An Invitation to Welcome the Stranger

As the U.S. anticipates a record number of refugee arrivals this summer, we asked our affiliate Arrive Ministries to tell us about their work in refugee resettlement and the biblical invitation to welcome the stranger.

As a Christian refugee resettlement agency, Arrive Ministries joyfully extends welcome and love to our new refugee and immigrant neighbors. Heading into summer we expect a surge of 250 refugees who will need our essential services and practical assistance to advance their self-sufficiency.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people are encouraged to show love to foreigners. Showing love to the sojourner is woven throughout scripture. Often God reminds the Israelites that they were once foreigners in need of kindness. That reminder is often paired with God’s invitation to show hospitality to strangers in their land.

In order to meet the needs of these 250+ refugees and answer God’s invitation to show hospitality, we must mobilize hundreds of volunteers and church partners over the next 5 months. We equip our volunteers to extend love to our new neighbors in practical, social and spiritual ways, which promotes thriving in their new homeland.

Our volunteer and church partners have been responding to this biblical invitation for more than 3 decades, and they continue to demonstrate God’s love to the foreigner in our land. Recently Crossroads Church formed four volunteer teams to welcome four newly arrived refugee families at the airport and befriend them in the months to follow. A Syrian mother was so nervous on the plane, not knowing if anyone would be at the airport. After her family was greeted with big smiles by a volunteer team, the mother asked our staff, “Can we see those friendly people again?” The answer is an exuberant, “Yes!”

Arrive Ministries is also growing by offering new educational opportunities, including technology classes, homework help, English tutoring, and Good Neighbor teams who walk alongside refugee families in friendship.

With this anticipated influx in refugee arrivals over the next 5 months, we need your help. Would you consider joining us in one of these 3 ways:

• Sign-up for one of our monthly online volunteer interest meetings
• Fill-out a volunteer interest form
• Email us to set-up a time for Arrive staff to host an interest meeting at your church or in your community