Posts Tagged ‘U.S.’
How do we foster generosity in the next generation?
In this season of giving, how do we foster generosity when so much of the modern Christmas experience through the eyes of a child is about getting?
We talked with Joanne Graffam about raising cheerful givers. As a mother of four and grandmother of kids ranging from ages three to 14, Joanne and her husband Alan have taught their children and grandchildren to live by 2 Corinthians 9:7, proclaiming “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Reflecting on her upbringing, Joanne shared how her parents taught her what it meant to give. And when she married the son of Dr. Everett Graffam, Executive Director of World Relief until his retirement in 1978, her interest in giving to World Relief was sparked through the stories Dr. Graffam frequently shared about the needs of the people in the many places he visited. Alan and Joanne have passed along these lessons to their four children through conversations at home and mission trips to Paraguay, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Russia and around the U.S.
One simple way the Graffams foster generosity in their family is through a holiday tradition. At Thanksgiving each of their children and grandchildren chose a gift from World Relief’s Catalog of Hope. There is much joy in seeing how each one, young and old, chose a gift that reflects their interests and what’s been laid on their heart. At Christmas, each child and grandchild will receive a card provided by World Relief that explains how the chosen gift will make an impact through World Relief’s work in the area of either health and child development, economic development, disaster response, refugee and immigration services or peace building.
This straightforward tradition practiced by the Graffam family is rooted in the true meaning of Christmas and allows the power of generosity to be experienced on a tangible level both by both the giver and the receiver. Because of people like the Graffams over 3.5 million people across the globe have been served by World Relief in 2015. And because of younger people being intentionally shaped by the Graffams–and all of you similar parents and grandparents out there–World Relief will continue making an impact for good across the globe for years to come.
And by the way, it’s never too late to start teaching your children or grandchildren about the power of generosity.
How can we empower the vulnerable in a holistic way?
In every passing moment, children are orphaned by disease, women are widowed by violence, families are devastated by natural disasters and refugees are fleeing their homeland due to persecution. These stories of the vulnerable can be heartbreaking. Here at World Relief, we work with local churches to holistically serve communities.
This Christmas season we are challenging 1000 people to join World Relief by giving $100 to help support needs of the most vulnerable:
Your gift helps support our 5 key initiatives across the globe:
- Health and Child Development
- Peace Building Programs
- Refugee and Immigration Services
- Disaster Response Initiatives
- Economic Development
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You have the chance to make a difference now.
Who is a refugee and what do they go through to get to the U.S.?
A refugee is someone who has fled one’s home country and cannot return because of a well-founded fear of persecution based on religion, race, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
Check out this infographic to learn the steps refugees must go through when immigrating to the United States. Then, learn more about the ways we currently serve refugees in the U.S.
U.S REFUGEE SCREENING PROCESS INFOGRAPHIC
World Relief provides initial resettlement and placement as well as employment, education and legal services for refugees arriving in the United States. Collaborating with local churches and volunteers, World Relief comes alongside vulnerable families as they begin their lives in the U.S. Since 1979, World Relief has helped resettle more than 260,000 refugees from over 80 nations.
Acceptance. Friendship. Hope: Good Neighbor Teams go beyond supplying material needs to refugees
World Relief currently provides refugees with resettlement assistance that includes housing, employment services, micro-enterprise loans and immigration services. But we cannot do it alone. We depend heavily on volunteer and church support, both financially and in practical ways. Churches and small groups around the country are mobilizing into Good Neighbor Teams to serve newly arriving refugee families for a period of six to 12 months—supplying material needs like food, clothing, and transportation, and tangible services like school registration, community orientation, job preparation and English tutoring.
Good Neighbor Teams also recognize the importance of offering even greater gifts to refugee families. By valuing the stories, dreams and contributions of the newcomers, churches and small groups are extending the gifts of friendship, belonging, and acceptance to those who are entering an unfamiliar world.
Life Center North Church in Spokane recognized its vision and mission fit seamlessly into World Relief’s mission to empower the local Church to serve the most vulnerable. The church’s leadership trusted God to catalyze missionally-minded people from among its 1,100-member congregation to form an initial World Relief Good Neighbor Team.
The team, comprised of people of different ages and stages of life, came alongside recent refugees to Spokane, including the 11-member Muslim family from Somalia. Lead Pastor Mark Mead, who led the initial team, said, “We are connected to a mission beyond ourselves as we obey the Great Commission.” He expected the team would be a blessing to refugee families, but he wasn’t expecting the blessings that came to him and his church as a result of serving. In the next year, the church hopes to form six to ten more Good Neighbor Teams.
“We share the mission of Jesus and that is what attracts people to our group,” says Pastor Mead. “Thank you, World Relief for helping mobilize the local church to what moves the heart of God.”
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Webinar on The Church and the Refugee | Refugee Crisis
Learn from Gabe Lyons (Q Ideas) as he speaks with Rich Stearns (World Vision U.S., CEO), and Stephan Bauman (World Relief, CEO) about how the church must play a key role in engaging in the current Middle East refugee crisis. This webinar explores core issues behind the headlines surrounding the U.S. refugee program and potential security concerns, and provides perspectives on and presents a clear call to the Church to raise its voice as one this Christmas.
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Update on Refugee Legislation and 3 Ways to Give Hope
Given recent events, the U.S. Congress has focused attention on the refugee resettlement program. Before going into the Thanksgiving recess, the House of Representatives decided to consider a bill HR.4058 this morning that would put additional cumbersome layers into the refugee program that would have essentially made the program obsolete. This bill passed the US House of Representatives. It is yet to be determined whether the Senate will take up a similar bill. If the Senate does consider a similar bill and it passes, the bill will end up on the President’s desk. The President has said that he would veto the bill. When Congress comes back from recess after the Thanksgiving holiday, World Relief will continue to examine legislation and support efforts that will make the program more effective and robust. For more information on our response, see our Press Release below.
For now, here are 3 ways to engage in the refugee crisis. Show your support to those caught in the middle.
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3 ways to engage in the refugee crisis
- GIVE to refugee families coming to the US from countries with hot climates. Provide warm coats, gloves & scarves for their first cold winter.
- PRAY for needs to be met for our representatives as they continue to evaluate how our country responds to the most vulnerable.
- WELCOME newly arriving refugees by meeting their practical needs.
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****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE****
World Relief Opposes H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act
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“The passing of H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act is a major step back for our U.S. refugee program. Refugee admission already includes the most stringent security process for anyone entering the United States. The goal of the U.S. refugee program has always been to accept refugees based on vulnerability and not to discriminate against any particular nationality. It should remain this way. We need to continue to welcome refugees into our country.” Stephan Bauman, World Relief
Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act, which would create an extra layer of certification in order for Syrian and Iraqi refugees to come to the United States in addition to reporting requirements.
World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, is strongly against this legislation and urges the United States to continue to welcome and protect Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
For 30 years, World Relief has partnered with local churches to resettle over 260,000 refugees to the United States. Since 1975, the United States has resettled more than 3 million refugees – three quarters of a million entered the U.S. since 2001 alone.
“The refugee resettlement program is a life-saving program that has helped millions of those who have fled persecution start their lives anew in a place of safety. At a time when the U.S. needs to show humanitarian leadership, it would be a mistake to effectively shut down a program that has saved millions of lives,” said Stephan Bauman, President and CEO of World Relief. “It is vital to maintain the integrity of this program by accepting the most vulnerable refugees, not excluding anyone based on their nationality or religion.”
World Relief strongly opposed H.R. 4038- The American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act 2015 due to the following reasons:
- H.R. 4038 creates a bureaucratic review process that could take years to implement and would effectively shut down refugee resettlement. The bill requires the approval of the Secretary of Homeland Security, the FBI, and the Department of National Intelligence for each individual refugee. The certification process will have to be created and agreed upon by heads of each agency and could take years to establish, stalling out the refugee program in the meantime. Under this scenario, refugee populations would continue to swell, languishing in camps and dangerous situations, and Syrian Americans would not be able to reunite with their family members. The ramifications for international refugee protection and U.S. foreign policy interests in the region would be costly.
- The process, once established, would add months or years to the security screening process, which is already the lengthiest and most robust in the world, routinely taking between 18 and 36 months. In addition to obtaining approval from three heads of federal agencies for each refugee, the bill requires reporting to thirteen congressional committees on each refugee that is considered for resettlement. This is unreasonably burdensome and will effectively end the program. Furthermore, for reasons of security and safety, security and medical clearances are only valid for limited periods of time. During the certification process, these clearances will expire. This will mean that refugees will be caught in an un-ending loop of security clearances.
- Refugees are already the most vetted non-citizens in our country. All refugees undergo thorough and rigorous security screenings prior to arriving in the United States, including but not limited to multiple biographic and identity investigations; FBI biometric checks of applicants’ fingerprints and photographs; in-depth, in-person interviews by well- trained Department of Homeland Security officers; medical screenings; investigations by the National Counterterrorism Center; and other checks by U.S. domestic and international intelligence agencies. Supervisory review of all decisions; random case assignment; inter-agency national security teams; trained document experts; forensic testing of documents; and interpreter monitoring are in place to maintain the security of the refugee resettlement program. Due to technological advances, Syrian refugees are also undergoing iris scans to confirm their identity through the process.
- The bill is a waste of resources. Funds used to establish and run this certification process would be better used in conducting actual security reviews of refugees and others who are vetted by these agencies.
- The bill is a pretext and requires differential treatment of refugees from Syria and Iraq without providing a justification for the additional verification. This would effectively stop refugees from two countries long beset by internal conflict, including refugees who have been in neither Syria nor Iraq for years.
To turn our backs on refugees now would betray our nation’s core values to provide refuge for the persecuted and affirm the very message those who perpetrate terrorism would seek to send.
www.worldrelief.org / www.wewelcomerefugees.com
Contact: Jenny Yang / jyang@wr.org / 443.527.8363 / @JennyYangWR
Who is our neighbor?
Meet, Johnny, one of thousands of our volunteers across the globe choosing courage and generosity by welcoming new families to the U.S. Hear Johnny’s story and why he is committed to serving refugee families. “It is incumbent on Christians to love God and love others.” – Johnny
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World Relief CEO Stephan Bauman Calls for Every American Congregation to Welcome a Refugee Family
****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE****Statement from Stephan Bauman – President of World Relief
Date: 10 Sept., 2015
Baltimore, MD
EVERY AMERICAN CHURCH CONGREGATION SHOULD WELCOME A REFUGEE FAMILY
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“The American church is ready and willing to extend open arms to those fleeing war and terror in the Middle East. Whether it’s hosting refugees in our own country, or supporting churches serving them in other countries, the American church has chosen to act.”
Stephan Bauman, World Relief
We have all been heart broken by the images we’ve seen of families escaping the violence of the Syrian conflict.
We are calling on President Obama to increase our nation’s refugee intake to 200,000 (including 100,000 from Syria).
Additionally, we believe, every American Church Congregation can welcome a Refugee Family into their community.
The United States has been the high standard by which much of the world measured its response to refugees. While the U.S. government continues to admit refugees, the annual intake has declined significantly from 1980, when the country accepted and, with the help of churches, schools, and community organizations, integrated more than 200,000 refugees. In the current fiscal year, the U.S. is on track to accept about 65,000 refugees.
While this is a significant number, it pales in comparison to the scope of the global refugee crisis facing the world today: for the first time since the crisis of World War II, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that there are more than 50 million refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people. There are approximately 4 million refugees from the conflict in Syria alone, with 8 million more displaced within the borders of Syria.
This week Germany has committed to receive 800,000 refugees. This is a monumental decision, one that challenges the United States to live up to our founding principles by increasing our refugee intake. With a significantly larger country and a proud history of immigrant integration, the U.S. can do much more.
The local church is the most diverse social network on the planet. It must engage the great global issues of our time. As followers of Jesus our first response needs to be one of compassion and justice. We must value human life above all other agendas. Let us not forget, Jesus was a Refugee.
Now is the time to act. – www.worldrelief.org www.wewelcomerefugees.com
Stephan Bauman
President/CEO – World Relief
Contact:
Matthew Soerens
msoerens@wr.org
920.428.9534
@MatthewSoerens