Posts by chicagoland
Everyday Advocacy: Simple Actions That Lead to Justice
World Relief Chicagoland Executive Director Susan Sperry.
Many define advocacy as acting, speaking, or writing in support of something or someone; often with those in a position to make change – or as we shared in last week’s blog – advocacy is “putting love into action.”
But beyond public advocacy, calling our political representatives, we can practice everyday advocacy: using our voices to intercede on someone else’s behalf.
What is Everyday Advocacy?
Growing up, I never thought of myself as an advocate. In fact, when I thought of “advocacy,” I was intimidated. My earliest calls to elected officials involved a series of starts and stops. I would review my script, think about answers to possible questions, pick up the phone, and pause. I would repeat that cycle before starting to dial. Then I would take a deep breath, pause again, finish dialing, talk as fast as I could, and breathe a sigh of relief after hanging up.
And you know what? It went well, although it was terrifying. But while this type of advocacy is important, it is just one of the many ways we can each use our God-given voice to intercede for immigrants and refugees.
Over time, I’ve learned that advocacy takes many forms. And I have realized that we all advocate, all of the time for the decisions and beliefs that we believe are good.
Yes, advocacy includes speaking to those in authority. But it also looks like helping people navigate complex systems (like healthcare and school), calling the utility company to discuss an unexpected charge on our bill, educating friends and neighbors about immigration systems, and learning about the realities of our country and world through another person’s eyes… and allowing that to shape our actions.
A Biblical Foundation
As I’ve studied the Bible, I’ve learned about many different examples of advocacy. Some people, like Moses and Esther, found themselves in situations where they had the attention of kings. For them, advocacy meant using their positions of influence to speak up and bring freedom and safety for a large group of people. Other biblical figures were more like you and me. We don’t usually have a chance to talk with kings and rulers, but we do get to speak up on matters that impact other people.
The early church was known for standing with the vulnerable and neglected, bringing about healing and freedom, and disrupting systems. A common thread from those stories is the way their actions sprang from belief in God’s love for all people. Early Christians spoke up when they saw situations that did not reflect God’s heart for people to thrive – and this was a pattern throughout church history.
The strongest biblical example of advocacy is found in the person of Jesus, who regularly prayed to God on behalf of his followers and the world. Through Jesus, we see the power of prayers of intercession – of advocacy.
Advocacy Leads to Justice
Advocacy itself is never the goal. Shalom, meaning God-given peace and justice, is the goal. Advocacy is the action, the momentum, that brings about change in hearts and systems and even laws. Hopefully, our advocacy can bring about greater Shalom – justice, freedom, reconciliation, and wholeness. When it does, it reflects God’s ultimate design for relationship between humans and between humans and God.
What Does Everyday Advocacy Look Like?
- Helping a newcomer understand U.S. systems like banks, mail, and schools
- Learning more about local and state laws in an area of your interest, and talking about what you learn with neighbors and friends
- Helping someone access healthcare
- Calling your national, state, or local representatives. Click here to contact your local representatives.
- Talking about the need for more affordable housing with developers, investors, landlords, and anyone in the housing industry
- Telling people in your church or community group about the situations refugees and immigrants face
- Speaking up when you hear and see situations of discrimination or disrespect to others
- Also get creative! There are many ways that your unique abilities can be everyday advocacy.
We All Have Influence
We can choose to use our influence to bring greater justice and wholeness for our neighbors and ourselves. When we do this – whether it’s at work, with our family, at the gym, at church, or volunteering with World Relief – we act justly and serve others in ways that honor God.
Read More of Susan Sperry’s Reflections
Why Christians Should Support the Right to Seek Safety
How You Can Take Action for Refugees and Immigrants in Chicago
Though news channels and social media might fixate on issues on the national stage, one of the most important ways you can support your immigrant and refugee neighbors is by advocating for them on the local level. Advocating for action in your own community is one of the best ways to make a difference for the people around you – by tackling issues in your neighborhood, city, and state!
What is Community Advocacy?
First, we can define “advocacy” as seeking to influence those in positions of power, including elected officials, to enact change for those affected by a specific issue. Advocates use their own voices, positions, and knowledge to speak up and intercede on behalf of those who are suffering, in poverty, or need protection.
At World Relief, we think of advocacy as putting love into action for our immigrant and refugee neighbors, especially those who are in the most vulnerable positions. This means that we want to:
- Address structural inequality and violence
- Increase awareness of issues impacting immigrants and refugees
- Deepen empathy and understanding
- Catalyze engagement
- And ultimately, build a movement for justice!
On a local level, like in the neighborhoods of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, advocacy can mean that you become a bridge. You have the power to share with your local representatives about the issues impacting immigrants and refugees in the community – facts, stories, and needs that they might not know otherwise! And you have the ability to ask them to take action to make life better for immigrants and refugees.
Why Advocate for Immigrants and Refugees?
If you believe that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and has God-given value and rights, then you have the opportunity to be a strong voice for justice! There are millions of immigrants and refugees around the world and in our communities who are suffering and in vulnerable situations that put them and their families at risk.
Individuals, churches, and community groups have an important role to play. But we also know that our elected officials have the power to make decisions. They can create change on a much broader scale. And when we speak up, we can help them understand why it is important to help immigrants and refugees around the world and in the United States – and that it’s something we care about!
How Can I Be an Advocate?
Becoming an advocate for immigrants and refugees in your local community can take so many different forms! And at World Relief Chicagoland, we are here to help you take action in lots of different ways. We want you to know you are not alone, but part of a bigger movement. A community of advocates!
Ways to Get Started
1. Look Up Your Elected Officials
First, you can start by learning about your elected officials. Who are they? What are the issues they care about? If you are in Illinois, you can click here to search for your elected officials and use your address to find a list of people at a local, state, and federal level. In Chicago, you may also want to click here to find your ward’s alderman. Or if you are outside of Illinois, visit this page on USA.gov for help identifying your elected officials in other states.
Because these are the people you will call to share your perspective, write letters to, and reach out to for meetings, it’s a good idea to know who they are, what their focus areas are, and how you can engage.
2. Learn About the Issues Impacting Immigrants and Refugees in Your Neighborhood
If you are not an immigrant or refugee yourself, one of your first actions should be to learn more about the experience of immigrants in your community. Talking with your neighbors or others in your church or school communities can provide all kinds of insight! Ask them questions based on their own experience and what they think would make their lives better. And try talking to lots of different people to identify common themes. Don’t assume that there is only one “right” answer.
Reading and watching videos is another great way to learn! You can find all kinds of stories and helpful information from reading the World Relief Chicagoland blog. But don’t stop there! In addition to learning about the experiences specific to immigrants and refugees, (many of the biggest issues that impact them affect a broader group of people…such as people of color, religious or ethnic minorities, or low-income families), consider looking up issues like:
- Does your town have enough affordable housing?
- Are there sufficient healthcare and mental health resources?
- Do the schools in your area have enough teachers and educational supplies?
3. Take Note
As you learn, pay attention to the solutions that trusted leaders share. Organizations like World Relief are part of community coalitions and networks that share information and work to identify good solutions together. But there are plenty of experts in your community too. Take the time to ask your immigrant neighbors, organization leaders, and others what they think needs to change. And take note of what they say!
4. Mobilize
There are so many different ways you can mobilize your community to take action. Here are just a few ideas!
- Join Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) Advocacy Days. World Relief is part of RCUSA, which hosts advocacy days each year. These advocacy days bring together community members and organizations in support of refugee issues. When you sign up, you get to participate in training opportunities and meetings with members of Congress! You will get to join a facilitator and others in your community who care about refugees. Invite your friends and neighbors to join too by posting about these opportunities on social media.
- Attend city council meetings, school board meetings, and neighborhood council meetings in your area. Show up and pay attention to meetings where big decisions impacting your community are made. Additionally, you can use the information you have learned to inform your questions and bring refugee and immigrant issues to the forefront of the conversation.
- Lastly, learn more about World Relief Chicagoland’s advocacy efforts and how you can get involved!
Read More About How to Address Barriers
How the Affordable Housing Crisis Is Impacting Refugee Families
How to “Drive” Change by Donating Your Car
4 Ways to Read, Watch, and Listen to Powerful Immigrant and Refugee Stories
Becoming a US Citizen Removes a Barrier to Justice.
Celebrating the 4th of July for a naturalized citizen can have a different flavor. It is an indescribable feeling of pride, freedom, and belonging. A naturalized citizen is a person with legal permanent resident status, who has made the choice to become a US citizen. Specifically, he or she has fulfilled the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Becoming a citizen provides more opportunity and influence. For example, the right to vote and having a voice in the formations of the communities we share. And while citizens are able to contribute in unique ways they also have greater access to support and resources.
The work of guiding immigrants through the citizenship application process is an act of justice. By removing this barrier to influence and resources, we create an environment where everyone benefits and everyone can thrive.
Serving Future US Citizens
The US Department of Justice recognizes World Relief’s Immigration Legal Services department to practice immigration law. Therefore, our trained staff can represent qualified individuals with their applications in front of the US Department of Homeland Security.
Since the 1990s, World Relief Chicagoland has proudly assisted thousands of people to become US citizens. A few years later, in 2005, we began offering group application clinics. We are thankful for the churches that host the clinics and the volunteers who work tirelessly. They inspire us.
World Relief is committed to offering high-quality immigration legal services at a low cost through a wide range of support, including federal, state, and private partnerships. Additionally, we would not be able to do this work without the support of the community of advocates, volunteers, and donors.
We enjoy witnessing the new sense of excitement and hope in the July 4th celebrations. For new citizens, hanging flags outside their homes, buying 4th of July attire, and attending parades are significant moments. And seeing Independence Day through the eyes of a family that has been reunited, or a refugee who fled persecution is incredibly inspiring. Therefore, we remember July 4th is more than a holiday. It is a day to witness hope and a sense of belonging again in the eyes of people who have persevered.
A Snapshot of the Impact
Through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Immigrant Legal Services managed to assist 649 immigrants in becoming naturalized citizens, from 01/2020 to 06/2022. Consequently, these immigrants, including refugees and asylees, became citizens and swore the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. Remarkably, these new American citizens represented 79 countries and a wide range of ages. For instance, 162 were children, the youngest applicant was 5 years old, and our oldest applicant was 83 years old. And, of the total population, 52% were women.
How You Can Help
As with many areas of justice for refugees and other immigrants, the need is often greater than our own capacity. However, we know you are committed to fighting that good fight to become a welcoming community. Therefore, becoming a trained volunteer to serve in Citizenship Clinics or supporting the work of World Relief through joining the Path, is a great next step. In conclusion, we can help remove the barriers that many refugees and immigrants face to finding the unique belonging of being a US Citizen.
Susan Sosa Bachmeier is the Senior Immigrant Legal Services Specialist for World Relief Chicagoland, Aurora office. She provides direct legal counsel and representation to refugees, asylees, and immigrants seeking administrative benefits, including family reunifications, adjustment of status (green card), and naturalization. Susan is fully accredited to represent clients before the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and Department of Justice.
She started her career at World Relief in 2006 as an intern. Additionally, she proudly became a U.S. citizen in 2015. Susan serves her community as a Commissioner for the Human Relations Commission of the City of Aurora. She is an immigrant herself, born and raised in Callao, Peru. Additionally, Susan has a bachelor’s in Sociology from Aurora University and a Certificate in Homeland Security from the College of DuPage.
Read More
MarĂa’s Story: Letter from a New U.S. Citizen
A Refugee Family’s Long Resettlement Journey
For refugees seeking to rebuild their lives, their journey to the United States can be long and fraught with challenges. While the average time it takes for a refugee to be vetted and screened to come to the U.S. is about two years, many people leave their homes long before. UNHCR reports that some refugees who flee crises in their home country end up living in refugee camps for years or even decades. However, the vast majority of refugees live in cities, where they may live in limbo for 10 to 26 years, often with limited job and educational opportunities. Nobody wants to become a refugee. And most hope and pray to return to their home country someday.
When that’s not possible, it’s important that countries like the United States welcome refugees and provide a way for them to rebuild their lives permanently. But while their arrival in the U.S. is a cause of celebration, refugees have not yet reached the end of their journey. Coming to the U.S. sets refugees down a new road full of obstacles and barriers they must overcome in order to thrive in their new country.
World Relief’s job is to help the community be a place of welcome for refugees so that they can overcome these challenges and truly celebrate belonging and making a new home. Learn more about how you can walk this path with new arrivals by going on the journey of a refugee family below.
First Day of a Refugee Journey in the U.S.
Behind the Scenes
Even before a refugee family arrives, World Relief staff and volunteers from a local church or community group begin preparation for their arrival. Together, they move furniture and essentials into an apartment so that the family has what they need to feel comfortable and at home. By the time a refugee family arrives, they will have a home equipped with beds, a kitchen table, chairs, a couch, other furniture, and kitchen utensils. Volunteers like you also stock the pantry with familiar foods, coffee or tea, and cooking essentials. This helps provide a safe and welcoming place for a family to rest after their travels.
Arrival
When a family or individual arrives to the United States, they often bring with them hopes and big dreams for the future. They are still mourning the lives and loved ones they left behind, but they also have expectations and goals for life in the U.S. From the time their plane lands at the airport, World Relief staff and people like you are there to welcome them and drive them to their new home.
First Week
Orientation to the U.S.
After a few days, the family sits down with World Relief staff and a Good Neighbor Team, a group of committed volunteers from the community who commit to supporting the family for the next six months. Together, they create an action plan to guide the family for the upcoming weeks as they settle in. The family and volunteers share with the family about the community and things they need to know.
First Month
Adjusting to the New Community
For the next few weeks, the family stays busy. There are errands to run. Doctors appointments to go to. Lots of paperwork. And there are many little tasks to do…everything from applying for social security cards to enrolling children in school.
First Three Months
Support for Children and Youth
As the family adjusts, the kids get to participate in World Relief’s after-school clubs. There, they get homework help, play games, and meet other children. Social-emotional learning (SEL) activities help the children and youth process their emotions and build self-confidence. They learn and play alongside other children and practice important life skills like relationship-building and conflict resolution. And they get academic support from people like you so they can succeed in school!
Learning English
The parents join English classes. There, World Relief teachers, volunteers, and other English learners come together to practice their skills speaking. The family checks out an iPad from the technology lending library, which they use to do English homework and join classes on Zoom. Conversation cafes give language learners the chance to practice their conversational English by talking with community volunteers like you.
Starting New Jobs
Local business partners help the parents start new jobs, and World Relief’s Employment Services team helps them prepare for their new roles and start work. Later on, the Refugee Career Pathways team will help them brainstorm their long-term career goals and develop job skills.
First Year
Immigration Processes
Eventually, the family will apply for Green Cards so they can stay in the U.S. permanently. They gain the help of a World Relief staff attorney who helps them take this important next step – gathering documentation, filing paperwork, and completing all necessary steps. With affordable, qualified legal help and interpretation, the family does not have to worry about their legal pathway to become permanent residents or citizens.
First Five Years
Community Engagement
After a few years, Mom Sarya gets involved in the community. She joins a parent committee at her daughter Jamila’s school. Along with the other parents, she gets to support her daughter’s teachers and help create a welcoming environment for all students.
Saving for Long-Term Goals
When the Ahmadi family joins the World Relief’s financial literacy program, they start learning how to manage money. They learn about debt, credit, and banking. Eventually, they join a match savings program and start saving money for a home. After a few years of diligent savings, they reach $4,000 and a partner matches their money dollar-for-dollar! They end up with a total of $8,000 – enough for a down payment on a house! Buying a home is a proud accomplishment for the family and a testament to their hard work.
Five Years and Beyond
Reaching Milestones
Eventually, the family becomes an integral part of their new community. As they achieve milestones in their careers, education, and personal lives, they celebrate! And we celebrate with them. For years to come, they continue progressing towards long-term goals and building relationships in the community.
Best of all, they move from being welcomed to being “welcomers” and they support other new arrivals on their refugee journey to belonging, just as people like you supported them.
Your Part in Their Journey
It is because of dedicated and compassionate people like you that families like the Ahmadis are able to rebuild their lives in a welcoming community. To find out how you can journey with families today, consider volunteering or becoming a monthly partner by joining the Path.
Read More Refugee Journey Stories
Ali’s Story: A Refugee Pharmacist Using His Career to Give Back to Others
Photo Essay: The Afghan Seamstress Sewing Beautiful Garments in Her New Community
Finally, I’m Home: Raphael’s Story of 8 Years Waiting for Resettlement
20 Ways to Learn More About Refugees
Around the world, 103 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes — the highest number in recorded history. Of those, 32.5 million are considered refugees, having fled across an international border due to war, violence, conflict or persecution.
That’s millions of mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, teachers, doctors and friends — each created in the image of God — with full lives and identities long before they became refugees.
As we enter World Refugee Awareness Month and look toward World Refugee Day on June 20th, we’ve compiled a list of books, podcasts, videos and more to help answer your questions about refugees. As you engage with and share these resources, we hope you’ll be inspired to join us in creating a world where everyone can thrive.
READ
Some advocates have described Jesus as a refugee. But was he really? World Relief CEO Myal Greene tackles that question and how the answer should shape the Christian response to refugees and other vulnerable immigrants.
Blog: Drivers of Mass Displacement
People are displaced from their homes for myriad reasons, including persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and climate-related factors. World Relief’s Lydia Dawson explains the drivers of mass displacement and how World Relief is responding globally.
Blog: Worth the Wait: A Story of Faith, Perseverance and Love, Despite the Odds
For seven years, Congolese refugees (and newlyweds!) Mbimbi and Goreth didn’t know if they would ever see each other again. Read their story to learn more about the challenges and uncertainties that many refugees face as they rebuild.
Book: Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church
U.S. churches are at a critical crossroads — blurred lines between discipleship and partisanship have compromised our witness and confused our national and individual responses to refugees and “the stranger.” In their book, pastor Eric Costanzo, missiologist Daniel Yang and World Relief’s Matthew Soerens find hope in the witness of global Christians, the poor and the ancient church.
Book: Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration
Karen González invites Christians passionate about serving immigrants to explore how we can create welcoming communities that put our immigrant neighbors at the center of the conversation.
Book: Everything Sad is Untrue: (a true story)
Following his mother’s vocal embrace of Christianity, Daniel Nayeri, his mother and his sister were forced to flee Iran. In this memoir, he retells the tales of his family’s history from his perspective as a misfit middle schooler in Oklahoma.
Book: The Girl Who Smiled Beads
When Clementine was six years old, she and her 15-year-old sister, Clair, fled the massacre that was happening in their home country of Rwanda. In this riveting memoir, Clementine tells their story of rebuilding and reclaiming life on their own terms.
LISTEN
This World Relief mini-series offers a global and a biblical perspective on the subjects of immigration, mass displacement and refugee resettlement, diving into current policies and practices and sharing stories of our collective human experience.
This six-part series traces the U.S. refugee resettlement journey through the eyes of those directly experiencing it. Follow along as each episode brings the listener into the daily lives of refugees adjusting to life in the U.S.
Podcast Episode: Holly Andrews on How the Church Can Walk Alongside Refugees
In episode 4 of our Forward Together podcast series, Holly Andrews explains how churches can use the resources they already have to help refugees and other immigrants rebuild their lives.
WATCH
TEDx Talk: One Refugee’s Life Experience | Come Nzibarega
Born and raised in Burundi, Come Nzibarega shares his story of escaping torture and civil war and why he thinks refugee camps are the richest places in the world.
For Ibrahim’s family, the road to resettlement, reunion and rebuilding has been long. Learn more about the obstacles families like his can face as they seek safety.
Video: Who are Refugees and How Do They Arrive in the United States?
From flight and displacement to arrival and integration, this 7-minute animated video tells the true story of a refugee family’s experience in each stage of the refugee resettlement process.
STUDY
World Relief Workshop Course: Intro to Resettlement
Have you ever wondered what actually happens in the resettlement process or what a resettlement agency does? This FREE, 45-minute course will answer those questions and explain how you and your community can support refugees resettling in the U.S.
World Relief Workshop Course: Navigating Friendships
Navigating friendships with those who are different from us can be rewarding — and challenging! In this self-paced, online course you’ll learn essential skills for building empowering, long-lasting friendships with those who may differ from you in culture, socioeconomic status and religion, and best practices for supporting a friend who lives with trauma. During the month of June, enroll for 50% off with code WORLDREFUGEEDAY50.
Bible Study: Christ Like Welcome
Jesus astonished the culture around him by giving voice to the speechless, frustrating the powerful and humbling the wise. In this 5-week study from our partners at Women of Welcome, learn how your welcome can become like his — wonderfully surprising, deeply challenging and firmly rooted in love.
Bible Reading Plan: The I Was a Stranger Challenge
Take the challenge and discover God’s heart for those who have been displaced. Over the course of 40 days, read one Bible passage a day that speaks to God’s love for foreigners and refugees.
FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Children’s Book: Marisol’s Dress
In the midst of a revolution, young Marisol is forced to flee the life she knows and loves in vibrant Cuba. In this beautifully illustrated book, Emily Ozier follows her mother and grandmother as they journey to the U.S., facing challenges and celebrating along the way.
Children’s Book: My Two Blankets
When Cartwheel moves to a new country as a refugee, everything is strange: the animals, the plants, even the wind. An old blanket comforts her when she’s sad, and a new blanket just might change her world. A story about leaving home, arriving in a foreign land and finding a new friend.
For parents and teachers wondering how to talk about mass displacement with children and teens, the UN Refugee Agency offers teaching materials on refugees, asylum and migration, as well as guidance for teachers working with refugee children in the classroom.
Want to keep learning? Stay informed about refugee resettlement and World Relief’s work to care for those in vulnerable situations around the world by signing up for our monthly email newsletter.
Karen Spencer is World Relief’s U.S. Marketing Partner and serves U.S. offices including World Relief Chicagoland in the area of identity and messaging. She previously served as Mobilization Director for World Relief in Memphis, where she lives. She is a connector of people, places, passions and purpose.
Kelly Hill serves as a Content Writer at World Relief’s home office. She previously served as Volunteer Services Manager at World Relief Triad in North Carolina before moving to Salt Lake City. With a background in International and Intercultural Communication, she is passionate about the power of story to connect people of diverse experiences.
How You Can Lead from Where You Are
Leadership reflection from World Relief Chicagoland Executive Director Susan Sperry.
At World Relief, we regularly say that we want to create communities of love and welcome. I believe that this is an important vision. In fact, it’s a guiding idea that has motivated much of my own decision-making and sense of calling in my life and career spent serving at World Relief. And I think this vision reflects beautiful biblical values that remind us of God’s heart for how Christians can engage with immigrants and refugees.
“For I was a stranger, and you welcomed me,” Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:35.
Yet as I ponder this vision and what it looks like practically for each of us, there is a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer that challenges the way I apply this vision to my life and thinking.
“The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community
When we put these wise words in conversation with our vision to create communities of love and welcome, I believe we are left with an invitation: an invitation to lead and to steward.
Leadership & Stewardship
Bonhoeffer gives us a “reality check” opportunity by reminding us that our big, inspirational ideas about what community should look like matter far, far less than how we actually treat those around us. Building community is not about the headline moments, but more about small, faithful actions to serve those around us. Instead, what if we complete many small actions to serve those around us?
World Relief’s mission is to equip the Church, as well as like-minded community members, to serve those in vulnerable situations. And this is a strength, I believe, because it means we open doors for you to lead from where you are. And that is an invitation to stewardship. Stewardship of relationships, time, finances, and even opportunities. That is why, when World Relief asks you to consider what you can do to help create welcoming communities, we believe that response varies person by person. And we each have a role to play!
People Leading in their Sphere
Every day, I’m amazed at the creative ways that members of my community step up in leadership. For some, this can be a bold step of faith to do something new. For others, it’s using the platform or position they have been given. I’m inspired by leaders young and old from all walks of life who choose to be part of a change.
We’ve seen…
- Sunday school teachers leading from Scripture with lessons about God’s heart for immigrants and refugees
- College students organizing their friends on campus to write letters to political representatives to advocate for DACA recipients
- Children running lemonade stands to raise funds for their new neighbors from Afghanistan.
- Refugees welcomed by World Relief returning as volunteers to help others
- Individuals researching the needs of immigrants in Chicago so that they can give strategically
- Groups from local churches coming together to form a team to walk alongside a recently-arrived refugee family
- And so many others!
Each of these examples became part of creating a community of love and welcome. And they did it by asking a question.
“What does it look like to faithfully serve those around me? How can I lead by serving the people who are my neighbors?”
Our Call
I want to challenge each of us to think about leadership not only as a position. Instead, as an invitation that anyone can accept.
With that mindset in place, what if we asked ourselves, “What does it mean for me to lead in creating lasting change where God has me right now?”
Continue Reading
Partner Spotlight: Greg & Olivia Evans on “Who is my neighbor?”
Video: We Believe the Church Can Change the World
A Reflection During Volunteer Appreciation Month
A Reflection During Volunteer Appreciation Month
By Rachel Wassink, Volunteer Mobilization Manager at World Relief Chicagoland.
Along with the coming of spring and the celebration of Easter, April is when World Relief celebrates National Volunteer Appreciation week. A week when we recognize the profound impact of volunteers and the lasting change they bring to our communities.
Volunteers have walked alongside refugees and other immigrants through changes and challenges, but they have not lost hope. They know that creating change that lasts isn’t easy, but it’s possible when we move together.
What I’ve Seen
Over the past four years, I have had the joy of working with volunteers serving across Chicagoland in a variety of opportunities like Friendship Partners, Youth Tutors, Transportation Assistants, and more. I have seen volunteers give their time, resources, creativity, and expertise. All while maintaining a posture of humility and curiosity as they learn from our neighbors.
Amidst changes like COVID-19 and the surge of Afghan arrivals this past fall, volunteers have shown unwavering support. Their steadfast presence has been a constant encouragement to me as we move forward together.
One Volunteer’s Impact
There are unending stories I could share of how volunteers have made a lasting change. But there’s one that’s been at the front of my mind lately as I see buds on the trees bursting and daffodils sprouting up through the ground.
A family arrived in the spring of 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. Soon they were matched virtually with a Friendship Partner volunteer. The family mentioned that one of their goals was to start a garden so they could have fresh food and be reminded of their garden back home. Over video calls and through a language difference, their Friendship Partner helped them make a list of supplies and create a plan for where to set up the garden. Their Friendship Partner collected some garden supplies from their church community and was able to drop off the supplies. Within a few days, they watched the family plant their garden virtually.
Fast forward to spring of 2021, and this Friendship Partner got to join the family outside to plant their garden once again! That simple act of service in supporting the family with their first garden bloomed into a joyful tradition.
You can make a difference
Volunteers walk alongside refugee and immigrant neighbors in dozens of small and big ways. Creating change that lasts, and we are so thankful for each and every volunteer. From gardening to navigating new systems to sharing a cup of tea, volunteers show up and make a difference.
To our volunteers that have been along for the journey – thank you for your generous service. And to those not yet on the team – you too can be part of this community of volunteers moving forward together in welcoming our neighbors and making change that lasts.
Read more about the impact of volunteers and how ordinary moments create a movement of change in our Year In Review: 2021 Year in Review | World Relief Chicagoland Annual Report
Impact Report: Key Metrics from the 2021 Year in Review
This year, the World Relief Chicagoland community continues walking alongside immigrants and refugees throughout Chicagoland by providing vital services through a community of staff, volunteers, church partners, grant funders, business leaders, and other individuals.
In 2021, we remembered the African proverb: To go fast, go alone. To go far, go together.
These words inspired the theme of the 2021 Year in Review, our annual report. In the Year in Review, there is a central idea of ordinary moments creating a movement of change. With that in mind, we believe that the numbers we share are not themselves the impact. Rather, they are small indicators supporting the long-term change that we hope to see.
What is evidence of impact?
What is the value of welcoming immigrants and refugees? Of providing vital services, offering friendship, and connecting people within their new community? At World Relief Chicagoland, we believe this mission is important. Why? Because every person has immeasurable value. Above all, creating a welcoming community emphasizes the worth of each individual.
With that in mind, evidence of impact comes in many forms. It could be the success of a refugee working on job skills and gaining a career promotion. The pride of parents whose child graduated from high school. Or perhaps it’s a family able to save for their first house. It could even come from seeing someone building meaningful, lasting relationships within their neighborhood.
With that mindset, numbers are a very small part of the story. However, World Relief Chicagoland’s key program metrics do reveal something important. In fact, they show that through collaboration and community, we can accomplish far more together than anyone could alone.
Key Metrics
Together, in 2021, we created a movement of change – serving more than 6,500 people across Chicagoland. The needs are great. But so is our collective power for good. In fact, 2021 shows us that.
Thank You for Being a Partner in Impact…
- 1,547 volunteers invested their time
- 1,111 individual donors gave financially
- 120+ staff labored together to serve the community
- 220+ businesses joined in creating impact
- 20+ foundations funded programs for long-lasting change
…And Supporting Life-Changing Programs
- Immigration Legal Services served 2,859 people with legal information, counsel, and representation
- Immigrant Family Services reached 3,419 people with vital services in mental health and wellness, employment and career advancement, case management, children and youth, and more
- Education Programs equipped 511 people through English classes, technology support, and other skills
Read More
To learn more, check out World Relief Chicagoland’s 2021 Year in Review. This report showcases key metrics along with powerful stories. But most importantly, we believe that it reflects a bigger picture; a picture in which ordinary moments contribute to a movement of change.
Click here to read the Year in Review.
As you read, we hope that stories and metrics communicate evidence of change, that you see indicators of hope, and finally, that you walk away knowing the value of creating welcoming communities, together.
Because individual actions truly can create extraordinary impact.
Video: We Believe the Church Can Change the World
Why the Church Has Hope for a Hurting World
At World Relief, we believe that when the Church is mobilized to achieve its full potential, it has the power to change our world.
This is because we believe that the local church is God’s plan to reveal his mercy, compassion and truth to people around the world. In each of our communities, local churches function as a social network. Churches have influence. Churches have the opportunity to share truths about God’s love, compassion, and justice.
And with the power of the Holy Spirit, we believe that the Church can accomplish more than humans could ever possibly do alone.
What is the task of the church? We are to embody Jesus Christ by doing what He did and what He continues to do through us: declare—using both words and deeds—that Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords who is bringing in a kingdom of righteousness, justice, and peace.
Steve Corbett, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor and Yourself
How World Relief Equips the Church
World Relief Chicagoland has partnered with churches for more than 40 years. And the global World Relief network has partnered with churches across the U.S. and around the world for over 75 years. Together, thousands of church partners are creating long-term change in vulnerable communities. Today, we’re a movement of over 5,000 churches, across 20 countries, sharing hope and love to families in vulnerable situations.
World Relief believes the Church can change the world. Do you?
Watch the video below to hear more about our vision for churches.
Watch more videos of hope on World Relief Chicagoland’s YouTube channel or learn about how your church can partner with us to create lasting change.
More like this:
New Opportunity in the U.S.: Jenny’s Story
I Was No Longer Safe in My Country: Yomardy’s Story of Seeking Asylum
8 Things You Need To Know About the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis
Over the last week, our hearts have been broken as we watch images of mothers and children fleeing Ukraine while their husbands, sons, fathers and brothers stay behind to fight. Indiscriminate violence is placing innocent lives in danger, with reports already indicating a tragic loss of life. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are beginning to come to terms with the shocking reality of life as a refugee. As the situation continues to unfold, we will keep you updated and informed. Read on to learn more about what’s happening in Ukraine, the growing refugee crisis, and what you can do to help.
1. What’s going on in Ukraine and why are people fleeing?
Russian-Ukrainian tension has existed since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Then, the largest country in the world suddenly collapsed into 15 smaller European nations, including Ukraine. At the time, Vladimir Putin, now president of Russia, called the collapse ​​the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century.” Since the fall, Putin has desired to reclaim the lost territory, which he sees as “a single whole.”Â
Today, threatened by the expansion of Western influence and Ukraine’s desire to join NATO — The North Atlantic Treaty Organization — Russia feels a greater need and urgency than ever to exert and protect its influence in the region.
February saw a huge troop buildup along Ukrainian borders. On Thursday, February 24th, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country.
Civilian targets are not being spared. Indiscriminate bombing has damaged residential buildings, hospitals, schools, and crucial infrastructure that supplies heat, water, and electricity to citizens.Â
As of March 3rd, over one million refugees had fled across neighboring borders. This number is estimated to grow to over seven million during the coming weeks and months.
2. Where are people going? What’s happening at the borders?
Most Ukrainians are fleeing for their closest border with neighboring European countries. The sudden wave of people gathering at border crossings has created large humanitarian needs. These locations are in urgent need of basic necessities including water, food, heat and shelter as the wait at the border for processing can take three to four days. As of March 3rd, Poland has been the primary recipient of refugees, with over 548,000 refugees crossing. Other countries that are seeing large numbers* of refugees are:
- Hungary 139,686
- Moldova 97,827
- Slovakia 72,200
- Romania 51,261
- Russia 47,800
- Belarus 357
*These numbers reflect reports as of March 3rd, 2022.
3. Who is fleeing?
Tragically, it is mostly women and children who are crossing the borders alone. Men between the ages of 18-60 have been asked by Ukrainian President Zelensky to stay behind to join the defense forces. This means women and children are leaving home without their husbands, fathers and brothers. This is also resulting in grave concerns about security and protection as many young women and children without adult guardians are crossing unaccompanied without money or visas. Unfortunately, this makes them extremely susceptible to sexual violence, exploitation and trafficking. UNICEF, IOM and others are mobilizing protection units to be spread along the border crossings.
4. There has been talk of discrimination at the border. What’s going on there?
There is a large concern about third-country nationals — citizens of other countries who were in Ukraine at the time war began. Many were students studying in Ukraine from Africa. Initial reports indicated that many of these individuals were not being permitted to cross the border out of Ukraine to Poland with others, and were actually barricaded for a time in shelters without basic expected facilities. Furthermore, many others without documentation (passports, etc.) were simply refused shelter and instead temporarily detained. However, after swift international media concern, this problem seems to have been resolved and officials are now allowing everyone to enter Poland regardless of ethnicity, refugee status or documentation.
5. Are there any policies in place in the E.U. and/or U.S. that could help protect Ukrainian Refugees?
Poland is currently considering passing a Parliamentary Act giving temporary residence rights to refugees coming in from Ukraine which would permit people to work and live in the country. This would be hugely beneficial to the millions seeking to rebuild their lives following this conflict.
In terms of U.S. policies, the Biden administration granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Ukrainians who are already in the U.S. This allows those whose temporary visas may be about to expire or who may have overstayed a temporary visa to stay lawfully in the U.S. Additionally, this also allows them to gain work authorization to work to support themselves, rather than being required to return to Ukraine at a time when doing so would be incredibly dangerous. We’re thankful for this action.
Beyond that, the Biden administration and Congress should continue to focus on rebuilding the U.S. refugee resettlement program and our asylum system so that Ukrainians and others who have fled their homes with credible fear of persecution can find refuge in the U.S. going forward.
6. Will Ukrainian refugees come to the U.S?
Historically, a significant number of Ukrainians have come to the United States, including many admitted through the U.S. refugee resettlement program through a specific provision known as the Lautenberg Amendment, which offers resettlement to particular religious minorities from the Former Soviet Union.
World Relief has resettled over 13,000 refugees from Ukraine over the past 18 years. In fact, in the last 10 years, World Relief resettled 7,300 Ukrainians. That is nearly 40 percent of all Ukrainian refugees resettled to the U.S. during that time.
Our hearts and prayers are with the many Ukrainians we’ve walked alongside. This includes many on staff in the United States who are originally from Ukraine. And who are now deeply concerned for loved ones still within the country.  Â
While some fleeing Ukraine could eventually qualify for resettlement to the U.S., most are going to neighboring countries in Europe . So far, these countries have been willing to offer safety and protection.Â
We do anticipate that some Ukrainians who already have temporary U.S. visas may travel to the U.S. Once here, they may consider seeking asylum. World Relief’s immigration legal services teams are actively providing guidance to those in the U.S. on the legal possibilities for seeking asylum or pursuing family reunification visas.Â
More information for Ukrainians in the United States is here.
7. What is World Relief doing to help Ukrainians?
World Relief is currently preparing to send funds to our partners in the region. These partners are providing assistance on the ground.Â
We are also ready to resettle Ukrainian refugees when we have the opportunity. And we are providing assistance to those already in the U.S. who are desperately seeking help for their families. The situation is changing rapidly. But so are the ways we can respond.
Above all, we are constantly lifting those in need up in prayer — whether for peace in Ukraine or relief from disasters around the world.
8. How can I help?
PRAY: As in all things, we first turn to prayer. Pray for peace in Ukraine, for wisdom and courage for the global leaders involved, and for faith and comfort for the families suffering in the midst of this conflict right now.
ADVOCATE:Â You can urge the Biden administration to provide emergency humanitarian funding. This will help meet the immediate needs of displaced Ukrainians and those who remain in Ukraine. The response will include partnering with local organizations in Ukraine and neighboring countries. Additionally, you can encourage countries of refuge to continue to provide protection for displaced Ukrainians by processing and providing legal protections for refugees and other displaced persons.
GIVE: Finally, you can offer financial support at this crucial time by giving to World Relief’s Disaster Response fund, mobilizing our partners, churches and staff to respond to the critical needs of the most vulnerable needlessly suffering in Ukraine and around the world