would effectively nullify several important provisions of the William Wilberforce
Trafficking Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008 governing the treatment of certain
unaccompanied children. This bill, which was passed with broad bipartisan support and signed
into law by President George W. Bush, has been a vital tool in protecting children and others who
are uniquely vulnerable to human trafficking,” says the letter, which was signed by World Relief.
Other signatories include International Justice Mission U.S., World Vision U.S., the Ethics &
Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Association of
Evangelicals, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Bethany Christian Services and
Women of Welcome. “Our concerns are rooted in our Christian faith, believing that each person
is made in the image of God and is worthy of protection. In particular, a child unaccompanied by
his or her parent(s) is uniquely vulnerable.”
World Relief is deeply concerned that H.R. 29 would roll back significant anti-trafficking
protections by nullifying portions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
(TVPRA), which stipulates proper treatment to protect unaccompanied children. The TVPRA
requires that unaccompanied children from non-contiguous countries who are encountered at
the U.S. border be cared for in secure, child-appropriate settings until the U.S. government can
determine their eligibility to remain lawfully in the United States.
“Unaccompanied children seeking asylum at our borders are uniquely vulnerable and worthy of
our protection. Thankfully, current U.S. law ensures that these children are protected and are
legally allowed to remain safely in the United States if they meet the necessary criteria,” said
Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief. “But if H.R. 29 is
signed into law in its current form, many children will be turned away, forced to return to
countries where they face increased risk of violence or trafficking. This bill would fail to treat
unaccompanied children seeking protection in our country with the compassion and due process
they deserve.”
As an organization grounded in Christian principles, World Relief believes that each person is
made in the image of God and is precious in his sight. We urge Congress to continue protecting
“the least of these” by voting against the H.R. 29 bill in its current form, and we urge Christians to
voice their concerns with their lawmakers.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Applauds Creation of the Welcome Corps, A New Refugee Private Sponsorship Program
January 19, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE — Recently, the State Department launched the Welcome Corps, a new refugee private sponsorship program that will allow everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees coming to the United States. This extraordinary new program will expand community support for refugees and also eventually allow private citizens to sponsor refugees they identify abroad to be resettled to the United States. World Relief applauds this effort and is eager to partner with the U.S. government and communities all across the United States to welcome refugees, both through our own refugee resettlement program as well as through the new private sponsorship program.
The Welcome Corps has a goal to mobilize at least 10,000 Americans to partner with members of their communities to help refugees secure initial housing in the U.S., greet them at the airport, enroll children in school, and help adults to find employment. World Relief is committed to assisting the Welcome Corps reach that goal.
“At a time of unprecedented displacement, innovative programs like the Welcome Corps are needed to expand U.S. resettlement to the persecuted abroad. For years, faith communities have desired to welcome refugees independently, utilizing their resources and connections to create a sense of belonging for new Americans,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Our hope is that this program expands public-private partnerships and also catalyzes a greater movement of Americans to welcome refugees into their communities.”
Over the past few years, Americans have been overwhelmingly supportive of welcoming refugees, including Afghans, Ukrainians, Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans, and Nicaraguans. The launch of the Welcome Corps helps formally support these efforts and will hopefully lead to a greater number of refugees eventually being resettled to the United States.
“The introduction of the Welcome Corps program is a meaningful step in the right direction, empowering our communities to support vulnerable individuals who are seeking protection from persecution in their countries of origin,” said Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief.
Through the Welcome Corps, groups of at least five individual American citizens or permanent resident adults are able to apply to privately sponsor refugees resettling to the United States. Private sponsors are responsible for independently raising funds to support refugees for their first 90 days in their new community, as well as helping refugees find housing, employment, and connecting them to community services.
For more information on the Welcome Corps or to become a private sponsor, visit the Welcome Corps website. Further information and education is also available on the World Relief website. We encourage churches, individuals, and other community organizations to explore these resources for more information and reach out with any questions or concerns.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
9 Things You Need to Know About Private Sponsorship
On Thursday, January 19th, the Biden Administration announced a new private sponsorship program for refugees called Welcome Corps. Through Welcome Corps, everyday Americans can directly sponsor refugees who are being resettled in the U.S.
Today, there are an estimated 103 million displaced people globally, including 32.5 million refugees. Forced from their homes and separated from support networks, refugees are among the world’s most vulnerable populations.
At World Relief, we know you want to live out Jesus’ call to welcome the stranger and care for those experiencing vulnerability. Private sponsorship builds on World Relief and other refugee resettlement agencies’ existing opportunities to welcome newcomers and is one more way you can answer that call. Here are 9 things you should know about private sponsorship.
1. What is Welcome Corps?
Welcome Corps is a new private sponsorship program from the U.S. government that allows groups to sponsor and resettle refugees. Sponsors will play the primary role in welcoming, financially supporting and assisting refugees for the first 90 days as they begin to rebuild their lives in the U.S. and integrate into their new communities.
2. How do I become a sponsor?
Becoming a private sponsor is a multi-step process that includes forming a group of five or more individuals, submitting an application, background checks, demonstration of sufficient financial resources and more. Currently, private sponsors can apply to be matched with someone in need of sponsorship. The U.S. government is also working to roll out an option for people to sponsor specific individuals they already know who are in need of resettlement from another country. To learn more and begin your application process with Welcome Corps, click below!
3. Who is eligible for resettlement through Welcome Corps?
Over the last year, the U.S. government has developed sponsorship programs specifically for Ukrainians and Venezuelans.
This new program expands on the previous sponsorship programs and will be implemented in phases. In Welcome Corps’ first year, the goal is to mobilize at least 10,000 Americans to help at least 5,000 refugees, and then scale up to make the program an enduring feature of the refugee resettlement system.
The first refugees who will be assisted by private sponsors through Welcome Corps are expected to arrive in April 2023 and will primarily come from countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
4. If I become a sponsor, what will I do?
Sponsors assume responsibility for initial resettlement services, providing financial and other forms of support as required by the refugee resettlement process. Some examples of non-material support include:
- Meeting the refugee(s) upon arrival in the United States and transporting them to initial housing.
- Ensuring that the sponsee has safe and appropriate housing and basic necessities.
- Ensuring that the sponsee’s healthcare and medical needs are met for the duration of the resettlement period.
- As appropriate, helping the sponsee complete the necessary paperwork for employment authorization, a Social Security card and for any other public benefits for which they may be eligible.
- As appropriate, assisting the sponsee with accessing education, learning English and enrolling children in school.
- Supporting employable sponsees in securing employment in the U.S. workforce
- Ensuring appropriate interpretation/translation
- Providing cultural and community orientations
For more information on the sponsorship process through Welcome Corps and what’s required of sponsors, visit welcomecorps.org.
5. Is private sponsorship good for refugees?
Private sponsorship opens more pathways for more people fleeing persecution to rebuild their lives and thrive. At World Relief, we applaud the expansion of sustainable, lawful opportunities for those fleeing persecution to find safety in the U.S.
Navigating the process of private sponsorship can also come with challenges for both sponsors and refugees. But you don’t have to face them alone.
At World Relief, we have decades of experience working with refugees and displaced populations across the globe through our various local community sponsorship and volunteer programs. We utilize this experience to equip churches and passionate people like you to walk alongside those who choose to welcome newcomers and the newcomers they are matched with.
If you are interested in private sponsorship and would like to receive updates on how World Relief can support you in the process, please sign up here. In addition, we will send you a free code for our eLearning course “Navigating Friendships” which will help you learn how to build empowering, long-lasting friendships with those from different cultures. Please see question 8 regarding World Relief’s involvement in private sponsorships. Please see question 9 if you are unable to be a sponsor but want to still make a difference!
6. Has private sponsorship been done elsewhere?
Yes! Private sponsorship has been a successful piece of refugee resettlement efforts in countries like Canada and Australia, and versions of private sponsorship have even been part of U.S. refugee resettlement historically. Most recently, the U.S. has re-engaged private sponsorship models to resettle Afghans, Urkanians and Venezuelans. This new program expands private sponsorship to include refugees from around the world.
7. What about traditional pathways to refugee resettlement? Will refugees continue to be resettled by World Relief and other agencies?
Yes! The U.S. federal refugee resettlement program will continue to operate and World Relief will continue to offer various ways for churches and individuals to engage in welcoming refugees and other immigrants in vulnerable situations. Private sponsorship will complement the work already being done by organizations like World Relief, allowing more people fleeing persecution to find safety in the U.S.
8. Is World Relief assisting with private sponsorship?
Currently, World Relief provides other community sponsorship opportunities — such as our Good Neighbor Team program — through our local office and is not administering the private sponsorship program directly.* However, we do have educational resources available to serve both sponsors and those being sponsored.Â
The World Relief Workshop is our e-learning platform designed to equip individuals, groups and churches to best serve their refugee neighbors — from courses on navigating common barriers to ESL tutoring. Many of our U.S. offices are also able to offer services to sponsees such as English classes and immigration legal services.
9. I’m not ready to become a private sponsor. Is there anything else I can do?
Yes! As mentioned, World Relief works with refugees and displaced people in the U.S. and all over the world and offers the opportunity to welcome and walk alongside refugees and other immigrants through local volunteer and sponsorship programs.
You can support this work by volunteering with World Relief Chicagoland or making a donation to World Relief. Your gift will allow World Relief to provide job training, legal support and more for immigrants and refugees in the Chicagoland area from countries like Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Iran, Myanmar and other parts of the world. Together, we can extend welcome and help people rebuild their lives here in Chicagoland.
Have additional questions?
Please email volunteerchicagoland@wr.org We would love to connect and help you know how to make a difference!
*To receive updates on World Relief’s involvement with private sponsorship + a free Workshop course, sign up here.
Learning From Waiting
When life situations bring us into uncertainty and the unknown, waiting is often a large part of it.
And that wait can be unbearable.
That’s because the “when” of waiting is never guaranteed. When will I get what I deeply desire or painstakingly worked for? And a more unsettling thought: “Will I ever get what I desperately need?
The act of waiting is no stranger to immigrants or refugees. In fact, it is often a defining season in many of their lives. But as the following three stories reveal, something transformational and lasting can happen to an individual during the experience of waiting.
For these three individuals, the struggles they faced in these challenging situations – and the waiting they endured – not only shaped them, but it also inspired them to make a difference in their new world.
Your skills, knowledge and gifts aren’t meant for you alone.
Imagine working hard to build a successful, professional career only to have it ripped from you. Imagine you must start all over. But this time it’s in a new country with a new language and a new system. And there’s no manual to tell you where to begin.
The weight of the work – and the waiting along with it – can feel insurmountable.
When violence forced Ali and his family to leave Iraq and come to the U.S., he hoped to transfer his license and continue his career as a pharmacist. He soon found this wasn’t going to be easy.
In fact, it became a long, arduous journey. Days, weeks and months were filled with full-time work to support his family, navigating a system he didn’t understand, and tiring hours of study. It took a toll, but he persisted.
Over 3 years later, his season of hard work and waiting finally paid off. And with Ali’s accomplishment came a deep desire to help others like him.
He realized he could serve others with the knowledge, skills and insight he learned along the way. He could help other newly arriving immigrants and refugees move through the uncertainty of rebuilding their own lives.
Learn more about Ali’s story.
The struggles in your life can serve as a guide for others.
Imagine you’re forced to leave your home to spend the next 19 years of your life in the unknown. Imagine spending nearly two decades in a refugee camp and living in uncertainty and with a lack of security.
Sometimes what we’re waiting for isn’t a “thing” but rather a feeling or state of being – like peace, relief or home.
As a refugee living in an unsafe situation, Jerome lived much of his life hoping for peace and security. And as the passage of time grew longer, he struggled with the hopelessness he would never receive it.
But after his arrival in the U.S., Jerome received what he was waiting for – peace. He finally found home. And he was transformed by the peace and welcome of the individuals walking alongside him rather as he began to rebuild his life in America.
The long wait he endured and the welcome he received helped him know that he intimately understood the mindset of newly arriving immigrants and refugees. Because of his experience, Jerome knew he could give them exactly what they needed: guidance, security and hope.
Learn more about Jerome’s story.
You can still serve and lead from wherever you are.
Imagine if your government threatened your life if you ever returned back home to the country you love. Imagine not only losing connection and proximity to all you knew but now you’re thrown into a life of complete uncertainty.
You’re forced to navigate a new life in a new country and you’re completely unprepared.
During a trip to the U.S. as a Fulbright Scholar, Yomardy’s life and dreams were destroyed when her government declared her a traitor for sharing about the current conditions her people faced. She had big plans to help her people. But she knew she could never return as long as this government held power.
Yomardy still remains in a season of waiting to fulfill her dreams for her country. But her struggle to rebuild a new life in the U.S. inspired her to serve others also forced to flee their homes and start from nothing.
Yomardy realized it was time for a new dream. A dream that used her skills and strengths to give others the refuge they need when their lives are suddenly upended.
Learn more about Yomardy’s story.
It’s Your Turn to Find the Part You Play
Like these immigrants, you also have a unique set of skills and experiences that are needed to help provide welcome to newly arriving immigrants and refugees. No matter your age, passion or schedule, there’s a place for all of us at World Relief.
What does your part in providing welcome look like? Visit us at Volunteer Opportunities to find out more.
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