Posts by worldrelief
The Long Road to Citizenship: Prince’s Story
Our Team at World Relief Baltimore Immigrant Services Office works daily to further our clients’ paths toward naturalization. This recent story from our sister office in North Carolina inspires us as we walk along the long road to citizenship with our Baltimore neighbors.
Reflecting on September as the time of year that we celebrate citizenship with #CitizenshipDay, a day inviting, “Americans to reflect on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship,” we invite you to continue reading to learn about one of our own’s story, Prince Mushunju and his wife, Laurette!
Becoming a citizen affords a lot of privileges and is an arduous process that can be uncertain for some. Prince Mushunju, Employment Services Coordinator at World Relief , reflects on his and his wife’s experience one year since they received citizenship.
“To experience the respect that is had for a U.S. citizen — Now that we have passports, we see a very big difference in the respect people give us,” he says. “We’ve traveled to the same countries! So we can see the difference. Americans don’t always appreciate their privilege in being born in this country.”
Searching for Home
When Prince and his wife first arrived in the United States in 2015, they were expecting their first child. After living in a refugee camp in Uganda for nearly 12 years, they were ready to find a home. They decided before they had even arrived that America would be their home. “We considered this to be our home. So one of the first things we did was ask the question of what can we do to become permanent residents. How do we become citizens? We asked this from the first year.”
Prince can’t help but smile when he reflects on those first few days and weeks arriving in the U.S. He says that they even thought that they were being resettled in New York City because that’s where their first flight was landing. After weeks of research, Prince then had to readjust to the idea of actually living in Greensboro, North Carolina — “very different from New York,” Prince laughs.
“They picked us up from the airport and took us to a small house,” he says. “But even still, the love of the country helped us. We knew we needed to get that citizenship to feel like we were home.”
Enduring towards Freedom and Joy
The journey towards citizenship involved a lot of work that Prince says made his wife and himself feel like they were back in school. Since they had to apply individually, there was always the fear that one of them might get citizenship while the other didn’t.
“We felt joy and freedom once we learned we’d gotten citizenship,” Prince says. “There are things a citizen can do that someone who doesn’t have a permanent status cannot do. Now that we’ve come as refugees, and have gone through that process as well as the process of becoming a citizen, we feel like, ‘Wow. I can breathe and start living.'”
One way major way that their lives have changed now as citizens is not only in the way they travel (Prince and his family are planning to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo soon so that his children can see where he comes from), but also in applying for their parents and other family members to come to the U.S. now.
“The process will be much easier as citizens and not refugees now,” Prince says. “As long as I’m working and don’t have a record, they can come.” He concludes with a smile that it should be less than two years until they are all reunited.
At World Relief Balimore Immigrant Services Office, we are invested in providing holistic care for our clients, which includes assistance in legal immigration services, often. If you would like to learn more about this program or give towards it today, click below.
Finding Hope in “DACA” – Interview with Jazmin
Creating belonging happens in so many ways in Baltimore and cities across the United States where World Relief has Immigration Services, like this story from our sister office in Sacramento, CA.
Jazmin grew up believing she wouldn’t have the opportunity to graduate from college and start a full-time career. When she was a junior in high school, she met with the Immigration Legal Services team at World Relief who helped her apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and walked alongside her through every part of the process.
We sat down with Jazmin and asked her a few questions about her experiences:
Tell us about yourself and about your family.
I moved to California when I was 5 years old – my Dad came back to Mexico and picked me up from my grandparents’ house. Adjusting to the rhythm of school and learning a new language was incredibly difficult, and I grew up with a lot of stress because I didn’t think I would have the opportunity to go to college – it was a battle figuring out how I would be able to support my family.
But when I was a junior in high school, World Relief was able to help me out. They filled out my DACA paper work and guided me through the entire process. Thanks to them, I attended and graduated Sacramento State with a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management and Engineering. My Dad was a construction worker, so I jumped into it with the best faith – I’ve now worked for company that I’m currently at for the past 5 years and have been able to help my family quite a bit.
This was all because of DACA; without that policy, I wouldn’t be able to have these same opportunities I do now.
How did you meet the World Relief team?
My point of resource was the Mexican Console – they hosted workshops and World Relief was one of the organizations that sponsored me. They gave me resources, sent my application, and paid fees – they walked alongside me through the entire DACA process. All I needed to do bring was myself, and they processed everything else and kept everything up to date. It would have been incredibly hard for me to do it by myself; I felt very secure with World Relief handling everything.
How has DACA helped you? And how has World Relief’s legal team helped you in securing your future?
Thanks to DACA I was able to go to college, I was able to work legally and start compiling 401K and savings and building credit, and ultimately, I was able to help my family. Right now, I am saving to buy a family home – immigrants buying property with a low-income background is impossible.
With World Relief helping with the DACA process, it makes you feel like your case is always taken care of; I really appreciate them.
What has been your overall experience as an immigrant in California?
I have a mixture of feelings. I think on the good side: it’s humbling. Just to know that you come from a different country and you’re trying to make it here. Because of DACA it’s not as limiting, without it it’s scary. I went through anxiety growing up without DACA because I couldn’t follow the traditional steps of going to college and would have to work illegally. It’s scary, it still is. It’s still all up in the air politically, but I’m trying to take care of the advantage.
What changed in your day-to-day life after you were approved for DACA?
My routine – just going to school and finding a good job changed. My lifestyle and quality of life changed. I don’t feel like I was negatively impacted at all – without DACA, college would’ve cost three times as much – I graduated without debt and held a good job even before graduation. I never saw a dentist until started working full time – now I have so much better quality of life and insurance.
What would you like people to know about the DACA process?
For the people applying for DACA, I’ve known a lot of people have had complications. I know DACA will eventually will expire – a lot of times you never know when the application is going to bounce back. Having resources like World Relief ready and able to help is necessary – I always needed to be sure that this application is in good hands. It can be sensitive paperwork. DACA is important to have valuable resources.
For people who don’t know what DACA is, it’s not our fault that we’re in this situation (illegal), it’s needed for us to continue to live. And I know that DACA wasn’t given to everyone, which is unfortunate, but it’s special and appreciated. It’s a gift to a small portion of immigrants.
I hope that it shows people the benefits of giving immigrants legal status and I wish it was for everyone; I’m very grateful that I fall into the small group of immigrants given a chance. It’s proof that immigrants can give back to this country.
I consider it a success story for my parents; they brought their daughter not born here and gave her success being here. It truly is a success.
World Relief Baltimore Immigrant Services office helps so many individuals like Jazmin fulfill their dreams and provide for their families. Consider becoming a monthly donor and help us continue creating belonging in Baltimore City and County – click here for more information.
Through the Flood: How Conflict and Climate Change are Converging in South Sudan
Serving the most vulnerable often means accessing the furthest, hardest-to-reach places in order to meet those in greatest need. For Daniel Erwaga, it meant riding through waist-deep flood waters on a 4×4 all terrain vehicle to assist farmers whose fields had been flooded in South Sudan.
Over the last three years, record amounts of rainfall have led to increased flooding in South Sudan, affecting more than 835,000 people.
According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees:
Climate change is driving more frequent and intense weather and climate extremes such as cyclones, floods and droughts, negatively impacting agricultural production, food and water resources, and people’s livelihoods. These effects can lead to conflict and humanitarian disasters and are increasingly contributing to displacement in different regions of the world.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has struggled with ongoing civil conflict. This political instability has contributed to a food security crisis that today, is being aggravated all the more by climate instability.
Today, former World Relief staff, Daniel Erwaga, joins us from Juba to talk about how conflict and climate change are converging in South Sudan to increase the vulnerability of those already struggling with food insecurity.
Daniel shares his experience as a professional agriculturalist and South Sudanese citizen. Though the events discussed are occurring in South Sudan, we all have a role to play — as crises converge, the only way to move forward is together.
Read on to learn more and join us.
WR: Hi Daniel. Thanks for being with us today.
Daniel: Thank you. I’m so much pleased to have this interview.
WR: Could you start by telling us about the type of work you did for World Relief South Sudan?
Daniel: I started working with World Relief in 2017 until 2022 in March when my contract ended. I worked on emergency projects in partnership with OFDA and FAO. My role as an agriculturalist was to help people in Fangak and Koch communities understand the value of farming as a vocation. People here are pastoralists. They don’t know much about farming. I teach them everything from how to successfully grow crops all the way to running a business and selling their crops in the market.
WR: What prompted you to pursue a career as an agriculturalist?
Daniel: Of course. I’ve chosen this career based on my mentor – my father. He was also an agriculturalist. Back home, he had a kitchen garden and that kitchen garden impressed me. I told him I wanted to become an agriculturalist the same as him and he said, “No problem. You can do that.”
It is both love and a desire to have knowledge that pushed me to go into agriculture. When I was young, I thought to myself, “Of course, food is being produced by an agriculturalist. Why don’t you go and become a professional farmer because day and night, people are eating?” If I can go into agriculture, I can have a broader understanding of farming to help secure the nation, which is struggling with food insecurity.
WR: Can you share more about why this work is so important for communities in South Sudan?
Daniel: Yes. Currently, more than 8 million people are experiencing hunger in South Sudan. My philosophy is that I am helping them help themselves. Through our efforts, farmers are able to do for themselves because of the training and agronomic practices they learn. Of course, when there is conflict, people can’t cultivate the land, and often they move to another location. This mass migration into other territories can lead to more conflict and food shortages. And then there is the flood issue.
WR: How are you seeing the effects of climate change in the communities where you have worked?
Daniel: Climate change isn’t just in South Sudan, it’s everywhere. When there’s too much rain, it destroys crops from the gardens. I know you guys may not see it in the U.S., but here, we can also see the impact of climate change where animals die day and night because they don’t have anywhere to graze and they don’t have anywhere to stand. That’s part of it, but it also affects crops. You cannot harvest, of course, when your garden is flooded with water.
WR: In your experience, how have you seen conflict and climate change as being connected?
Daniel: Yes. In my own experience, climate change has nothing to do with conflict, but it also has something to do with conflict. Most of the conflict that happens in South Sudan is because of the power struggle. But on the other hand, climate change has contributed to the effects of the conflict.
Let’s take an example like Jonglei State. They’re pastoralists. When the floods came, they moved with their animals to the Equatorial states where the Equatorian people are farmers. When the people from Jonglei come with a large number of herds and cattle, they almost always bring conflict to the new community.
The pastoralists and farmers don’t communicate or collaborate with one another. So, when the pastoralists graze their animal in the farmer’s field, the animal will eat the crops of the farmer, and that’s where the conflict will come in. The flooding, which is caused as a result of climate change, also contributes to the conflict.
WR: There’s a photo of you that has become very popular at Word Relief. Can you tell us what was going on in that picture?
Daniel: You saw me on the convoy? Yes. It was last year in September. Some farmers had been calling me to go and check their gardens [which had been flooded]. I was riding in a truck, but I got stuck. Moving forward was a bit challenging. The place was flooded, so I could not move. I had to stop and assess how shallow the water was because the flood had covered the road, so there was nothing I could do. I could not go back and then I could not go forward.
That’s why I took the initiative of using the quad bike because the car could not access the road. I wanted to see how the garden had been flooded so I could give a report to see how those communities can be helped.
WR: If somebody’s garden is flooded, what kind of help is available to them through World Relief?
Daniel: First, you want to provide basic necessities like offering food because if the garden has been flooded, the person doesn’t expect to yield out of [a flooded garden]. You need to offer help. Then, if the flooding is not so much, you can dig a dyke, which can control the flood from entering into the garden. Those are the things I’ve been helping the farmers to do.
WR: Does South Sudan usually have a rainy season and a dry season, and has that changed?
Daniel: Yes. We have two seasons here, rain season and then dry season. As I’m speaking now, people are complaining because people are sleeping over the water. As a result, there is mass migration. People are moving out to higher elevated ground because of the flood.* Currently, we are now in the rainy season.
WR: What challenges does it create when so many people have to move to a new place because of flooding?
Daniel: There are a lot of challenges, one of which is shelter because when you migrate to a new location, you may find it hard for you to find shelter. Finding a place to sleep is a problem. Also toilets. A lot of disease can come when people don’t have a place to use the toilet. Also, as I said, there is even community conflict as a result of climate change and migration. People from Jonglei State are also migrating to Equatorian states where the flooding is less. They’re coming with their animals, and then the animals are eating another farmer’s crops, so there is conflict when this happens.
WR: At World Relief, we’ve been talking a lot about COVID, conflict and climate change. What do you think the Christian community can do to help with these crises?
Daniel: Christian community can play a big role in addressing crises like COVID-19. First, they can establish psychosocial support structures in the community to help people who are traumatized, who are affected with COVID-19. We can also build on that by procuring face masks and creating awareness.
Now, when it comes to conflict, the Christian community can promote peace and reconciliation and dialogue forums to address the issue of conflict. Christian community can also provide training in peace-making methodology to address the issue of conflict. These are things World Relief does well in engaging church leaders in the process.
The Christian community can respond differently than other individuals or governing bodies because the church leader is listened to and is trusted by members of the community.
WR: What do you want the global community to know about South Sudan?
Daniel: Of course, most of the global community doesn’t know about South Sudan. South Sudan is the world’s newest nation, gaining independence on July 9th of 2011.
Since gaining independence, conflict has renewed in both 2013 and 2016, and the country has suffered severe flooding and drought. Most of the communities are suffering. As I’m speaking, they need much support to build their livelihood and then to recover from the shock of what they’re going through. You can convey our message to the global community so that they know there’s a country, which is so new and these people are suffering. They’re more vulnerable because communities are highly prone to climate-related impacts and a loss of livelihood because of the flooding.
WR: What would you say is your biggest prayer right now for South Sudan?
Daniel: My biggest prayer for South Sudan is for our country’s leadership so that whatever they’re doing, they are first thinking of the people who are suffering. My biggest prayer for the leaders is that they have a heart of forgiving one another because without peace, we cannot do anything. I do pray for that day and night.
WR: Absolutely. We’ll be praying for that too. Similarly, what do you hope for South Sudan?
Daniel: Personally, I hope for the best, a brighter future for South Sudan. In the future, our country is going to be more stabilized and is going to be a peaceful country. Of course, with support from the global community, I know things will improve well. I have hope for a better future for South Sudanese.
In the face of unprecedented challenges, the only way forward is together. Give today and help us reach more people, in more communities, with more resources than we ever dreamed possible.
*South Sudan is home to the Sudd, the world’s largest wetland covering more than 35,000 square miles. While the Sudd is prone to annual flooding, increased rains have affected the length and intensity of the floods. What’s more, the Nile river feeds into the Sudd from Uganda. A prolonged rainy season in Uganda increases the water levels of the Nile, which can lead to more flooding in South Sudan.
Rachel Clair is a Content Manager at World Relief. Alongside an amazing team of marketing colleagues, she manages the curation and creation of written and multi-media content for World Relief’s global platforms. With more than 10 years of experience creating content for churches and non-profits, she is passionate about developing content that challenges both individuals and communities to lean into all of whom God created them to be. She holds a BFA from Stephens College and is currently participating in a spiritual formation cohort through the Transforming Center in Wheaton, IL.
Be the Bridge Cultural Views: Voting with Jenny Yang, Kathryn Freeman, Michael Wear
Image: Be The Bridge
As the United States gets closer to midterm elections, three voices of wisdom and reason, compassion, and justice join Latasha Morrison on the Be the Bridge Podcast.
Jenny Yang, Kathryn Freeman, and Michael Wear bring their experience and expertise to this crucial discussion on navigating the contentious political climate and faithfully engaging in politics as followers of Jesus.
6 Ways the Church is Talking About Climate Change
In August, World Relief partnered with the National Association of Evangelicals to release Loving the Least of These, an updated report on climate change and its impact on the world’s poor.
At World Relief, we understand creation care as a core tenet of our Christian faith. While individuals and congregations may differ on particular understandings or points of action, we believe the church needs to be part of the conversation about climate instability — not divided by partisanship, but united in the Spirit to bring hope and restoration to communities impacted by climate-related disasters around the world.
In this round-up, we’ve highlighted how people within the church — both inside and outside the evangelical tradition — are joining the conversation on climate change, its impacts on those in vulnerable situations and the Christian calling to care for creation.
You can join the conversation on climate and creation care by exploring the perspectives in this round-up. Then, take action with us as we build stronger, more climate-resilient communities together.
Relevant Magazine: What Can Christians Do About Climate Change?
World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene and NAE President Walter Kim share how evangelical views of climate change are shifting in the U.S. and urge American Christians to commit to creation care as an integral part of loving our neighbors around the world.
“In American evangelical communities, there has been a current of skepticism about [climate] changes. But as the effects become clearer, greater numbers of Americans — including evangelical Christians — are thinking more about the consequences of climate change…
“For the majority of evangelical Christians who reside in Africa, Latin America, or Asia — the parts of the world experiencing the most significant effects of climate change — this is neither new nor controversial.” — Myal Greene and Walter Kim
The Christian Science Monitor: Young Evangelicals Seek to Save the Earth — and Their Church
Journalist Erika Page covers a movement of young evangelicals who are taking a stand at the intersection of faith and climate action. For those like Elsa Barron, loving our neighbors includes caring for creation.
“Until then, [Elsa Barron’s] religion and her love for the natural world had existed in separate spheres. Now, she began to see the environmental crisis as a deeply spiritual crisis, built on a foundation of greed, extraction, and irreverence. And with that understanding came an accompanying spiritual obligation.
“‘If we don’t care about it and don’t do something about it, we’re failing to fulfill two of our callings as people of faith: to care for creation and to love our neighbors,’ she says over Zoom from her family’s home in Illinois.” — Erika Page
Holy Post Podcast Episode 525: Why Don’t Evangelicals Care About the Environment?
The Holy Post’s Phil Vischer, Christian Taylor and Skye Jethani react to the NAE’s climate report, discuss historic evangelical positions on climate change and share how we, as Christians, can move forward in light of the report’s findings.
“Well what is my responsibility? What can I do? How should I be changed by hearing this news? I’m walking away from this today, realizing that I do need to double up my prayer efforts. We need to […] lament these ways we’ve treated the planet and God’s creation in the past. I think that we need to continue to pray that the truth will be revealed about how we should care for one another well. We should care for God’s creation well, and that’s part of our biblical mandate.” — Christian Taylor
CNN: How Evangelical Leaders are Citing the Bible to Combat Climate Change
Reporter Rene Marsh highlights the NAE climate report and sits down with evangelical mega-church pastor John K. Jenkins, whose congregation believes protecting the planet is synonymous with a commitment to God’s word.
“Psalms 24 says, ‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof and they that dwell there in it.’ It’s God’s creation; he made it. We shouldn’t abuse or neglect something God created. […] I’m not going to allow political pundits to influence what I believe the Bible teaches.” — Senior Pastor John K. Jenkins, First Baptist Church of Glenarden
Wall Street Journal: Famine Threatens East Africa as Drought Persists
Journalists Michael Philips and Gabrielle Steinhauser report on the devastating climate-related drought creating a hunger emergency in parts of Africa, despite the fact that Africa is responsible for little of the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute towards climate change. International organizations like World Relief are responding, but say that available assistance has not yet risen to meet the increasing need. World Relief’s Elias Kamau is among the experts they interviewed.
“The World Meteorological Organization, part of the U.N., last week said that climate change is hitting Africa, which is responsible for just 2% to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, disproportionately hard. […]
“The agency estimated that around 250 million Africans already lack sufficient water and that water scarcity will displace up to 700 million people by 2030.
“‘These are ‘not problems that are originating from Africa,’ said Elias Kamau, Kenya country director for World Relief, a U.S.-based evangelical Christian aid group.” — Michael Philips and Gabrielle Steinhauser
National Association of Evangelicals Blog: Worship the Creator
NAE President Walter Kim encourages Christians to view creation care not as an expression of partisan politics but as an act of worship through which we join with creation in praising God, our Creator.
“Creator, forgive us.
The earth is yours and everything that is in it. But we forget.
In our arrogance we think we own it.
In our greed we think we can steal it.
In our ignorance we worship it.
In our thoughtlessness we destroy it.
We forget that you created it
To bring praise and joy to you.
That you gave it as a gift, for us to steward,
For us to enjoy,
For us to see more clearly
Your beauty and your majesty.”
— prayer from the “Lift Up Your Hearts” hymnal
Those experiencing poverty and vulnerability are already being impacted by climate-related disasters, but it’s not too late to help. Learn more about World Relief’s commitment to creation care, and join us as we help communities build resilience against climate disasters and create change that lasts around the world.
Kelly Hill serves as a Content Writer at World Relief. 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.
Evangelical Views on Immigration Are Shifting
Matthew Soerens is the U.S. Director for Church Mobilization and Advocacy at World Relief. Today, we are thrilled to talk with him about a new study from Lifeway Research that reveals positive changes in evangelical views on immigration.
When Lifeway Research worked with World Relief to conduct a similar study back in 2015, just 12% of evangelicals said that the Bible was the primary influence on their views of immigration. Since then, the numbers have significantly shifted.
In almost every category, evangelicals polled moved closer to World Relief’s views on U.S. immigration, including 70% who say the U.S. has a moral responsibility to accept refugees and 78% who support a path to citizenship for immigrants who are currently in the country illegally.
We celebrate this news!
At World Relief, we believe God calls us to welcome the stranger and foreigner living among us. While we are encouraged by these numbers, we know there is still work to be done in discipling the church and advocating for those who are seeking a safe place to call home.
God invites each of us into a transformational relationship through Jesus. And though this transformation often starts at the individual level of the heart, it almost always ripples out in a wave of collective transformation that leaves us closer to the Shalom that God desires.
Listen to our conversation or read it below. Then join us as we use our voices to advocate in the halls of Congress and with the people in our everyday lives.
Can you start by telling us what this survey is about and how it was initiated?
At World Relief, our approach to immigrants in our community and to questions of U.S. immigration policy are guided by the Bible, not by public opinion.
But as we interact with churches in various parts of the United States, we’ve certainly observed an increase in eagerness from evangelical churches both to welcome refugees and other immigrants and to engage in immigration policy issues. We were eager to see if a rigorous research study would confirm our anecdotal observations.
We worked with Lifeway Research back in 2015 to do a similar study, so we reached out to them again to see if they could poll evangelical Christians, asking them a number of the questions that they asked then as well as a few new questions, to help us understand how American evangelicals are thinking about refugees, immigrants and immigration.
The study was conducted by Lifeway Research in partnership with World Relief and the Evangelical Immigration Table. For those who may not know, what is the Evangelical Immigration Table?
The Evangelical Immigration Table is a broad coalition of national evangelical denominations and organizations. World Relief helped start the EIT more than a decade ago, and we lead it alongside partners such as the National Association of Evangelicals, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities and several other partners.
Our collaborative efforts are focused on trying to encourage distinctly biblical thinking about issues of immigration — both in local churches and among the elected officials with the authority to set immigration policy.
Since the Evangelical Immigration Table launched in 2012, we’ve organized our efforts around a Statement of Principles rooted in biblical values. Specifically, we’ve called for immigration reform that:
- Respects the God-given dignity of every person
- Protects the unity of the immediate family
- Respects the Rule of Law
- Guarantees secure national borders
- Ensures fairness to taxpayers
- Establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents.
We were really encouraged to confirm that each of these six principles was affirmed by at least 78% of American evangelicals in this new study.
What were your reactions to the findings?
To be very honest, I was nervous to see what this study would find. I’ve devoted more than a decade to trying to challenge evangelical Christians to embrace a view of immigrants and immigration policy that, I believe, are rooted in the Bible. But there have certainly been moments in the last several years when it felt like we were actually losing, not gaining, ground. So, I was overjoyed to get these results, which showed that evangelicals have become more favorable to World Relief’s policy views on just about every count and, even more importantly to me, that a significantly higher share of evangelicals now say they understand what the Bible has to say on this topic — though, of course, there is still a lot of work to do.
What were the most significant findings in the survey?
The one finding that really startled me was that 70% of American evangelicals — including 68% of white evangelicals — believe that the U.S. has a moral responsibility to accept refugees, which U.S. law defines as individuals who have fled persecution due to specific factors such as their race, religion or political opinion.
At World Relief, of course, we’d love to see that be 100% — but it still represents a gobsmacking shift in perspective from 2018, when just 25% of white evangelicals told Pew Research Center that the U.S. had a responsibility to receive refugees. Of course, this study cannot definitively tell us why evangelicals’ views have changed so dramatically, but it’s just really remarkable to see such a dramatic pivot over just a few years.
What encouraged you most from the survey?
Anyone who has heard me preach or speak at a church in the past seven years has probably heard me lament the 2015 study’s finding that only 12% of evangelical Christians thought about immigration issues primarily from the perspective of the Bible.
For a community that is supposed to be defined by our commitment to the authority of Scripture, that’s a scandal — and, I believe, the result of a deficit of discipleship. So what was most encouraging to me was to at least see some significant, positive momentum when compared to that 2015 survey. Among self-identified evangelicals, 21% now cite the Bible as the most important factor influencing their views; that’s still unacceptable, from my perspective, but a large jump over the past seven years.
That’s likely related to another shift: 31% of evangelicals now say they’ve heard a message from their church encouraging them to reach out to immigrants, compared to just 21% in 2015. I suspect that one reason only a minority of evangelicals have heard a biblically-informed message on this theme is that many pastors worry that speaking about immigration would upset some members of their congregation, but the study also finds that nearly four in five evangelicals now say they would value hearing a sermon applying biblical principles to immigration issues, which I hope gives more pastors the courage to preach God’s heart on this topic.
In nearly every category, those polled moved closer to World Relief’s views on immigration. What do you think prompted this shift?
The study doesn’t answer that question directly, so we can only speculate, but I would hope that as more evangelicals are engaging the Bible than were a few years back, they’ve come to the same conclusions as World Relief has, which is a position that affirms the value of immigrants and wants to see those who are undocumented have the chance to earn permanent legal status and eventual citizenship, while also affirming the need for secure borders.
I also think that the recent crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine have reminded many Americans of why we ought to be a country that welcomes refugees and others fleeing hardship. And the reality that the media coverage — whether from left- or right-leaning media outlets — has largely painted a sympathetic and factual picture of the plight of Afghans and Ukrainians has likely also helped and is a key difference from 2015, when many Americans were hearing things about Syrian refugees on television or the radio that, frankly, were untrue and elicited fear among some evangelicals.
To be clear, the Bible hasn’t changed, and World Relief’s position is to welcome Syrians, Afghans, Ukrainians, Venezuelans and whoever else is fleeing persecution — but the media narrative certainly does impact people’s views.
You spend a lot of time talking to people and speaking to churches about immigration reform and God’s heart for immigrants. Can you share a story of a time you’ve seen a tangible shift in the way someone has been thinking about immigration?
Honestly, this is my favorite part of my job, and it’s why I’m convinced that a significant share of evangelical Christians really are trying to follow Jesus and are open to aligning their hearts with God’s heart for refugees and other immigrants if they’re discipled well.
I get the privilege of speaking on this topic on a fairly regular basis, and I can usually pick out a few people in any given audience with arms crossed and a scowl whom I suspect are unhappy that their church is even having a conversation on immigration in church. But when I focus on the Bible, and the many ways that the Bible speaks rather directly to God’s love for the vulnerable foreigners, I watch as people’s posture relaxes and God’s Spirit does his work.
The author of Hebrews tells us that God’s Word, is “alive and active…sharper than any double-edged sword, [judging] the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12), and I’ve often had the privilege of seeing people’s attitudes change when they’re confronted (gently, I hope) with a biblical message.
What’s the biggest area of resistance you encounter when it comes to immigration reform and welcoming immigrants to the U.S?
I think that a lot of Americans, including a lot of evangelicals, have been discipled by cable news, talk radio and social media to believe that they must choose one of two extreme positions on immigration: either be for open borders, with no regulation and no regard for immigration laws or to be for closed borders, restricting immigration dramatically if not entirely.
I’m not persuaded that either of those polar views is an option for a Christian whose authority is the bible, which both compels us to love and welcome immigrants, with a particular concern for those who are vulnerable but also instructs us to respect the law and the governing authorities. Frankly, there aren’t a lot of Democrats or Republicans in Congress advocating either of these extreme views — though some accuse their opponents of taking the opposite extreme position.
The most fierce resistance I encounter is from people who expect us to manipulate the biblical witness to fit one of these extreme policy perspectives, and I find most are disarmed when they realize that’s not our position at all.
President Biden recently set the refugee admissions ceiling for the Fiscal Year 2023 at 125,000 — the highest it’s been since fiscal year 1993. Do you see any correlation between the Lifeway Research Study and the refugee ceiling?
Consistent with this Lifeway Research study that finds that refugee resettlement is now broadly supported by U.S. evangelicals, a recent Pew Research Center survey finds that most Americans in general — of every major religious tradition and partisan affiliation — also now think that resettling refugees should be a “very” or “somewhat” important part of U.S. immigration policy. That level of popular support is likely one factor that President Biden has considered in setting such a relatively high refugee ceiling.
But, as we’ve highlighted at World Relief, setting this ceiling does not necessarily mean that 125,000 refugees will be admitted to the U.S. in the coming year.
In the fiscal year that just ended, the United States actually did resettle far more than 125,000 individuals who fled persecution — proving our nation has the capacity and will to do so, but most of those resettled were Afghans and Ukrainians who were brought to the U.S. through legal channels other than the formal refugee resettlement program, precisely because the governmental infrastructure for refugee admissions had been decimated over the past five years and progress toward rebuilding has been slow.
While we are grateful that the U.S. found ways to support Afghans and Ukrainians, using these legal workarounds has created other problems. Many of the Afghans who came to the U.S. last year only have temporary legal protections and work authorizations. This Is why we’re now desperately pleading with Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act so that Afghans can have the peace of mind that comes with knowing they will not be sent back and this is now their permanent home.
I hope and pray that both the Biden administration and Congress will take these poll results as confirmation that they have the support of the American people, including large majorities of evangelical Christians, to rebuild a robust refugee resettlement program that not only allows us to admit future Afghan and Ukrainian refugees, but also resumes resettlement of refugees who fled conflicts years ago and have been stuck in camps or other inadequate settings with little global public attention, and allows us to nimbly respond to the next unforeseen refugee crisis.
What would you say to someone who wants to build off of this momentum to advocate for immigrants in the U.S. and even in their hometowns?
One finding of this study is that four in five American evangelicals say that they want Republicans and Democrats to work together to pass reforms that include a path to citizenship for “Dreamers” — undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, many of whom have benefited from the DACA program — in addition to reforms to ensure an adequate, legal agricultural labor force and strengthened border security. That’s really a pretty remarkable figure: it’s hard to get 80% of U.S. evangelicals to agree on anything.
U.S. evangelicals feel urgency around these concerns, with more than 7 in 10 saying they want Congress to act this year.
There’ve been bipartisan bills introduced in Congress to address each of these challenges, including the Dream Act, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act and the Bipartisan Border Solutions Act, but it’s far from clear that they will get a vote.
Though 65% of evangelicals say they’d be more likely to support a candidate who supported policies addressing these three policy concerns, it’s far from clear that Congress will act any time soon on these priorities.
If we want to see change that lasts in the halls of Congress and in our communities, we need the church to be active stewards of the influence to which God has entrusted us by speaking up with vulnerable immigrants for more just policies. That might start with sending a quick email message or making a phone call (I know it’s intimidating for millennials like me to call someone on the phone, but our partners at the Evangelical Immigration Table have a tool that makes it so: they’ll call you to connect you to your Senators’ office, and there’s even a sample script).
And then, we can ask ourselves: who else could I get to make a phone call? What misconceptions could I gently correct that are held by those within my own family or church community — pointing to the Scriptures and to the relationships that I have with people directly affected — to get them to the point where they’re ready to make a phone call as well?
We hope this interview and the findings from Lifeway Research have left you feeling encouraged and inspired. If you’re interested in learning more or taking the next step, you can visit worldrelief.org/advocate or check out evangelicalimmigrationtable.com/advocacy for more opportunities. Thank you for joining World Relief as we create change that lasts!
Matthew Soerens is the US Director of Church Mobilization for World Relief, where he helps evangelical churches to understand the realities of refugees and immigration and to respond in ways guided by biblical values. He also serves as the National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition that advocates for immigration reforms consistent with biblical values. Matthew previously served as a Department of Justice-accredited legal counselor at World Relief’s local office in Wheaton, Illinois and, before that, with World Relief’s partner organization in Managua, Nicaragua. He’s also the co-author of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis (Moody Publishers, 2016), Welcoming the Stranger (InterVarsity Press, 2018) and Inalienable (InterVarsity Press, 2022).
Covid, Conflict and Climate Change: How the Church Can Be Hope Amidst Converging Crises
Two years ago, when COVID-19 was just emerging as a global crisis, many of us in the non-profit sector speculated how the pandemic would shape our world. We threw around the phrase “new normal,” despite not having any idea what that would look like over the next month, let alone in the years to come.
Since then, we’ve watched as three converging crises have dramatically impacted the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable — COVID, conflict and climate change.
The UN estimates that the number of people living in extreme poverty has increased by 100 million as a direct result of the pandemic — the first time in my lifetime this indicator has risen.
Global conflict is also on the rise, with more coups occurring worldwide than any previous year since 1999. Conflicts in Ukraine and Afghanistan have increased the total number of displaced people from 84 million to more than 100 million.
We are currently facing the worst displacement crisis in recorded history, and all the while, climate change continues to exacerbate these crises and more.
A Convergence of Crisis
At World Relief, we’ve seen firsthand how these three intersecting crises have converged to produce unimaginable suffering in vulnerable communities worldwide.
The war in Ukraine cut off much-needed grain exports, intensifying food shortages in places like Turkana where prolonged drought is killing livestock and putting people at risk of malnutrition and starvation.
In South Sudan, flooding caused by increased rainfall has destroyed land and local infrastructure, leaving farmers and pastoralists to feud over fewer resources.
And in places like Democratic Republic of Congo, the COVID-19 pandemic has further depressed an economy already bending under the weight of instability fueled by ongoing conflicts.
The situation is grim. If you’re feeling weary or overburdened, you are not alone. So many of us are feeling the weight of the world’s suffering on our shoulders, and yet, I believe we can still have hope.
In the midst of these complex crises, I believe God still moves through the church to bring hope and healing to the world. I believe this because I see it every day.
Hope Amidst Converging Crises
I see it in Rwanda where the church remains a source of help, hope and information in the fight against COVID-19. As a result of church-led efforts, we support across East Africa, nearly 100,000 people have been vaccinated.
I see it in Kenya, as communities face life-altering climate crises such as drought and resulting famine. There, the church is at the center, revealing new transformative ways of living and teaching people like Lomita to grow drought-resistant crops to restore their bodies while also providing spiritual food to nurture their souls.
I see it in Democratic Republic of Congo, where, several years ago I visited Rutchuru and listened as community members recounted terrible acts of murder committed by rebel groups just months prior to my arrival.
Today, in that same community, World Relief staff are unifying pastors from different tribes, families and denominations — some of whom were once in open conflict with one another — and facilitating a process of communal healing.
These same churches are now supporting village peace committees that help resolve conflicts in the absence of effective governance structures.
And of course, I see it right here in the U.S., as refugees and immigrants arrive in need of a safe place to call home. Here, the church is revealing time and time again that better days are ahead as they help people rebuild their lives.
Jesus Says Take Heart
In the hours leading up to his death on the cross, Jesus took a walk with his disciples and told them of the hardships they would soon be facing. He said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
World Relief was born to respond to urgent suffering and overwhelming humanitarian needs. Today, we find ourselves once again facing a crisis of historical proportions, and in the midst of it we feel God calling us, again, to take heart! To go further and reach deeper as together, we reach more people in this time of immense need.
Where others might pause in the midst of adversity, our faith in Jesus compels us to keep going, moving toward a ministry that leads to the restoration of others.
The challenges of COVID-19, conflict and climate change are great. But together, I believe we can move forward as the church Jesus intended us to be — not divided by partisanship, but as a body of compassionate believers, united in the Spirit to bring hope and restoration to those in physical and spiritual need around the world.
Join World Relief this season by signing up for our exclusive 4-part podcast series. Leaders from across the globe share how God is creating change through local churches in their communities. In the midst of converging crisis, God still moves through the church, and you’re invited to be a part of it.
Myal Greene has a deep desire to see churches worldwide equipped, empowered, and engaged in meeting the needs of vulnerable families in their communities. In 2021, he became President and CEO after serving for fourteen years with the organization. While living in Rwanda for eight years, he developed World Relief’s innovative church-based programming model that is currently used in nine countries. He also spent six years in leadership roles within the international programs division. He has previous experience working with the U.S. Government. He holds B.S. in Finance from Lehigh University and an M.A. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Global Leadership. He and his wife Sharon and have three children.
World Relief Urges Congress to Protect Dreamers After Appeals Court Decision Leaves Future of DACA Program In Doubt
October 5, 2022
CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606
BALTIMORE — Today, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with a lower court’s earlier decision that the Obama administration created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) illegally. The appeals court sent the case back to the lower court to reconsider in light of new rules announced by the Biden administration. World Relief laments the ongoing uncertainty that this decision creates for DACA beneficiaries and urges Congress to act immediately.
“This is devastating news for Dreamers and underscores the urgent need for Congressional action,” said World Relief U.S. Director for Church Mobilization and Advocacy Matthew Soerens. “Although today’s ruling provides the court system another opportunity to consider the legality of DACA, the program is still in serious legal jeopardy, and for the sake of both its beneficiaries and for our economy and society as a whole, we’re urging Congress to act quickly and proactively to protect Dreamers. As an organization guided by biblical principles, World Relief has long advocated for passage of bipartisan legislation such as the Dream Act, which would allow these long-term residents of our communities who arrived as children the opportunity to pursue citizenship in the country they consider their home.”
The Biden administration recently finalized a rule to codify DACA into federal regulation, which is set to take effect on October 31. In its decision to remand the case, the appeals court determined that it did not have enough information to rule on the case in consideration of the new regulation.
Importantly, today’s ruling continues to block new DACA applications despite allowing the estimated 600,000 current recipients to maintain their status. World Relief expresses great concern about this decision, signaling that many young people who meet the requirements for DACA will continue to be denied an opportunity to apply for legal protections and employment authorization. Working through its network of local offices and church partners recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide authorized, affordable immigration legal services, we will continue to assist eligible individuals to renew their DACA for as long as the courts allow them to do so.
“Today’s decision is devastating, but it’s not surprising,” said World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene. “We’ve known for many months that this decision was likely, and nothing about today’s decision changes the reality that the fate of the DACA program is likely to eventually end up in front of the U.S. Supreme Court — which, based on past precedent, is quite likely to rule against DACA, throwing hundreds of thousands of lives into chaos. The best solution is for Congress to act on a bipartisan basis, as super-majorities of Americans want them to do, to resolve this situation now, making these court decisions moot.”
To learn more about World Relief visit: www.worldrelief.org
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
World Relief Praises New Refugee Ceiling, Urges Biden Administration and Congress to Work Together to Aid Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Yesterday, the Biden administration set the annual refugee ceiling to allow up to 125,000 refugees into the United States for fiscal year 2023. World Relief affirms this decision, which comes at a time when the world is facing an unprecedented refugee crisis, but urges the Biden administration and Congress to do more to strengthen the U.S. refugee and asylum programs in order to aid individuals and families seeking protection from persecution.
“The 125,000 ceiling for fiscal year 2023 is a welcome goal,” said World Relief U.S. Director for Church Mobilization and Advocacy Matthew Soerens. “However, it’s also the same goal that the U.S. has fallen short of by roughly 100,000 refugees in the fiscal year that is ending this week, which demonstrates that setting a relatively high refugee ceiling is not sufficient. The administration and Congress must work together to commit more resources and enact reforms to our refugee resettlement program to ensure we can actually reach the goal of resettling 125,000 refugees while fully supporting refugee integration when they arrive in the United States.”
The U.S. refugee resettlement program has been a vital tool in protecting those facing violence and persecution. In the past year, the U.S. has offered protection to tens of thousands of individuals from countries including Afghanistan and Ukraine; however, the majority of these individuals were not formally admitted as refugees, which has meant they face an uncertain future and a lack of access to permanent legal status. The Biden administration and Congress must strengthen and rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program to continue to aid Afghans and Ukrainians, to offer resettlement to those who have fled protracted refugee situations many years or even decades ago and to be able to nimbly respond to emerging refugee crises.
U.S. law also rightly offers protection for those seeking refuge at U.S. borders through our asylum process. World Relief urges the Biden administration to ensure due process for asylum seekers who reach the U.S., while also encouraging the administration to rebuild the refugee resettlement program so as to allow more individuals to access safety in the U.S. without the need of a dangerous journey to the U.S. border.
“At a moment when there are more refugees globally than at any time in recorded history, we need ongoing leadership from the U.S. government to rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program,” said World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene. “In partnership with hundreds of local churches, World Relief is eager and ready to welcome more refugees and ensure they have the support that they need to integrate into new communities and thrive.”
A recent Lifeway Research poll found that 70% of American evangelicals believe the U.S. has a moral obligation to receive refugees.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
To learn more about World Relief Chicagoland visit: www.worldrelief.org/chicagoland
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
September 28, 2022
CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606
World Relief Praises New Refugee Ceiling, Urges Biden Administration and Congress to Work Together to Aid Refugees and Asylum Seekers
September 28, 2022
CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606
Yesterday, the Biden administration set the annual refugee ceiling to allow up to 125,000 refugees into the United States for fiscal year 2023. World Relief affirms this decision, which comes at a time when the world is facing an unprecedented refugee crisis, but urges the Biden administration and Congress to do more to strengthen the U.S. refugee and asylum programs in order to aid individuals and families seeking protection from persecution.
“The 125,000 ceiling for fiscal year 2023 is a welcome goal,” said World Relief U.S. Director for Church Mobilization and Advocacy Matthew Soerens. “However, it’s also the same goal that the U.S. has fallen short of by roughly 100,000 refugees in the fiscal year that is ending this week, which demonstrates that setting a relatively high refugee ceiling is not sufficient. The administration and Congress must work together to commit more resources and enact reforms to our refugee resettlement program to ensure we can actually reach the goal of resettling 125,000 refugees while fully supporting refugee integration when they arrive in the United States.”
The U.S. refugee resettlement program has been a vital tool in protecting those facing violence and persecution. In the past year, the U.S. has offered protection to tens of thousands of individuals from countries including Afghanistan and Ukraine; however, the majority of these individuals were not formally admitted as refugees, which has meant they face an uncertain future and a lack of access to permanent legal status. The Biden administration and Congress must strengthen and rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program to continue to aid Afghans and Ukrainians, to offer resettlement to those who have fled protracted refugee situations many years or even decades ago and to be able to nimbly respond to emerging refugee crises.
U.S. law also rightly offers protection for those seeking refuge at U.S. borders through our asylum process. World Relief urges the Biden administration to ensure due process for asylum seekers who reach the U.S., while also encouraging the administration to rebuild the refugee resettlement program so as to allow more individuals to access safety in the U.S. without the need of a dangerous journey to the U.S. border.
“At a moment when there are more refugees globally than at any time in recorded history, we need ongoing leadership from the U.S. government to rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program,” said World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene. “In partnership with hundreds of local churches, World Relief is eager and ready to welcome more refugees and ensure they have the support that they need to integrate into new communities and thrive.”
A recent Lifeway Research poll found that 70% of American evangelicals believe the U.S. has a moral obligation to receive refugees.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
To learn more about World Relief visit: www.worldrelief.org
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.