Interviews
Grounded in God’s Vision: Q&A with Aerlande Wontamo
In January 2023, we welcomed Aerlande Wontamo as World Relief’s new Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs. She recently sat down with us to share how her professional expertise, personal experience and strong sense of calling have uniquely prepared her for this role.
We hope you enjoy hearing from Aerlande as much as we did!
Can you start by telling us a little about yourself and your story?
I’m originally from Ethiopia but grew up in Nairobi, Kenya. Due to a political crisis, my father went to Kenya as a refugee. A little over two years later, my two siblings, mother and I followed. The separation at a young age and understanding what that meant for my mother as the sole breadwinner who was managing three young kids made a profound impact on me.
In Nairobi, my parents had other refugees over for lunch and dinner every Sunday after church. It wasn’t so much that they needed a meal, but that they needed to not think about being a refugee for one afternoon. The integral role of the church and the impact those interactions have on people was something I deeply understood and drew me to World Relief.
You have almost 15 years of experience in refugee resettlement. What have you learned along the way?
We set people up well when we walk alongside them in intentional community and provide wraparound services. However, one of the biggest red flags I’ve seen over the years is the mentality of saviorism. It’s crucial to acknowledge that while refugees may carry the label “refugee,” it doesn’t encompass their entire identity. They bring a multitude of skills and experiences, and our lives are often enriched through our interactions with them.
What do you think sets World Relief apart?
At World Relief, we look at what we do not just as good work, but as a space we are called to be in as Jesus would be. Grounding ourselves in our biblical mission helps us understand that we’re part of God’s big picture and vision.
An important question I like to ask is, “Where does your joy come from, or what grounds you?” If it is in accomplishments like getting a grant or opening an office, that’s very fleeting. I find deep joy in being called to this work because it is truly a privilege to be part of God’s work.
We talk a lot about building welcoming communities. Why is that important?
That’s really a personal value for me — as a human, I need community to thrive. But community is not birthed out of just being in a space. There’s an intentional, relational investment.
I think about a client I had who was a single mother with three kids under seven. We matched her with two volunteers who, every Saturday, would take her kids to dance class because they had so much energy. But once their six months of volunteering ended, they continued to meet with her and became family, not because they needed to do things to help her be successful, but because they extended friendship to her and her daughters.
World Relief has been resettling refugees and serving immigrants since the 1970s, but you’re the first SVP of U.S. Programs who has lived experience as a refugee. How does that shape the way you lead?
I have grown up in this system in terms of both a lived experience and a professional career, and this is deeply embedded in my DNA. Growing up in a church filled with a transient refugee community informs who I am and how I hold space.
I’m a huge believer in diversity and all aspects of it. I think about women’s representation, people of color, immigrant voices, people with lived experiences. There are so many categories that we can pull from, but we must come from the mindset of, “this allows us to build a greater group,” versus thinking, “now I have to check off this item.” As an organization, it takes boldness to move in that direction, and there’s so much value that can come out of it.
Where do you see World Relief’s U.S. programs headed in the next year?
I always say, “If not us, then who?” Programmatically we have resettled about 9.3% of the refugees arriving in the U.S. every year. If 125,000 refugees come in this year, we are looking at resettling around 13,000. Growth is integral — we must look at investing in new ways of supporting churches and communities who want to walk alongside refugees and other immigrants and in building more sustainable models that set up our offices to be successful.
Now to end on a fun one — do you have any hidden talents?
That’s the hardest question of all! I enjoy a good baking challenge. Recently, I made French macarons, not sure if it’s a talent yet — but maybe one day!
Want to learn more about how World Relief’s U.S. Programs are creating change in the lives of refugees, other immigrants and the communities that welcome them around the country?
Meghan Gallagher is a Seattle-based freelance content writer and strategist. She has a B.S. in Marketing Management and a background in digital marketing for healthcare, nonprofit, and higher education organizations. When she’s not writing, you can find her working as a local bookseller and enjoying all the Seattle area has to offer.
Kelly Hill is the Senior Content Writer at World Relief. She previously served as Volunteer Services Manager at World Relief Triad in North Carolina. With a background in International and Intercultural Communication, she is passionate about the power of story to connect people of diverse experiences.
Why is the Path Vital to Resettlement in the Fox Valley?
The Path is one way that community members partner with us in this important work of welcoming refugees through giving a monthly gift.
Read about one of our Pathmakers today and what drew her to this work.
How did you get connected with the work of welcoming refugees?
It started years ago when I was hearing so much in the news about displaced people. It felt
uncomfortable to hear that news and then turn off the TV and return to my regular life. I started to
research online about different organizations who had boots on the ground in helping people. There are lots of good organizations doing good work. I wanted to be a part of their work and decided to offer financial support. I found World Relief, which has a local office and was also located in places around the world where people desperately needed help.
Why did you decide to join the Path?
Looking at it from two different angles I decided to join World Relief because, after researching, I felt good about supporting their work. And I wanted to give monthly because it meant my giving would be consistent and I wouldn’t ever forget to give.
What motivates you in welcoming refugees?
Reading through the Old Testament I was surprised by how many times God commands his people to care for the widow, orphan, and the sojourner. By welcoming refugees, I am complying with God’s teaching. Refugees leave their home country out of necessity, not by choice. I think that as a Christian I am called to respond to that need.
How do you think you have changed since becoming involved in this work?
I have become much more compassionate to people who are different from me—different nationalities, experiences, and religions. It’s good to be different. I was more judgmental of people who were different or thought differently from me, but now I have more compassion and understanding of people with different backgrounds. I appreciate how people can bring different cultures into my world. People who think differently help a community to stretch and grow.
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to help but doesn’t know how?
Take a step in a direction and see where it leads. It’s hard not to be frozen by indecision and not know what to do. After all, what can one person do in the face of so much global conflict and disaster? After taking the first step you will be able to take another. One person can’t create change on their own, but change will happen when we work together.
How can you learn?
I try to keep things local. Try to learn about what is going on in your community that you can be a part of. Do some research online. Be willing to get to know people in your community who are different from you. And as you work with others who may disagree with you, always be kind and be open to other points of view. For people who are readers I recommend the book, “Inalienable” written by Matthew Soerens.
Join the movement and become a Pathmaker today!
Why is Immigration Legal Services Vital to Resettlement?
Immigration Legal Services (ILS) is an invaluable department in our Fox Valley office. Though their work is vital to the long-term integration of our refugee community, many community members are unaware of how much their work encompasses.
Our Community Engagement Manager, Karen Crisler, sat down with Phil Stoffel, our Immigration Legal Services Manager, to hear a little bit more about what it’s like to work in ILS.
Can you start by sharing what your role is at WR? And what exactly is ILS?
I am the ILS Manager and I am a Department of Justice (DOJ) accredited representative. This means that I am authorized by the DOJ to practice immigration law, within the context of World Relief. Reps are accredited every 3 years.
Our ILS program assist clients with a variety of services such as green cards, permanent residence, family reunification, citizenship, and travel documents. We do charge fees for our services but they are nominal compared to a private attorney, and we take into consideration the circumstances of each of our clients, especially when it comes to our larger families.
We exist to provide competent and affordable immigration services to refugees and immigrants who might not otherwise be able to afford or access legal services.
How is your work effected by global events?
Day to day, our work is based on our local resettlement numbers. 90% of the refugees we resettle return to our ILS team for help with their green card, citizenship, or other services.
That being said, we try to stay as ready as possible to respond to global events. One of the biggest ways we are doing that is by building up our ILS team. When I started it was just me. Now we have 2 DOJ reps, with a third to be hired soon. We also have an administrative assist and a contract attorney on our team.
A major global event that effected your work was the fall of Kabul in the fall of 2021. What has it been like working with our Afghan arrivals, especially in light of their unique immigration status?
The situation that caused Afghans to flee Kabul has created a lot of chaos.
When Kabul fell, we welcomed roughly 200 Afghan “parolees” in the Fox Valley. About half of those people worked with the U.S. government or military, and therefore qualified for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV), which we helped them apply for. For those with SIV status there is a pathway to a green card, and eventually citizenship.
The other half of parolees that didn’t qualify for SIV status are here lawfully and authorized to work for up to two years, but there is not a legal pathway to citizenship for them. This means that our contract attorney, Molly Smiltneek, and a team of pro-bono attorneys are working to help these parolees apply for “asylum” which is a complex, cumbersome process with no promise of success, but would create a legal pathway is granted. Nothing in immigration is guaranteed.
So unlike refugees, many Afghan parolees don’t have a guarantee at having a permanent status or long term work authorization. And, more significant than that, a large amount of people are separated from their family.
When it comes to Afghan reunification, most reunification is dependent on those here receiving permanent residence cards, and eventually citizenship. Typically, you can only apply for certain family members based on your permanent residency or citizenship, and in normal circumstances the reunification of a husband and wife can take 2-4 years at a minimum; often times longer. In some reunification cases, we get senators involved, and it’s difficult even for them to push cases forward.
About 50% of our program time goes to our Afghan population right now. It’s an opportunity to serve people, but many of these people have suffered.
What is the hardest part of your role? What is the most rewarding?
They are one and the same. It’s really challenging to have people sitting in front of you, living in the same place as you, but they don’t have the same rights as you. Especially challenging when they are separated from their family members. On some forms I have to ask clients where their parents are living – and many people don’t know. Many don’t even know if their family members are alive or not.
But the most rewarding part is when the work comes to fruition, and someone gets a green card or citizenship, or we get to see them reunited with their family after years apart.
That is a microcosm of the work we do – its heavy with longing and waiting, and on the other side is the joy of being reunited. Almost a glimpse of heaven in a way.
Can you share a reunification or citizenship story?
I worked with an individual who had to leave his pregnant wife behind when he came to the U.S.
He met with our ILS team when he got here, and we were able to file a petition for his wife and daughter to come join him. Fast forward four years and her case was finally approved. He was able to meet his four-year-old daughter for the first time and be reunited with his wife.
If you could help people understand one things about ILS, what would it be?
Most people who work in the field of ILS have the same goal: to serve the clients. But it’s hard because the government is ultimately in control of the processing. We can do as much as we can to get paper work in and out efficiently, but ultimately the government is in control of the speed. The truth is that there isn’t always pathway, and even if it exists, it takes so long. For example, in 2015 the processing time for a green card took around 8 months. Right now, green cards are taking about 36 months.
I am encouraged by our team though. We have a great team, a strong team. And, we have great clients. The work is never finished, but I feel like our staff is willing to take on the challenge. Our goal is to serve as many people well, as we can.
We are so grateful for Phil and the work his team accomplishes– the commitment of our ILS department is critical to the long term success of our refugee neighbors.
Building a Cross-Cultural Relationship as a Volunteer
Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or just starting out, Whitney Renfroe agrees that uncertainty can often accompany a cross-cultural relationship. After all, Whitney is no stranger to helping immigrants.
During her college years, this occupational therapist spent a summer month in Greece serving and walking alongside refugees. And it’s the passion that brought her to the Chicagoland area. Being closer to a larger immigrant population meant more opportunities to build meaningful relationships.
As Whitney shares about her friendship with Afghan Paralympian, Farzana, she addresses several uncertainties that often crop up as a cross-cultural volunteer. Following are a few insights to help you get past some of your own doubts and move you closer to building a relationship that can change your life.
God will use you exactly where he needs you. Even if it takes you a little longer to get there.
A simple invitation over a cup of coffee brought Whitney to World Relief Chicagoland in August 2021. Her meeting with an acquaintance who belonged to a church that was a World Relief partner opened her eyes to a new opportunity. They needed volunteers to walk alongside Afghan refugees arriving in the United States.
Whitney logged on to the application, eager to get started. But instead of volunteering, she found herself waiting.
Good timing has a reason.
Coming off the cusp of the Covid shutdown, many non-profit organizations were navigating the sudden broad changes in society – and World Relief Chicagoland was no exception. Volunteer opportunities came Whitney’s way, like setting up an apartment, but the timing didn’t work with her schedule.
As weeks passed by with still no fit, Whitney remained patient but held some doubts. Was this going to happen? Then came the call from World Relief about a role she hadn’t heard of.
“They were pretty open like ‘We recognize you’ve been waiting a really long time to be matched with someone. And we’re sorry it’s been so wild. But we’re wondering if you’d be interested specifically in being a health advocate?’”
A new individual had arrived at the Chicago office. A single Afghan woman who was close to Whitney’s age had a disability that required an extra level of healthcare support. With Whitney’s medical background to help navigate the American healthcare system, Farzana and Whitney were a perfect fit.
Whitney was impressed by the degree of thoughtfulness that World Relief had put into selecting her partner. “They didn’t want it to be just a random, ‘Let’s throw these people together.’ When I realized that, it made me appreciate the amount of time.”
Don’t hold onto assumptions. Someone will always turn them upside down.
“She has taught me a lot about not assuming. Farzana is one of the most go-getting women I’ve ever met in my life.”
Whitney Renfroe
Whitney recognizes how easy it is in our Western culture to draw conclusions or build stereotypes about other cultures based on what’s portrayed in various news and media outlets. But when you take the time to get to know someone, it’s amazing how these portrayals are quickly shattered.
And being a volunteer enables you to experience it.
As Whitney grew closer to Farzana, she found an incredibly educated, resilient, and independent woman who for all practical purposes amplified the American dream. Farzana eagerly grabbed hold of every opportunity given to her. She went from speaking little English to growing exponentially in her usage of it. She began working a job and attending school. And she continued to pursue her passion by getting back onto the basketball courts.
In fact, the nature of their relationship wasn’t exactly how Whitney envisioned it either.
Whitney’s plan was to be a valuable resource for Farzana. Although she took Farzana to her doctor appointments and helped out where needed, much of their time was spent in a different way. “The majority of the time I think was honestly Farzana showing hospitality to me.”
When Whitney came to visit, Farzana was intentional about making her a cup of coffee and spending their time together talking and practicing English. To Farzana, this is where the value lay.
The small things carry weight. Sometimes more than the bigger ones.
Time and location didn’t always make it convenient for Whitney and Farzana to meet regularly. And often it’s this concern that can prevent someone from taking on the role of a friendship partner, health advocate, or youth tutor.
But when they couldn’t meet, Whitney found a number of other things that were just as meaningful. Weekly check-ins were made using WhatsApp, voice messages, or video calls to see how Farzana was doing and to let her know, “Hey . . . I was thinking about you.”
“I think those weekly quick check-ins were really important. It was something small and it didn’t always feel sufficient to me. But that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a connection made even in those things.”
And with World Relief’s staff partnering with her, Whitney understood she was one piece of a bigger puzzle to help Farzana rebuild her life. “That took a lot of pressure off of me in terms of not feeling like I had to carry the weight of the whole thing. My job was to show up and to be there – to be a resource.”
Addressing the Awkwardness
What about the awkwardness that often accompanies the language barrier in cross-cultural relationships?
Whitney assures others it’s okay to feel awkward. In fact, count on feeling awkward because it will happen. But given what it took for that person to get here, “The least I can do is meet them in the awkward.”
In the meantime, as Farzana learned English, Whitney fell back on nonverbal communication and other small expressions. “You can make a connection without even having words, too. People appreciate a smile, kind gestures like little gifts.”
Sometimes it’s about letting whatever needs to happen in that space, happen.
Being the Bridge
Ultimately, Whitney believes that what it takes to build a cross-cultural relationship is what she strives to be for Farzana. A friend who serves as a bridge between two cultures.
“I would say the reality is, a lot of people come to this country and wonder, ‘Am I going to be accepted? Am I going to make friends? Am I ever going to learn English?’ I think having someone who regularly shows up . . . and just be a kind presence goes a really long way.”
With a higher number of immigrants and refugees arriving in the United States, World Relief Chicagoland needs more volunteers to walk alongside them. Unfortunately, for nonprofits across the nation, volunteering rates have been decreasing. You can be part of the solution — whether it’s becoming a friendship partner, tutoring a young student, or driving someone to a job orientation — there’s a volunteer opportunity to fit your interests and lifestyle. Find the part you play today!
Where can you serve as a volunteer this summer?
Become a Youth Tutor: Read How to Have Impact as a Volunteer Tutor
Serve in a Youth Club or Summer Camp: Read Summer Camp: Fun, Fellowship and First Responders
Interview with Office Director: Tami McLaughlin
How did you start working at World Relief?
I was the director of missions at a local church outside of Atlanta and we partnered with World Relief for a short-term mission trip. We went to Clarkston, Georgia, and I think it has the largest number of languages spoken in one square miles in the United States; it was a community that was refugee-based. That was my introduction to World Relief, and when I was looking for a new job I actually applied to World Relief four times. I started out as an employment specialist in Atlanta, and one day my boss walked into my office and said ‘I think you’re from Wisconsin, and we have a position open in Wisconsin.
How do the teachings of Jesus Christ impact what you do at World Relief?
Jesus loves the vulnerable. I think in the Old Testament the words ‘refugee’ and ‘sojourner’ are mentioned over 20 times. I think these people and this work is really dear to God’s heart, and I feel the presence of God has been so evident in so many situations that I’ve been in because of how important this work is to him. Jesus loves, Jesus is involved, Jesus’s presence is present.
What is the biggest cultural difference that you’ve experienced when working with refugees?
When I first started working at World Relief, I was working with three sisters. We’re trying to find a job for them, and two of the sisters got jobs at a chicken factory. The third sister wasn’t strong enough to do the work in the factory. A couple of weeks later, I got a call from the human resource department at the chicken factory and they said ‘You need to tell your clients that if they can’t come to work they can’t send their sister to work in their place.’ To me, it was common sense that you can’t send someone else to work for you, but for them it wasn’t. That was a learning experience for me, how we should evaluate some of the things we do in our own culture.
What should the residents of the Fox Cities know about their refugee neighbors or how they can support them?
They should know that their refugee neighbors will deeply enrich their lives by bringing in a different culture. Different cultures are something that we all could learn from and that would enrich our lives if we took the time to learn about them. I think it is sometimes assumed that when people have a different language or different skills, that they’re not as strong or have as much to contribute to our community. Refugees are people who’ve survived and persevered through really difficult situations, but their circumstances shouldn’t define them. They are very resilient people who have survived so much, and when they’re here they can start thriving beyond any circumstance they’ve had to face.
Women and Equity at World Relief
March 8th marks International Women’s Day, a day devoted to celebrating women’s achievements for a more diverse and inclusive world. At World Relief, we believe in equality and the importance of increasing awareness of women’s experiences, challenges and contributions in our communities every day. We are blessed to work and serve with many women from all walks of life.
Meet Lanre Williams-Ayedun, SVP of International Programs. She is one of the incredible women of World Relief whose unwavering dedication, passion and hard work serve as an inspiration to all of us!
Known amongst colleagues as a dynamic and passionate leader in the global development field, we were eager to sit down with Lanre to hear from her about how World Relief is embracing equity and equality in our workplace.
Thank you for talking with us today, Lanre! To start, can you share what brought you to World Relief, and what excites you most about your role?
It gives me great joy that I can say with confidence that the Lord brought me to World Relief and has been uniquely preparing me for this role throughout my life. I have worked in various aspects of international development for over 18 years and it has been both humbling and powerful to see my past experiences and skills come fully to bear in this position. More concretely, I am at World Relief because I have had a deep respect for the World Relief people I’ve known over the years.
I am fueled by World Relief’s vision to reach the most vulnerable by working with the local church in partnership with local communities. I get excited to see our teams serving God with diligence and excellence with their passions, talents and experiences to bring his kingdom near.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “embracing equity.” How are you embracing equity in International Programs at World Relief?
First, as a leadership team, we have decided not to be afraid to examine where there might be inequities in our organization, whether they be related to nationality, culture, gender, disability, age or other differences. It is so important that we are mindful of healthy practices that not only encourage equity but that can actually be measured. For example, we are scoring each of our international offices against a gender scorecard and tracking results over the years.
Additionally, we are reviewing our staff engagement results on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and creating an associated action plan. Training around gender equity and disability inclusion for staff and with program participants across International Programs is also underway.
Along with consistently celebrating women and men leading together, we are also embracing a spiritual and holistic approach by participating in devotions on racism and cultural diversity as a team.
Why is fostering an inclusive work environment so important?
Right now, World Relief’s International Programs is a team of great diversity: Our staff consists of people from at least 20 different nationalities, with many ethnic and tribal differences. We are based in 11 countries, from various church traditions, and covering various age and generational groupings. 29% of our staff are female, and there is a 50/50 split of men and women on our expanded leadership team. And our work is to serve people that are themselves very diverse and have unique needs and preferences.
All of this diversity can mean that learning to recognize and honor each other for our differences and to make room for each other does not come naturally. Yet, we have to grow in our ability to work for and serve with people that are different from us; it’s our mandate from God and a testimony to the watching world.
God has called us to be different parts of the same body, and to cherish and help each part fulfill its purpose. When we seek to make offices and a work culture that allow people to bring their gender and culture to share, the employee is happier and more engaged, and the collective staff is made stronger and reflects God’s vision of Christian unity better.
How do you think World Relief and other organizations like it can embrace equity and equality?
A good start is to intentionally ensure having diverse representation at the highest levels of power — on boards and senior leadership teams — including diversity of gender, race, age, disability and culture. It’s also important to have that representation throughout the organization by making HR practices and policies equitable, and having a feedback mechanism that allows the organization to address when there are violations that hurt people and abuse authority.
Also, we should make resources available to create equitable access to opportunities for all staff while decolonizing our language, service models and structures of authority. And by recruiting and supporting diverse staff to thrive by fostering a culture of belonging and providing generous family leave, health insurance and child care coverage is essential. The work can be challenging but we must also be sure to acknowledge and fight against the systemic forces within the organization and industry that perpetuate inequities among and between staff and the people we serve.
That is so insightful. Last question — what are your long-term aspirations for International Programs at World Relief?
I want to see World Relief’s International Programs be a place where diverse people can be successful and bring their whole self to work in a culture that celebrates their individuality and promotes their well being. I want us to take the work of equity and equality seriously for our staff and for the people we serve — using our prophetic voice to call focus to the issues affecting the most vulnerable.
Thank you for sharing with us Lanre! If you want to hear more stories of how the women of World Relief are creating change around the globe, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
Jessica Galván is a Content Writer at World Relief. She is passionate about storytelling and amplifying diverse voices to reveal the beauty of God’s creation. She is also the Editorial Director for Chasing Justice and prior to World Relief, she was a freelance writer and editor for a variety of clients in publishing, most recently Penguin Random House. When she isn’t wordsmithing for the pursuit of faith and justice, she is spending time with her husband and their 3 children in the Houston, TX area.
A Look into Casework with Quench
What do you like about your job?
I have a lot of things I like about my job. My job is not just about getting a paycheck but I do it because I like supporting people. I like helping people to get resettled in America and start living a better life. I also like meeting a lot of different people of many different cultures. It is critical for me in my work to get to understand other cultures because I cannot help my clients if I do not know what is important to them.
What are some goals you work on with your clients in their first 90 Days?
The government provides direction for us for goals the first 90 days through the R&P service guide. We also work with the client to help them to accomplish their goals for the first 90 days. The most important goals we focus on are employment, permanent housing, applying for benefits and insurance, doctor’s visits, enrolling children in school, ESL classes for adults, learning how to use public transportation or learning how to drive a car, and getting important documents such as social security.
What do you think are important strengths for a caseworker?
Two strengths that are important for caseworkers are being timely with your work and treating everyone fairly. It’s important to be timely with your work because most tasks must be completed by a certain deadline. Treating people in the way that you would like to be treated is important so that all clients are treated in the same way.
What does an average day look like?
It depends on the day, but most of the days I am busy. A lot of times I call my clients to check in on them about their job or about how their kids are doing in school. Clients call me a lot with many questions at all times of the day. I also do a lot of home visits to take clients to appointments and check in on them. I take clients to the dentist, to get their RCA-refugee cash assistance, and to go to the store. A lot of days my plans change because I have to respond to my clients’ needs.
What is challenging about your job?
Working with people from different backgrounds is challenging because they have different expectations. People expect that I will do a lot for them when I work with many clients so I cannot always do as much as they would like. The clients I work with come from many different cultures and many have experienced trauma, both of these things influence their expectations for life in the U.S. It’s also hard when people speak different languages, but that is usually that is not a challenge because I speak 9 different languages.
What is something that encourages you in your work?
I find a lot of encouragement in my coworkers because I am still learning a lot about being a caseworker. My coworker, Marlo, is so helpful. She’s always willing to stop what she’s doing to help me when I have a question. My teammates don’t pressure in my job but they are willing to encourage and teach me.
How do you think your story impacts your work?
Because I have lived in a refugee camp I can understand what it’s like to come to the US and live in a country that is so different from one’s own. There are a lot of surprises when you arrive to the U.S. It takes time understand life here and I can help and encourage my clients from my own experience.
What is one thing you wish people knew about refugees?
To understand how challenging it is for refugees to learn life in the U.S. Often people expect refugees to respond to life here in a certain way, but for refugees life in the US is brand new. For many people life here is so different than what they are used to; it’s like they are starting their lives all over again.
World Relief saved my life. Now, I’m giving back.
As a nonprofit organization, we talk a lot about donations and giving back here at World Relief Memphis. While part of how WRM functions is through government and local grants, we could not do what we do without people like you. People who are on the path, investing in the community to see mutual transformation happen in this city.
Former client and friend, Reza Abdoli, spoke with us this summer about his lifechanging experience with World Relief Memphis and why he decided to give back.
In need of help
On December 9th, 2012, I arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, as an asylee. I left my home in Afghanistan because of my country’s increasing instability, which restricted my ability to further my education.
My original intention when coming to the U.S. was to pursue a master’s degree in computer science. But I was influenced by people I knew from home to change my career to medical or dental school. There was one complication, however. They immigrated a few years prior, were already American citizens and did not explain the roadblocks I had in front of me as an asylee if I changed my career path.
Initially, I had no idea what World Relief was — they were just another faceless organization. But when I first walked into the Memphis office, that changed.
Reza Abdoli
Nevertheless, I moved to Memphis and began trying to pursue dentistry. Soon I discovered that it was impossible to participate in dental school without permanent resident status. I was at my lowest point of life, unable to get a good job and depressed.
Just a student paying back my loans without a path forward. I was driving for Uber and working other low-paying jobs, trying to make some money just to survive. Never had I been like that before, and it was scary. I needed help.
Finally, I got my USCIS approval for asylum in 2019, and they told me about some organizations that help asylees like me. That’s when I first found out about World Relief.
Initially, I had no idea what World Relief was — they were just another faceless organization. But when I first walked into the Memphis office, that changed.
A new family
That first day, there was a young lady at the door to greet me. She said, “Hey, how are you? Welcome!” I was like, she already knows me? Was she expecting me? They were so excited to meet me. It was comforting.
Before World Relief, I had so many problems traveling in the U.S. People would say hurtful words about me. It made me feel like, “this is not my place, and I have to leave here.” That feeling was only made worse by my struggles with school and money.
But my World Relief case worker, Basuze, always listened to me without judgment. He and the rest of the team acted like I was a family member. I kept coming back to the office to hang out with everyone because I felt loved.
He and the rest of the team acted like I was a family member. I kept coming back to the office to hang out with everyone because I felt loved.
REZA ABDOLI
World Relief was like a chain holding me together. I was struggling so deeply I was even planning to break up with my girlfriend because I had no money and knew I could not support us. World Relief kept my life together, and I still have my now-fiancé in my life.
World Relief pushed me to continue my education, and I returned to my passion for computers. I found the cheapest online program and got my master’s in computer science. I knew when I first came to the U.S. that I could make a living if I got a degree, but I just needed some help to get there.
Whether it was government paperwork, monetary assistance or encouragement, World Relief guided me. Through this guidance, I was finally able to get a good job.
A few months ago, I bumped into Basuze at the Memphis airport. He was there welcoming someone new who was arriving in the U.S. That was an emotional moment for me. It helped me realize how far I’d come and how much I wanted to give back.
Paying it forward
After my encounter with Basuze at the airport, I told myself that I would give a portion of my salary every month to World Relief. And every time I got a raise or promotion, I would increase my giving. And that’s what I’m doing. I’m not making millions, but I can now live without fearing the next day. And I want to do my small part to make that possible for the next person.
I give to World Relief because I’ve experienced first-hand that they use their funds wisely. Whether helping with moving, providing furniture, offering career guidance or helping financially, World Relief is putting its funds towards the good of others. Whatever is asked of them by the people they served, they step up.
I still have the check receipts of what World Relief gave to me. I still have them! That’s how much they mean to me. World Relief gave me the opportunity and the courage to pursue what I dreamt about, and it is important to me that I can be a part of making this possible for others.
World Relief gave me the opportunity and the courage to pursue what I dreamt about, and it is important to me that I can be a part of making this possible for others.
REZA ABDOLI
For me, giving back is both financial and relational. Because of my job, I’m now living in Los Angeles. Since moving here, I’ve made an effort on my own to connect with other Afghan families in my community.
When visiting with them, I always encourage the younger people to get a degree, even if it’s the cheapest one available. I didn’t spend much on my master’s degree. It was less expensive than the classes I took in dental school, which I’ve never used. But if you get a degree and find a job to support yourself, you can live the dream! It is possible here.
I feel blessed to be able to share my story with my Afghan community and people like you. I hope that my story will encourage and help others to pursue their goals.
My hope is that my story also urges people to be kinder to immigrants. They have had enough hardship in their life. When someone comes to World Relief, they are there because they seek your help. There may be language barriers and cultural differences. That’s okay. Take time to understand them. They need that. If they were in a good place in their life, they would not have come to World Relief. When someone comes to us for help, the least we can do is be more patient, be a good listener and spend more time with them.
We’re so grateful to Reza for sharing his story with us. Through generous giving such as Reza’s, our office can continue cultivating a welcoming and supportive community for refugees, asylees, and other vulnerable immigrants from across the globe. If you feel called give back and forge The Path to lasting change, follow this link for more info on how to become a Pathmaker today.
Nathan Spencer (pictured above) is a lifelong Memphian passionate about this city and its people. Through his professional internships at Choose901 and World Relief Memphis, he has worked to cultivate a connected community and serve the needs of both new arrivals to Memphis and those multi-generational residents. He also recently graduated with his M.A. in Journalism and Strategic Media.
Reza Abdoli is a former client and current donor of World Relief Memphis. While in Memphis he also served as a volunteer in various capacities at the WRM office. Since leaving Memphis, he has made a point to connect with his Afghan neighbors and advocate and mentor immigrants in his new community. He also holds a Masters degree in Computer Science and resides in Los Angeles California.
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).
Stewarding God’s Grace: Q&A with Andrea Sheldon Tshihamba
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
— 1 Peter 4:10
When Andrea first arrived in Durham with her husband four years ago, she left behind a career as an ESL teacher. Burnt out and looking to apply her energies to other outlets, she discovered World Relief Durham through a friend of her husband’s. Andrea felt called to help.
At first, she was not looking to resume her ESL teaching. After spending time getting to know people within World Relief, Andrea was assigned to be a friendship partner to a family of new arrivals from Afghanistan.
“I was asked to accompany a now-former World Relief employee to visit two Afghan families – brothers, wives and nine kids all in one apartment,” Andrea said. “They told me their biggest need was for their wives to learn English.”
Upon hearing this, Andrea felt as though God was speaking directly to her through this family and challenging her.
“At the time, I was not currently teaching English and wasn’t planning on changing that, but I couldn’t stop myself from agreeing,” Andrea said. “Immediately, it became clear that this opportunity was a gift from God. I asked myself, ‘why was I not using what I knew how to do?’”
In rising to God’s challenge, Andrea has seen her community unite alongside her in leveraging talents and passions to serve. Now, as she works to mobilize other volunteers from her church she sees the immense impact World Relief has daily.
“You’re the first friendly face a new arrival sees in a place so different from where they came, and that’s a meaningful thing that they can hang on to when it’s hard and feel different,” Andrea said. “People are sometimes unkind. So, trying to love, lead and be friends with people arriving is a transformational act both for those arriving and those extending God’s love. It is an essential pillar of our faith and in being a good person in general.”
This week, as we celebrate and observe National Volunteer Appreciation Week, we’re excited to share more of Andrea’s story with you.
Tell us more about how you got connected to World Relief.
Before moving to Durham, I was an ESL teacher and worked with immigrants in class.
When I moved here, I wasn’t looking to teach ESL. I wanted to help refugees in other ways, and I was already comfortable working with people with the lowest level of English. Dave (Andrea’s pastor) pointed me to World Relief.
He paired me with a friendship partner, which was very difficult – the woman was older, and she had dementia which was unknown at the time. But it was a good learning experience. Next, I was then partnered with a 14-year-old girl from the Democratic Republic of Congo. [She had been] displaced to Kenya, and then arrived in the U.S. when she was in 4th or 5th grade.
The young girl had some learning deficits and posed a challenge. There have been periods when I’ve seen her multiple times a week when she needed more support. I would pick her up from school, grab a bite to eat, then work on vocabulary and tutoring.
Through this, I feel like I now have a close relationship with her family. I became close enough to go to her school with her mom and contact the teachers. We also have fun together. I will never forget when she said to me once, “You’re so much more than a teacher.” I’m sort of like the fun aunt in the family. She’s obsessed with K-pop, so I know all this stuff about K-pop.
How have you seen the community impacted by welcoming refugees?
There is an inherent joy in serving and connecting with people new to the community and from different backgrounds and cultures. That joy is transformational.
A few years ago, I was asked to accompany a now-former World Relief employee to visit two Afghan families – brothers, wives and nine kids all in one apartment at first. Eventually, they were able to rent the apartment adjacent.
They told me their most significant need was for their wives to learn English. At the time, I was not teaching English and wasn’t planning on changing that, but I agreed. Immediately, it became clear that this opportunity was a gift from God. I asked myself, ‘why was I not using what I knew how to do?’
For someone interested in getting involved with World Relief, what would you tell them?
I feel my faith tells me to get involved. There are so many passages in the Old Testament that command us to welcome foreigners. World Relief is a great entry point if this is put on your heart through your faith. It’s both a gift and a calling.
World Relief is the access point for us to reach out and impact. I’m always waiting for World Relief to call me and say, ‘we have a family arriving!’ I’ve realized that I have a gift of mobilizing people and getting them to join me on my mission – our mission. It’s what I love to do.
Nathan Spencer is a former Communications Intern for World Relief Memphis. A recent graduate of the University of Memphis, Nathan continues to volunteer for World Relief as a copywriter.