Posts Tagged ‘Mass Displacement Blog’
20 Ways to Learn More About Refugees
Around the world, 103 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes — the highest number in recorded history. Of those, 32.5 million are considered refugees, having fled across an international border due to war, violence, conflict or persecution.
That’s millions of mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, teachers, doctors and friends — each created in the image of God — with full lives and identities long before they became refugees.
As we enter World Refugee Awareness Month and look toward World Refugee Day on June 20th, we’ve compiled a list of books, podcasts, videos and more to help answer your questions about refugees. As you engage with and share these resources, we hope you’ll be inspired to join us in creating a world where everyone can thrive.
READ
Some advocates have described Jesus as a refugee. But was he really? World Relief CEO Myal Greene tackles that question and how the answer should shape the Christian response to refugees and other vulnerable immigrants.
Blog: Drivers of Mass Displacement
People are displaced from their homes for myriad reasons, including persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and climate-related factors. World Relief’s Lydia Dawson explains the drivers of mass displacement and how World Relief is responding globally.
Blog: Worth the Wait: A Story of Faith, Perseverance and Love, Despite the Odds
For seven years, Congolese refugees (and newlyweds!) Mbimbi and Goreth didn’t know if they would ever see each other again. Read their story to learn more about the challenges and uncertainties that many refugees face as they rebuild.
Book: Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church
U.S. churches are at a critical crossroads — blurred lines between discipleship and partisanship have compromised our witness and confused our national and individual responses to refugees and “the stranger.” In their book, pastor Eric Costanzo, missiologist Daniel Yang and World Relief’s Matthew Soerens find hope in the witness of global Christians, the poor and the ancient church.
Book: Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration
Karen González invites Christians passionate about serving immigrants to explore how we can create welcoming communities that put our immigrant neighbors at the center of the conversation.
Book: Everything Sad is Untrue: (a true story)
Following his mother’s vocal embrace of Christianity, Daniel Nayeri, his mother and his sister were forced to flee Iran. In this memoir, he retells the tales of his family’s history from his perspective as a misfit middle schooler in Oklahoma.
Book: The Girl Who Smiled Beads
When Clementine was six years old, she and her 15-year-old sister, Clair, fled the massacre that was happening in their home country of Rwanda. In this riveting memoir, Clementine tells their story of rebuilding and reclaiming life on their own terms.
LISTEN
This World Relief mini-series offers a global and a biblical perspective on the subjects of immigration, mass displacement and refugee resettlement, diving into current policies and practices and sharing stories of our collective human experience.
This six-part series traces the U.S. refugee resettlement journey through the eyes of those directly experiencing it. Follow along as each episode brings the listener into the daily lives of refugees adjusting to life in the U.S.
Podcast Episode: Holly Andrews on How the Church Can Walk Alongside Refugees
In episode 4 of our Forward Together podcast series, Holly Andrews explains how churches can use the resources they already have to help refugees and other immigrants rebuild their lives.
WATCH
TEDx Talk: One Refugee’s Life Experience | Come Nzibarega
Born and raised in Burundi, Come Nzibarega shares his story of escaping torture and civil war and why he thinks refugee camps are the richest places in the world.
For Ibrahim’s family, the road to resettlement, reunion and rebuilding has been long. Learn more about the obstacles families like his can face as they seek safety.
Video: Who are Refugees and How Do They Arrive in the United States?
From flight and displacement to arrival and integration, this 7-minute animated video tells the true story of a refugee family’s experience in each stage of the refugee resettlement process.
STUDY
World Relief Workshop Course: Intro to Resettlement
Have you ever wondered what actually happens in the resettlement process or what a resettlement agency does? This FREE, 45-minute course will answer those questions and explain how you and your community can support refugees resettling in the U.S.
World Relief Workshop Course: Navigating Friendships
Navigating friendships with those who are different from us can be rewarding — and challenging! In this self-paced, online course you’ll learn essential skills for building empowering, long-lasting friendships with those who may differ from you in culture, socioeconomic status and religion, and best practices for supporting a friend who lives with trauma. During the month of June, enroll for 50% off with code WORLDREFUGEEDAY50.
Bible Study: Christ Like Welcome
Jesus astonished the culture around him by giving voice to the speechless, frustrating the powerful and humbling the wise. In this 5-week study from our partners at Women of Welcome, learn how your welcome can become like his — wonderfully surprising, deeply challenging and firmly rooted in love.
Bible Reading Plan: The I Was a Stranger Challenge
Take the challenge and discover God’s heart for those who have been displaced. Over the course of 40 days, read one Bible passage a day that speaks to God’s love for foreigners and refugees.
FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Children’s Book: Marisol’s Dress
In the midst of a revolution, young Marisol is forced to flee the life she knows and loves in vibrant Cuba. In this beautifully illustrated book, Emily Ozier follows her mother and grandmother as they journey to the U.S., facing challenges and celebrating along the way.
Children’s Book: My Two Blankets
When Cartwheel moves to a new country as a refugee, everything is strange: the animals, the plants, even the wind. An old blanket comforts her when she’s sad, and a new blanket just might change her world. A story about leaving home, arriving in a foreign land and finding a new friend.
For parents and teachers wondering how to talk about mass displacement with children and teens, the UN Refugee Agency offers teaching materials on refugees, asylum and migration, as well as guidance for teachers working with refugee children in the classroom.
Are you ready to take the next step towards creating a more welcoming and just world for refugees and other vulnerable immigrants? Learn how you can join us today.
Karen Spencer is World Relief’s U.S. Marketing Partner and serves U.S. offices in the area of identity and messaging. She previously served as Mobilization Director for World Relief in Memphis, where she lives. She is a connector of people, places, passions and purpose.
Kelly Hill serves as a Content Writer at World Relief and 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.
The Drivers of Mass Displacement: Ukraine and Beyond
Nyakaar abandoned her home in South Sudan when armed conflict threatened her village. She found safety in the Bentiu Protection of Civilians camp, a U.N.-run camp for internally displaced South Sudanese people where World Relief operates health and nutrition programming. Shortly after arriving, Nyakaar gave birth to her son, Bone.
In the world today, a record-breaking 117.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes. That’s about 1 in every 78 people that live across the globe.*
While many of us think of refugees when we hear the words “mass displacement,” the majority of displaced people worldwide are actually internally displaced people like Nyakaar and Bone.
The causes of mass displacement are many, and the repercussions reach far and wide. Today, we’re taking a bird’s eye view of the topic of mass displacement to help you understand what causes people to leave their homes, who is fleeing and how people across the globe are joining World Relief to address the drivers of mass displacement and care for those who are displaced.
*These numbers reflect the latest estimates from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. This blog was originally written May 10, 2022 and updated on April 11th, 2023.
What causes mass displacement?
People are displaced from their homes for myriad reasons — persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and climate-related factors to name a few.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been the most recent example of how war can force millions of people to flee their homes. However, there are many other conflicts and crises occurring in the world which are also causing people to flee their homes.
For example, violence in the Darfur region of Sudan has caused many to flee in search of a safe place to live, farm and raise their children. Some of these families remain internally displaced while others have fled across international borders into Chad and other surrounding countries. Apart from the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, 68% of the world’s refugees have come from the following five countries: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Myanmar. Though crises like these have received varying levels of media attention, the needs of the displaced remain critical.
Refugees, Asylum Seekers and IDPs
Many times, displaced people flee to regions or countries surrounding their home region, while a smaller percentage relocate to a more distant country. A displaced person can fall under several categories:
- Internally Displaced People
- Refugees
- Asylum Seekers
Internally Displaced People make up the largest category. These are people who have been displaced within their own country. They have been forced to flee their home and region, and have resettled in a different part of the same country in which they already lived. Currently, 61.2 million people are classed as Internally Displaced People.
Refugees make up the next largest group of displaced people. These are people who have fled war, violence, conflict or persecution and have crossed an international border to find safety in another country. It’s likely that you’ve read stories of refugees like Bohdan, Abdinasir and Amira — all people who left their home countries due to conflict or persecution, applied for refugee status and were resettled right here in the United States.
Today, there are about 29.3 million people with refugee status in the world.
In 2022, the U.S. has agreed to resettle up to 125,000 refugees plus an additional 100,000 Ukrainians who have fled the Russian invasion. As is evident, there are far more refugees in the world than can be resettled even in a country as large and as resourced as the U.S.
Asylum seekers make up the third and smallest category of displaced people. These are people who have fled to another country, but who have not yet been granted official refugee status. These women, men and children may have to wait years to receive an official status.
Currently, there are about 5.6 million asylum seekers living around the world today.
Host Communities
One final impacted group remains to be identified, and these are the host communities.
Host communities have not been displaced from their homes, but the swift influx of refugees into their communities severely impacts those who already lived in the region. Often host community members need the same support that refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people typically receive.
A large number of refugees can mean reduced access to land and water and can cause a scarcity in resources. For example, in Sudan, conflicts have broken out over land usage, as host communities and displaced people seek to utilize the scarce land and water resources available in the host community area.
World Relief works within these communities to increase access to clean water as well as facilitate peace committees to solve interpersonal conflicts before they grow.
What else is World Relief doing to help?
After a person is displaced, they can either choose to return to their home, or they can resettle in a new location. However, for many, the option to return home is not a viable one, as drivers of displacement often last for generations. World Relief is currently serving displaced people across the globe in several ways:
- In DR Congo, a country that’s facing one of the world’s worst hunger crises, World Relief works with host communities and with displaced people who have returned home by providing agricultural training and farming supplies to help families grow crops to feed their families and sell the surplus in local markets to earn an income.
- Globally, World Relief serves refugees who have crossed the border into our international countries of operation, working with local partners to provide emergency aid to families living in temporary shelters.
- In the U.S., World Relief partners with the U.S. government to resettle refugees. We also serve asylum seekers and other immigrants by providing community connections, legal services and other vital services like ESL classes, job training and more.
- In Sudan, South Sudan and DRC, World Relief serves internally displaced people by equipping local village peace committees and providing health, nutrition, WASH, education, agricultural programming and more.
- World Relief also advocates for the vulnerable when injustice occurs. We believe speaking up along with the poor and oppressed is an important witness to a watching world about the character of Jesus.
Mass displacement remains one of the largest and most challenging crises of our time — a truth that will take intentional coordination and investment between local and international communities, churches, governments and non-profit organizations to address.
At World Relief, we believe Jesus came to earth to love the vulnerable. Jesus didn’t bring hope and salvation from a distance. Instead, he came to us, showed us love and suffered with us. Whether we are welcoming refugees and asylum seekers into our own communities or providing relief to those displaced overseas, we get to be the hands of feet of Jesus, sharing his love to a world in need.
To learn more about how you can help refugees and displaced people in the U.S., visit our private sponsorship page.
Lydia Dawson served as World Relief’s Humanitarian and Disaster Response Unit Program Officer in Sudan, and in disaster response worldwide. Prior to joining World Relief, Lydia worked in homeless services and community development in Oregon and California. She is passionate about equity and honor for underrepresented groups, both locally and internationally.
Reflections on Motherhood, Privilege and War
This afternoon my husband built our son a playhouse. Ten minutes was all it took to assemble the basic sand-colored canvas, another ten to fill it with plush blankets and toys. As the sun streamed through our living room window and my husband marveled at the safe, sweet little space he’d built for our son, I thought of Ukraine.
How many millions of families would wish right now for that safe little canvas playhouse, assembled in more time than it took Putin to turn their homes to rubble? I wonder what they chose to take with them in those ten minutes, as they pulled their babies from their beds and fled.
Viewing war and suffering through the lens of motherhood is a new experience for me. It’s raw and visceral and hard. So much harder than before. I feel connected to the millions of women fleeing Ukraine in ways I’ve never before felt. An experience, it seems, that is clearly felt by mothers all over the world as we hear about women like Lubomira, who fled Ukraine with her three daughters and three-week-old, premature son, leaving behind her husband to the mandated military conscription.
The plight of these women is almost incomprehensible to me. And it’s brought me to tears again and again as I sit with my baby boy.
As I feed him, I think of the children in Mariupol, who have been cut off from food, clean water and basic necessities for weeks.
As I rock him to sleep to sweet lullabies in his nursery, I think of the babies lining the floors of loud, overcrowded bomb shelters.
As I watch his daddy play with him, I think of all the fathers left behind. The women and children who have lost their partners and protectors during the scariest time of their lives. I think about the fact that 90% of the 4.3 million refugees are women and children without husbands and fathers — a million families separated.
Truly, I cannot comprehend the fear, the pain and the suffering. In these moments, I’ve cried out to God for mercy. Lord, what can we do?
It’s easier to shut it out. To turn it off when it all gets too much. When the headlines and images become unbearable. But then I remember, the mothers of Ukraine can’t do the same.
They can’t turn off the bombings, the sirens or the shouts of Russian soldiers. They can’t turn off the cries of their babies, their growling stomachs, their chattering teeth. They can’t distract from the knot in their throat, the pit in their stomach. They don’t get to switch the channel.
And so, nor will I.
I will bear witness to this moment. I will feel it all. I will ask God for the courage not to look away. And I will remember it’s hard for a reason. The pain in my chest. The nausea in my stomach. The knot in my throat. It’s there as a reminder that we’re not meant to shut off from the suffering of humanity. It’s our hearts, our souls, our bodies, telling us to act. To do something, anything, to help.
Will you join me in praying for the mothers of Ukraine, and the millions of mothers caught up in war and violence around the world today?
Lord,
Thank you for the extraordinary gift of motherhood. Thank you for the way it connects us, transcending culture, geography and time in its shared experience. Thank you that in times like these, it draws out the very best of our instincts to love and support. Thank you that in mothers you created a superhuman strength, one that can come only from you. Grant all of us the grace to channel this type of strength.
Lord, today we see this strength in the mothers of Ukraine. We cry out for your loving protection. We ask that you embrace these mothers in your arms of tender care. Guard them and pour upon them your comfort and strength. Give them the stamina to survive the pain and despair this war has brought. Remind them, Lord, that you have not forsaken them nor abandoned them, even in their darkest hour. Give them the words to comfort their children, and one another, as they are separated from their families by distance or death. Bless them with a peace that surpasses understanding, and remind them of your love for them each and every day.
God, we pray this prayer today not only for the mothers of Ukraine, but for all mothers caught up in war and violence around the world today. Place their hope in you Lord, so that it might renew their strength. Allow them to run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint. Pour out your love and peace upon them, Lord God, on this Mother’s Day, and every day.
In your name we pray,
Amen.
Francesca Albano currently serves as Director of Branded Content at World Relief. With a background in Cultural Anthropology and a graduate degree in Strategic Marketing Communications, she connects her interests in societal studies and global cultures with her training in brand strategy and storytelling. Francesca is especially passionate about grassroots community development and the treatment and advancement of women and girls around the world.
From Ukraine to the United States: Bohdan’s Story
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, plunging the nation into violent conflict. This act of war highlights how violence places innocent lives in danger, and we continue to pray for all those affected. In the last 18 years, World Relief has resettled over 13,000 refugees from Ukraine. Many, like Bohdan Borodin, have joined our staff, and we serve together daily.
Bohdan came to the U.S. with his family in 2019 through the Lautenberg program and now works as an Employment Specialist at World Relief Upstate. Today, Bohdan offers his perspective on life in Ukraine, the transition to the United States after suffering from religious persecution and hope for a better life for his family.
We are grateful to Bohdan for sharing his story today.
I love my country. Before I came to the U.S., life in the Ukraine wasn’t all bad. Ukraine is a good country, actually. It’s beautiful with so many different landscapes: from flatlands to mountains and lakes.
I miss the community and routines of daily life, including family dinners every Sunday. It was a big event, all of us coming together and talking with one another over a meal. I also received a good education in Ukraine, earning a Master’s Degree in Thermal Engineering.
But while it sounds like a degree that can secure a good job, it was not so easy to provide for basic needs for my family or plan well for our future.
In 1991 Ukraine was liberated from the USSR and established as a democratic government. Since then, a lot of good changes have happened, but the economy has remained challenging: the poor get poorer and the rich get richer.
Our culture is also still sprinkled with communism-bias in every city and village. When Ukraine was part of the USSR, Khrushchev, the First Secretary of the Communist Party from 1953-1964, announced on TV that he would try to kill the last Christian to destroy the faith of all Christians. Thankfully, this threat never became a reality. Instead, persecution now is much more subtle, with undertones of dislike and prejudice.
For example, as a student, if you have a teacher who remembers the former Soviet way of life and has upheld those beliefs, he or she may give you bad grades just to show their disapproval of Christianity.
It is for that reason that my wife, Inna, and I decided to apply for refugee status and come to the U.S. for a better way of life.
It took about three years from the start of the application process to the point that we resettled in South Carolina. When we were finally approved to come to the U.S., we were excited, but I also knew that entering a different culture and language would be difficult. In fact, our challenges first began before we ever left Ukraine.
We were waiting at the airport standing outside in the middle of winter with our two-year-old daughter. We made it from Ukraine all the way to New York. But then our flight from New York to Greenville was delayed twice and eventually canceled. We were exhausted!
We finally arrived in South Carolina with only a couple hundred dollars in our pockets since we had no property to sell in Ukraine. Also, my wife does not speak English, which was an additional challenge for her. And shortly after we arrived, my mother-in-law came to live with us. All of this change created a very stressful time!
I had studied English back in Ukraine, which gave me a huge advantage compared to other Ukrainians with no English. While I wanted to remain as self-sufficient as possible, we still had a lot of needs as we navigated setting up our life in a new country.
Thankfully, when I did need help and guidance, World Relief workers stepped in to help with things like filling out papers and documents, securing a place to live and getting a job so I could provide for my family.
When World Relief saw how good my English was, they offered me a job working as an Employment Specialist. At first, I was unsure if this would be a good fit because my previous experience was working in technical fields, but then I thought this might be a good opportunity for me to learn something new.
I like engaging my brain and helping others, and working at World Relief lets me do both! Working at World Relief has also helped me gain more global awareness about refugees coming from countries who have even greater challenges to overcome than I have. I am grateful for that.
Most of my family still lives in Ukraine. Recently, we were able to visit, and it was a good time for my mom to give a hug to her grandkids and meet my eight-month-old son in person, instead of over the phone.
Since most of my relatives are still over there, the recent events between Russia against Ukraine have been frustrating and upsetting.
I would ask Russian people not to believe in Putin’s lie to his nation. I also believe that there are many Russians who don’t want this war either. My hope is that they would continue coming out on the streets, sharing their opinions through protests.
I also hope the American government will find or create a way to bring immediate family members from Ukraine to the U.S. Despite this ongoing tragedy in my home country, I am grateful to be in America and give my kids the opportunity to live the American dream. I want to give them the best life that I can – to receive a good education, become self-sufficient and achieve success in this life.
World Relief is providing life-sustaining relief through our network of partners on the ground in Western Ukraine, Slovakia and Romania. Your gift today will provide things like food, temporary shelter, blankets, hygiene items, medicine and other essential items to those displaced by the war. Whether we’re responding to war in Ukraine, drought in Kenya or flooding in South Sudan, our faith compels us to respond.
Bohdan Borodin grew up in Ukraine, and resettled in the U.S. in 2019. He has a wife and two children. Together, they live in South Carolina where he works as an Employment Specialist at World Relief Upstate
8 Things You Need To Know About the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis
A full-scale invasion of Ukraine is underway. More than 14 million Ukrainian women, men and children have been forced to flee their homes, nearly 6.8 million of whom have fled to other countries. Together, we can respond.
World Relief is currently working with partners on the ground in Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Moldova and Western Ukraine to provide lodging, medical assistance, food and other basic necessities to those who have fled. As the situation continues to unfold, we are committed to keeping you updated and informed. Read on to learn more about what’s happening in Ukraine, the growing refugee crisis and what you can do to help.
Updated on June 1, 2022
1. What’s going on in Ukraine and why are people fleeing?
Russian-Ukrainian tension has existed since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, when the then largest country in the world suddenly collapsed into 15 smaller European nations, including Ukraine. At the time, Vladimir Putin, now president of Russia, called the collapse the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century.” Since the fall, Putin has desired to reclaim the lost territory, which he sees as “a single whole.”
Today, threatened by the expansion of Western influence and Ukraine’s desire to join NATO — The North Atlantic Treaty Organization — Russia feels a greater need and urgency than ever to exert and protect its influence in the region. The last month saw a huge troop buildup along Ukrainian borders, and on Thursday, February 24th, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the nation. Civilian targets are not being spared, as indiscriminate bombing has damaged residential buildings, hospitals, schools and crucial infrastrcuture that supplies heat, water and electricity to citizens.
As of June 1st, nearly 6.8 million refugees have fled across neighboring borders. This number is estimated to continue growing during the coming weeks and months.
2. Where are people going? What’s happening at the borders?
Most Ukrainians are fleeing for their closest border with neighboring European countries. The sudden wave of people gathering at border crossings has created large humanitarian needs. These locations are in urgent need of basic necessities including water, food, heat and shelter as the wait at the border for processing can take three to four days. As of June 1st, Poland has been the primary recipient of refugees, with over 3.5 million refugees crossing. Other countries that are seeing large numbers* of refugees are:
- Romania 972,203
- Russia 945,007
- Hungary 654,664
- Moldova 473,690
- Slovakia 446,755
- Belarus 27,308
Additionally, more than 7 million Ukrainians remain displaced inside Ukraine.
*These numbers reflect reports as of June 1st, 2022.
3. Who is fleeing?
Tragically, it is mostly women and children who are crossing the borders alone. Men between the ages of 18-60 have been asked by Ukrainian President Zelensky to stay behind to join the defense forces. This means women and children are leaving home without their husbands, fathers and brothers. This is also resulting in grave concerns about security and protection as many young women and children without adult guardians are crossing unaccompanied without money or visas, making them extremely susceptible to sexual violence, exploitation and trafficking. UNICEF, IOM and others are mobilizing protection units to be spread along the border crossings.
4. There has been talk of discrimination at the border. What’s going on there?
There is a large concern about third-country nationals — citizens of other countries who were in Ukraine at the time war began. Many were students studying in Ukraine from Africa. Initial reports indicated that many of these individuals were not being permitted to cross the border out of Ukraine to Poland with others, and were actually barricaded for a time in shelters without basic expected facilities. Furthermore, many others without documentation (passports, etc.) were simply refused shelter and instead temporarily detained. After swift international media concern, this problem seems to have been resolved and officials are now allowing everyone to enter Poland regardless of ethnicity, refugee status or documentation.
5. Are there any policies in place in the E.U. and/or U.S. that could help protect Ukrainian Refugees?
Poland has passed a Parliamentary Act granting temporary residence rights and assistance to refugees coming from Ukraine, permitting people to work, attend school and live in the country.
In terms of U.S. policies, the Biden administration has granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Ukrainians who are already in the U.S., allowing those whose temporary visa may be about to expire or who may have overstayed a temporary visa to stay lawfully in the U.S. and be authorized to work to support themselves, rather than being required to return to Ukraine at a time when doing so would be incredibly dangerous. We’re thankful for this action.
In March, the White House announced that it would resettle up to 100,000 Ukrainians to the U.S. and provide more than $1 billion in humanitarian aide to those affected by the crisis. In April, the administration also announced a new, streamlined process to welcome Ukrainians called “Uniting for Ukraine.” Through the program, U.S. based individuals, churches and organizations can apply to sponsor Ukrainian citizens displaced by Russia’s aggression during a temporary, 2-year stay in the U.S.
The Biden administration and Congress should continue to focus on rebuilding the U.S. refugee resettlement program and our asylum system so that Ukrainians and others who have fled their homes with credible fear of persecution can find refuge in the U.S. going forward.
6. Will Ukrainian refugees come to the U.S?
The Biden administration announced in March that it would resettle up to 100,000 Ukrainians to the U.S.
Historically, a significant number of Ukrainians have come to the United States, including many admitted through the U.S. refugee resettlement program through a specific provision known as the Lautenberg Amendment, which offers resettlement to particular religious minorities from the Former Soviet Union.
World Relief has resettled over 13,000 refugees from Ukraine over the past 18 years; in fact, the 7,300 Ukrainians whom World Relief has resettled just in the past decade represent nearly 40 percent of all Ukrainian refugees resettled to the U.S. during that time frame. Our hearts and prayers are with the many Ukranians we’ve walked alongside— including many who have joined our staff in the United States — who are originally from Ukraine and who, are now deeply concerned for loved ones still within the country.
More information for Ukrainians in the United States is here.
7. What is World Relief doing to help Ukrainians?
World Relief is currently working with partners on the ground in Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Moldova and Western Ukraine to provide lodging, medical assistance, food and other basic necessities to those who have fled. You can listen to an update from one of our partners here.
We are also continuing to resettle Ukrainian refugees through the Lautenberg program whenever we have the opportunity and are providing assistance to those already in the U.S. who are desperately seeking help for their families. The situation is changing rapidly, and so are the ways in which we will be called to respond.
In all things, we are constantly lifting those in need up in prayer — whether for peace in Ukraine or relief from disasters around the world.
8. How can I help?
PRAY: As in all things, we first turn to prayer. Pray for peace in Ukraine, for wisdom and courage for the global leaders involved, and for faith and comfort for the families suffering in the midst of this conflict right now.
ADVOCATE: You can urge the Biden administration to continue providing emergency humanitarian funding to meet the immediate needs of those who are displaced, as well as vulnerable Ukrainians who remain in Ukraine, including by partnering with local organizations in Ukraine and neighboring countries. You can also encourage countries of refuge to continue to provide protection for displaced Ukrainians by processing and providing legal protections for refugees and other displaced persons.
GIVE: You can offer financial support at this crucial time by giving to World Relief’s Disaster Response fund, mobilizing our partners, churches and staff to respond to the critical needs of the most vulnerable needlessly suffering in Ukraine and around the world.
Welcoming the Welcomers: One Afghan’s Journey to the U.S.
As World Relief continues to resettle Afghans who were evacuated from Afghanistan, we are reminded that resettlement often comes with both grief and gratitude.
For Afghans like David, resettling in North Texas has been an immense gift of safety, security and community. And yet, he feels the heartache of leaving his home and extended family behind. We are grateful to David for sharing his story with us today.
A Culture of Hospitality
“The most important thing to know about Afghans is, whenever a guest comes to our house, we’re happy for it,” David said. “We say that guest is not only our guest, it’s God’s guest that came to our house.”
David had just finished assisting the World Relief North Texas (WRNT) team with a cultural orientation for Afghans who had recently resettled in the area.
As an Afghan and newly arrived immigrant himself, his knowledge of both Afghan and American culture had quickly become a vital asset to the North Texas team in welcoming the influx of Afghan refugees who were arriving.
“I did work for the Americans for 19 years straight,” he said. “I know most of the cultures and how things work because if you work with someone from their country for 19 years, you get to hear a lot of stuff and you get to share your experience with them.”
The Day Life Changed
David, along with his wife and three children, was one of the 53,000 Afghans who were evacuated out of Kabul when it fell to the Taliban in August.
Growing up in Afghanistan, David’s father worked as a soldier for the Afghan special forces in Kandahar. Two of his brothers also worked for the coalition forces, and in 2002, shortly after the U.S. launched an attack against the Taliban, David began working with the U.S.
State Department as a translator.
The day the Taliban took Kabul, David was at work, and life changed dramatically for him.
“I had friends in town,” he said. “They called me that day and said, ‘You heard Taliban is in the city? People are running left and right and they’re just scared and don’t know what’s going to happen after this.’”
When he got off the phone with his friend, he quickly went to his supervisor and informed them of what was happening. At first, no one believed him. They thought it was impossible for the Taliban to take over so quickly, and while David agreed that it seemed unbelievable, the truth soon became clear.
The Rush to Get Out
Over the next three days, David and his colleagues — Afghan and American alike — worked tirelessly to get rid of as much ammunition and military equipment as they could so as not to leave it in the hands of the Taliban. On the fourth day of his shift, though, David was told to go home, get his family and bring them back.
“They told me, ‘bring your kids, wife, that we need to evacuate you guys as soon as possible from Kabul,’” David said. “I asked them, ‘what about my other family? Like my mother or my brother?’
“They said, right now the only thing they could do is me and my wife and kids. They said they could get the rest of my family in the future, but right now, I needed to bring my wife and kids back to the base.”
David left work and drove back to his house. When he arrived, he and his wife packed everything they could into two bags.
“I had only three hours to prepare and we took all the necessary stuff that we needed from the house and made two bags and brought it with us,” he said.
When David and his family returned to the military base, they boarded a plane and left Afghanistan. Though they were now physically safe, the life they knew had been left behind.
Journeying to the U.S.
Over the next few days, David and his family made an exhausting journey across the globe. They spent one night in Qatar before flying to Germany where they stayed on a U.S. military base for seven days. David said that living conditions on the base were not great, but that he didn’t blame anyone for the poor conditions. How could he when no one ever expected to have to house so many people with such short notice?
From Germany, David flew to D.C. where he and his family went through customs and border security before finally landing in El Paso, Texas where they would live on another U.S. military base for 30 days.
The two bags they had packed, however, didn’t make it.
“When we got to Qatar, they took our bags,” David said. “They said the first priority was to get us out from here, and then it’s the bags… For 20 days, we had to wear the same clothes and after 20 days, we finally got to take a shower and change clothes. They took our bags and I still haven’t received them.”
While living conditions in El Paso were better than they were in Germany, life was still difficult. David and the other Afghans had to sleep in tents and wait in hours-long lines to get their food each day.
“I don’t blame them because in the camp where we were it was more than 10,000 people,” David said. “It’s not easy to give food to 10,000 people, three times a day, breakfast, lunch, dinner.”
Each morning, David and several other Afghans would meet with leaders at the U.S. military base hoping for some update as to when they would be released from the base and resettled in a new home.
“We were not hearing good news,” David said. “All we were hearing was that we would have to stay here for longer and longer.”
His young kids were becoming restless, often wishing they had stayed in Afghanistan, believing that life was better there. While David tried to comfort them, he too was becoming impatient with living in a tent on a military base.
Eventually, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Beginning Again
Prior to the fall of Kabul, a few of David’s friends and family had been resettled by World Relief North Texas. It was through those friends that David heard about World Relief.
“I called [my friend] and said, ‘Please talk to Jonathan (WRNT Program Manager). If it’s possible to get out from this camp…I don’t want to wait. It’s taking too long.’”
David began making arrangements to leave the military base. He got copies of the necessary paperwork and medical records, booked plane tickets for his family, and left El Paso for Fort Worth. They spent their first night in Fort Worth at David’s cousin’s house, but the following day, Jonathan called David to say that an apartment was ready for them.
“He got the apartment ready in two days. It was amazing,” David said. “I couldn’t believe they helped us so much. They brought food, furnitures, beds for the kids, everything. Everything was in the house like a family living already.”
David said that walking into the house was like taking a deep breath. His children were thrilled and immediately began asking about when they could go to school.
Over the next few days, World Relief caseworkers helped get David’s kids enrolled in school. David’s wife purchased fabric and began sewing herself new dresses since their bags remained lost. David began volunteering with World Relief, acting as a translator and liaison with new Afghans as they arrive in North Texas.
“I told Jonathan the other day if he needs help as a culture-wise, I know more about Afghans, how to provide good relations, and help and stuff. I’m always ready to help them.”
While David and his family are working hard to settle into life in the U.S. — applying for social security, getting a drivers license and working with World Relief to get their SIV case approved — the toll of the last few months still weighs on them and the other Afghans in their community.
“What we are requesting from you guys to just please be patient… Most of our people have done or have been through a lot of difficulties in Afghanistan and have given a lot of sacrifices when the U.S. military was in Afghanistan. Most of the people lost their brothers, their father, their families in what was going on in Afghanistan.”
You Can Help
Many Afghans, including David, still have family in Afghanistan who are trying to get out. They wait urgently for an update, and we wait and pray with them.
As World Relief works alongside the U.S. government to continue resettling Afghans like David, you can help. You can:
Pray: Pray for David, his family and others like them as they build a new life in the U.S. Pray also for the Afghan allies and civilians who are still seeking safety. Pray for World Relief Resettlement Staff as they work tirelessly to receive refugees as they arrive.
Advocate: Call on Congress to do everything in their power to evacuate as many as possible and resettle Afghan refugees. Together, we can stand with those who are suffering and influence our nation’s leaders to help vulnerable people around the world and in the U.S.
Give: You can respond to urgent crises, welcome immigrants like David and promote peace and justice across the globe by giving to World Relief today.
It takes all of us to build communities of love and welcome that we all feel proud to be a part of. Thank you for moving with us.
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 stories that challenge individuals and communities to lean into all of whom God created them to be. She holds a BFA from Stephens College and is currently pursuing a certificate in a Spiritual Formation at the Transforming Center in Wheaton, IL.
Resettled: One Woman’s Journey Beyond Rebuilding
As the number of refugees arriving in the U.S. continues to increase in the coming months, we invite you to partner with us as we welcome them. Today, we’re excited to give you a glimpse at the lasting change that can happen when we move together.
A Crossing of Paths
At World Relief, we’re honored to walk alongside refugees and immigrants from around the world as they rebuild their lives in the U.S. Sharing their stories with you is a privilege. Often though, the stories we share are limited to a short and intense part of people’s lives.
Years later, you may wonder along with us, “How is that family doing now?” I never expected to get an answer to this question when I moved from North Carolina, where I worked at World Relief Triad, to Utah. But that’s exactly what happened.
Two weeks after moving, I bought a plant on Facebook marketplace from a woman named Buthainah. It didn’t take long for us to realize our shared connection: she had been resettled by World Relief Triad in 2009. Hearing her story reminded me of the lasting impact we can have when we move together. Buthainah eagerly agreed to share her story with us today.
When Everything Changes
Buthainah grew up in Baghdad, Iraq. Although the country was tightly controlled by Sadam Husain’s regime, she remembers having a happy childhood.
Her father worked as a major general at the naval academy, and her mother was an architect. Buthainah did well in school. She was a child of imagination — drawing, reading and writing stories in which she was the heroine. “Life was simple for us kids and family,” she said, “we were happy and content!”
But then war broke out, and everything changed. At 13, Buthainah fled with her parents and four sisters to Jordan. Two and a half years later, they were selected for resettlement in the U.S.
Flying to the U.S. was stressful. As a family of seven, they struggled through the airport with two suitcases each. Buthainah remembers bringing clothes, drawings and a memory book from elementary school with notes from her friends and teachers. “I’m a very sentimental person. [They’re] silly things, but they hold a lot of value for me.”
Buthainah’s family arrived on June 25, 2009. From geography to environment to culture, Buthainah was immersed in a world of difference. And a world where she, herself, was labeled as different.
“You have your life, and all of a sudden, it’s taken away from you,” she said. “And then you are labeled as a refugee, not who you are. It makes you feel unseen and it diminishes your value… or at least it did for me.”
Someone to Walk With
But someone did see Buthainah and her family — former World Relief Case Manager, Brian Boggs. “Brian was one of the very few people early on to really understand us,” Buthainah remembers. “He spent time to explain the system to us.”
Brian drove the family to appointments and made sure the kids were enrolled in school. He helped them navigate their new home, finding grocery stores and bus routes.
“[Case management is] basically like helping somebody start their life over in a new place,” Brian explained. “If you think about all the basics people just take for granted — children going to school, parents, if they need it, getting English classes — you’re trying to guide people in a way that will help them be successful later on.”
In the midst of hectic transitions and changes, Buthainah remembers that Brian was there for her family when they needed him most. “He was a stranger to us, [but he] made it easier to feel people cared and saw us for who we were, not just another number or another person who is going to be a burden.”
Life After Resettlement
With Brian’s help, Buthainah’s family adjusted to their new lives in America. The girls settled in at school and their parents found work. Their lives were being rebuilt. Eventually, Brian became busy caring for more recent arrivals, and Buthainah and her family transitioned out of World Relief programs, pursuing new dreams of their own.
Buthaina’s parents both went back to school for master’s degrees and then PhDs in computational science. Her mom is now working as an energy analyst and her dad is retired.
One sister is completing her residency in Delaware. Another is working as a paralegal and plans to go to law school. The third is in college, and the youngest, who was only five when they were resettled in the Triad, is hoping to finish high school in just three years.
As for Buthainah, she graduated high school with excellent grades, went to college, and worked as a process chemist at a pharmaceutical company. She then decided to attend graduate school in Utah.
Today, she’s moved back to Greensboro to be closer to family and has successfully completed a PhD in organometallic chemistry. She’s now dreaming of starting her own business and maybe even a reform movement.
“Like reform of education and reform of the way we think,’ Buthainah said. She wants to help people understand the many ways we can learn and approach life. “Exactly how I’m going to get there?” she laughed, “I don’t know — but I have faith that it will all work out.”
When We Move Together
Twelve years later, Buthainah’s had time to think about her experience of resettlement. When asked what she would say to her younger self, she said, “Just know who you are. Be true to who you are, and don’t be ashamed of where you come from.”
She also had some advice for those welcoming refugees now. “You have a choice to judge another human being and make them less than you or not,” she said. “We’re very thankful to the people who really gave us a chance and gave us a start.” People like Brian.
When Buthainah and Brian recently reconnected, she told him, “You made us feel seen and you made us feel like we’re humans and we have equal chance. Because of that, we were able to believe in ourselves. It just takes some people sometimes to have that faith in you at your lowest when you doubt yourself.”
But Brian is reluctant to take credit.
“When you know people who are going through some of the hardest things not only that they’ve been through, but maybe all of humanity could go through,” he said, “you see potential. I don’t take credit for any of it… [Buthainah’s family] worked hard and believed in themselves. It’s theirs. It’s really nice to be invited into their journey.”
For refugees, the road to rebuilding their lives is long. You can help Pave the Path for more families like Buthainah’s by joining our community of monthly givers who are committed to helping refugees and immigrants thrive today, tomorrow and long into the future. Will you join us in building lasting communities of welcome?
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.
Four Ways We Can Improve Our Immigration System
Over the past several months, Americans have been inundated with news and imagery from the U.S.-Mexico border. As policies have shifted, historically high numbers of people have arrived, including many intending to seek asylum in the United States.
People often ask me how we, as Christians, should respond to stories like these. We want to fix the problem and end the suffering, but, sadly, hard policy problems like asylum and refugee resettlement are much more complicated than the “easy fixes” hinted at in the headlines.
For one, the U.S. is particularly unprepared for this influx of people seeking refuge because our immigration system has been essentially dismantled over the last several years — both as a result of intentional policy decisions and by the COVID-19 pandemic — and it is taking time to rebuild it. We and our network of faith-based and community organizations are eager to partner with the government to care for vulnerable people, but currently lack the resources and workforce to handle this surge.
Nonetheless, the country is bound by various international treaties and domestic laws to give a hearing to particular categories of migrants, including unaccompanied children and anyone facing a credible fear of persecution. We cannot abandon either these national commitments or our celebrated heritage as a place of opportunity and new beginnings for those seeking refuge.
We need to seek change. A fair and humane solution to immigration policy and asylum issues will take time, patience, funding and focused political attention. Here are four ways we can change our immigration system in a comprehensive and humane way.
1. We must address the root causes driving asylum seekers to come to the U.S. in the first place.
Along with many Americans motivated by personal faith and the best of our national values, we are eager to welcome those who seek refuge in the U.S. But that eagerness is paired with lament; we grieve that anyone would feel they had no choice but to leave their homes and their countries of origin.
The factors that push people to flee countries such as Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala include poverty, high rates of violent crime, environmental degradation and corruption. Finding themselves in grim circumstances, families make what is often a heart-wrenching decision to flee their homes for a better life.
The United States can first address the rise in asylum cases by working with other governments and organizations to make home for refugees a safe place, rather than a dangerous one. This can be done through diplomatic negotiations with governments and financial support for local and international NGOs working to create opportunity and improve safety for families. By being more proactive in this effort and increasing both U.S. governmental aid as well as churches, businesses and individuals stepping up their support, fewer families will feel compelled to make the journey to the southern border.
2. We can increase resources for processing asylum claims as a means of disincentivizing unlawful entry into the country.
Because legal asylum claims often take too long to find a legal hearing, many individuals cross the border illegally in the hopes that they will be apprehended and then given the hearing to which they are legally entitled. We can bring order to the border simply by investing in the right kinds of resources. If we can fairly and efficiently handle the rising volume of asylum claims, we can divert asylum seekers away from dangerous border crossings and to lawful ports of entry.
3. We can increase orderly, legal migration options accessible closer to home.
Most people who make a dangerous journey to the border do so because that’s the only way to lawfully request asylum. But if there was an option to request protections closer to home, either at a nearby U.S. consulate or in a neighboring country, most people would much prefer to reach safety in the U.S. via an airplane flight after being processed and vetted overseas. In fact, that’s basically the model of the U.S. refugee resettlement program, which has been functioning well for decades. For those fleeing poverty, not persecution, additional employer-sponsored visas would also create increased opportunities for lawful migration — while helping to address a stark labor shortage within the U.S. that is fueling inflation and economic stagnation.
4. We need bipartisan action by Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
While expanding refugee resettlement could be done by executive action, many other changes to the legal immigration system — such as facilitating legal immigration options for those fleeing poverty and seeking to fill needs in the U.S. labor market — would require congressional action. Those changes could be paired with a host of other reforms to our immigration laws. Immigration reform, however, will require bipartisan cooperation between the new administration and both political parties. Securing bipartisan cooperation now can ensure we move beyond quick fixes and make lasting changes for years to come.
We need to invest in better immigration policies that can spur economic growth, protect our national security and offer comfort to the vulnerable. But change will not happen overnight. Our short-term efforts to alleviate suffering should not come at the expense of the broader reforms needed for an effective—and more humane—immigration policy.
I encourage you to educate yourself about some of the pressing issues surrounding immigration policies, lean into hard conversations and risk feeling uncomfortable. Together, we can raise our voices in support of those whose voices are often ignored, marginalized or overlooked. We can be advocates for those fleeing violence, poverty and oppression and respond to their cries for help — just as our heavenly Father listens and responds to us.
To stay informed about issues related to immigration, mass displacement, extreme poverty and more, sign up for our monthly newsletter or subscribe for advocacy alerts!
This blog was originally published on July 8th, 2021 and was recently updated on May 26th 2023.
Scott Arbeiter retired from World Relief in 2021 as president after serving the organization in various roles for more than two decades and is a former pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
Matt Soerens began his World Relief journey in 2005 as an intern in Nicaragua and now serves as the VP of Advocacy and Policy. Since then he served as a Department of Justice-accredited legal counselor in Chicagoland before assuming the role of U.S. Director of Church Mobilization and Advocacy. Matt is the co-author of three books including Welcoming the Stranger (InterVarsity Press, 2018) and Inalienable (InterVarsity Press, 2022). Matt also serves as the National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition that advocates for immigration reforms consistent with biblical values. He is a graduate of Wheaton College, where he has also served as a guest faculty member in the Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership program, and earned a master’s degree from DePaul University’s School of Public Service. He lives in Aurora, Illinois with his wife Diana and their four children.
Suad Yusuf is Making Positive Change in West Darfur
Suad Yusuf Ibrahim is a Nutrition Coordinator in West Darfur, Sudan, working with internally displaced people *(IDP) in an IDP camp. When a humanitarian crisis erupted in the great Darfur region in 2004, World Relief Sudan responded to the immediate and long-term needs of vulnerable IDPs and hosting communities. Suad joined the work just a few years later.
With commitment, expertise and passion, Suad helps to implement relief programs in the areas of health and nutrition where severe gaps in the health system exist. Suad took a few moments to share more about her work caring for those in the most vulnerable situations and what positive changes she is seeing in her country. Sit down, grab some tea and meet an incredible woman making an impact in West Darfur.
What is your role at World Relief, and how long have you worked here?
I serve World Relief in the capacity of Nutrition Coordinator for West Darfur State (Sudan), and I have served World Relief in West Darfur for 12.5 years.
Tell us more about your role as Nutrition Coordinator — what do you do and what do you like about your job?
I like my job because it entails attending to the needs of the most vulnerable people in rural settings, particularly children and women. I have witnessed many children and women who would have died due to undernutrition, but they survived because of the life-saving nutrition interventions that World Relief is providing. One thing I really enjoy with my work is seeing children transition from life-threatening severe and moderate acute malnutrition to full recovery.
What improvements have you seen as a result of World Relief’s work in your area?
A few years ago (almost a decade), there was no education, especially for girls and women. Girls were not offered opportunities to go to school. They could only engage in farming, nomadic pastoralism and early marriages. People were very resistant to change in this area. But today, children are going to school and most girls are now graduating and taking up high-level jobs. Most families now want children, particularly girls to go to school.
Another change I’ve seen is the way different community groups interact with each other. Before, the community was very rigid and closed. For example members from other communities including those from the capital, Khartoum, were not allowed to intermingle with community members in West Darfur. Thankfully, this has changed over the years and many people from other communities are now working here in West Darfur. The community is now more cosmopolitan as compared to the way it was a few years back.
What other changes do you hope to see happen in the community in the coming years?
I foresee a situation whereby the nutrition situation will improve. Already, there has been a noteworthy change in the number of women who are taking nutritional supplements. Likewise, community members are now engaging more and more in farming, which is an effective approach to preventing malnutrition.
The causes of malnutrition are multi-faceted and there is more we need to do. Generally, though, the malnutrition situation is showing positive trends. For instance, in the past, if a household had five children, at least two or three would be enrolled in the feeding program. This number has improved over the years, and many families now do not have malnourished children.
When you are not working, what else do you like to do?
Mostly I take care of domestic issues. I am a mother of 4 children so I spend most of my time after work taking care of them.
If someone were coming to visit you from another country, what are the top things you would take them to see?
I would take them to see the traditional dressing for women and men, and I’d want them to see the farmland during the rainy season, particularly in the Jebel area.
*Internally displaced persons are women, men, children, entire families, who have fled their homes and traveled to another region within their country. An IDP camp is where these displaced people have temporarily settled until it is safe for them to return home. Many of these people have fled because of violence in their home village. World Relief provides services within these IDP camps to sustain a basic quality of life for residents.
Dana North serves as the Marketing Manager at World Relief. With a background in graphic design and advertising and experiences in community development and transformation, Dana seeks to use the power of words and action to help create a better world. Dana is especially passionate about seeking justice for women and girls around the world.