From Strawberries to Bicycles6/20/2023 how one community welcomes refugeesWorld Refugee Day 2023A car full of strawberries and a classroom full of clothes. Applause for asking questions and quick-thumbed typing into Google Translate. Well-coordinated schedules and unexpected on-call moments. Local congregations involved in refugee response know all these challenges, rejoice in every success, and have countless stories to tell. For some, that story of welcome, assistance, and compassion for refugees settling in new communities is deeply personal, too.
New Rules, New Reality6/6/2023 After more than a year, Ukrainian refugees continue to find their way in neighboring Romania. Almost 3.5 million Ukrainian refugees, mostly women and children, entered Romania in the first year following the Russian invasion in February 2022. Many of those moved through Romania en route to other countries, but many thousand have remained, with the assistance of family, government, and humanitarian agencies.
AIDRom - a Week of Compassion partner through ACT Alliance - recently shared a conversation with Marina, a mother of two and refugee in Romania since the beginning of the war. WELCOME3/14/2023 stories of refugee & immigrant response (part 4)What a Difference A Year Makes WELCOME: stories from Week of Compassion’s Refugee and Immigrant Response In this four-part series, over the course of a year, we have been in conversation with California Disciples and their ecumenical collaborators as they welcome an Afghan family into their community, offering radical hospitality and welcome to new neighbors. We also share notes from other Disciples doing this work in their own communities. Over the last year, we have shared stories of Disciples involved in refugee resettlement. Start at the beginning: How It All Started Learn how things moved From Idea to Action See communities find More Than They Imagined In this final segment, leaders reflect on the experience and impact on the congregations that have been involved in this powerful ministry. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
When the church started this response, they had no idea where this journey would take them. That is what it is like when you answer the call to follow Christ in this world. You take a step without knowing where the path will lead you, but you step anyway because you have faith in the direction of the Holy Spirit. Special Offering 2023 : Mission Moment2/14/2023 Afghan Refugee Response In the fall of 2021, as the government of Afghanistan collapsed and families were rapidly evacuated, Week of Compassion reaffirmed refugee response as an ongoing priority and employed increased resources, including the Afghan Welcome congregational grants, to support local churches.
Dozens of congregations, across multiple regions of the Disciples church, helped Afghan families to establish a new life in an entirely new place under deeply stressful circumstances. Out of the desperation and disconnect of this crisis, opportunity and community thrived. At every step, Disciples saw hope RISE UP ANEW. WELCOME1/24/2023 stories of refugee & immigrant response (part 3)More Than They Imagined WELCOME: stories from Week of Compassion’s Refugee and Immigrant Response
In this four-part series, over the course of a year, we are in conversation with some California Disciples and their ecumenical collaborators, as they welcome an Afghan family into their community, offering radical hospitality and welcome to new neighbors in their midst. We also include a few brief check-ins with other Disciples who are doing similar work in their own communities. "There is room for light."11/15/2022 back-to-school and winterization efforts in UkraineWhile the world watches intently for any small victory of reclaimed land and systems in Ukraine, the region is well into winter weather now, and concerns mount for those who have fled homes, tried to return home, or are making a new home elsewhere. From winterization and school restoration projects to specialized support for refugees with disabilities, Week of Compassion has come alongside longtime ecumenical partners, on behalf of the whole Disciples church, to respond to multiple needs across the region and in communities that are especially vulnerable and underserved.
WELCOME10/11/2022 stories of refugee & immigrant response (part 2)From Idea to Action WELCOME: stories from Week of Compassion’s Refugee and Immigrant Response
In this four-part series, over the course of a year, we are in conversation with some California Disciples and their ecumenical collaborators, as they welcome an Afghan family into their community, offering radical hospitality and welcome to new neighbors in their midst. We also include a few brief check-ins with other Disciples who are doing similar work in their own communities. |
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