Spokane Blog
Welcome Home, Son
This beautiful picture is an example of a minor case: a refugee under the age of 18 who is traveling to another country for resettlement without the guardianship of his parents.
Read MoreOverflowing with Hope, Peace, Joy and Love!
God filled fishing nets that had stayed empty all night long. God commands us to be hospitable, even when it doesn’t make sense.
Read MorePastor John Sowers: Jesus As a Vulnerable Refugee
I don’t believe I ever heard a sermon on Joseph, Mary, and Jesus having to flee to Egypt to evade the murderous cruelty of King Herod. It was as if we American Christians could all imagine being a vulnerable baby, but we did not have a lens on what it would mean to be a vulnerable refugee family.
Read MoreTransportation: Volunteers That Drive a Difference
For newly arrived refugees, there’s nothing simple about it. They don’t have cars. They don’t have driver’s licenses. They don’t know the city. They don’t know the bus system. They can’t afford an Uber. And, often, they don’t know English well enough to ask directions.
Read MoreResettled: A Life of Gratitude
This small family has fled twice from war-torn countries. Originally fleeing from Sudan, Sheekadeen and Alnaseem were living in Libya when they welcomed their only child, Mohammed, into the world. War broke out in Libya in 2011 when then President Muammar Gaddafi was killed.
Read MoreGood Neighbor Teams: walking together in welcome
Good Neighbor Teams (GNT) are a group of individuals who are trained to walk alongside a family for six months as they adjust to life in Spokane. Such a partnership takes responsibility for much of the resettlement process including: acquiring housing, registering for schools and government agencies, locating jobs, etc.
Read MoreSouzan’s Story: fleeing religious persecution
Souzan held a Bible study in her home. A seemingly benign, everyday activity. Except… Souzan lived in Iran. She had been secretly teaching the Bible in her home for years when one of her friends brought two new friends. Souzan didn’t know these new people, and she wasn’t sure of their motives. Did they want…
Read MoreEleven Years, Seven Countries, One Home
At that moment, Bibi probably didn’t even know Spokane, Washington existed. If someone had told her that her four boys would all be 4.0 students or that she would one day be an American citizen, she might have assumed they were lying, crazy, or both
Read MoreWomen’s Empowerment: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
Women’s Empowerment seeks to give women agency and decision-making power over their own lives, to instill a sense of intrinsic value that may have been stolen from them, and to ensure their right to influence social change for themselves and others.
Read MoreCelebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
“During National Hispanic Heritage Month, from September 15 – October 15, the U.S. government celebrates the countless contributions of more than 60 million Hispanic Americans, Latinos, Latinas, and Latinx-identifying people to our culture and society” (US State Department website). At World Relief Spokane, this month of celebration gives us the perfect opportunity to highlight two…
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