Stories
Ali’s Story: A Refugee Pharmacist Using His Career to Give Back to Others
In 2010, a man named Ali AlQaisi arrived to the U.S. as a refugee from Iraq. At home in Baghdad, he had worked as a pharmacist. But when he and his family arrived to the United States, he faced the challenge of starting over entirely. He had to rebuild his life. He had to restart…
Read MoreClare Stephenson Helps Moms in Need
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Clare is a mom who does it all, going above and beyond for anyone who steps into her office. Here’s her story. A guide for mothers Clarissa Stephenson knows how hard being a mother can be. Not only is she the mother of her two and a half…
Read MoreFree From Persecution: Eddy’s Story
The Democratic Republic of Congo has 25 provinces and over 200 tribes, but they all experience violence and discrimination. Eddy recently reunited with his brother, niece, and nephew who stayed behind in a refugee camp after losing their home. Here’s his story. Followed by War Edouard “Eddy” Iranzi was born into war. In 1996, fighting…
Read MoreConfronting our Comfort Zones: Q&A with Victor Wallace
By Nathan Spencer // Sometimes, God pulls his servants in directions they are not expecting, often without warning. In these moments, God insists we put aside our fears and lean on our faith in him to direct our steps. After his home church made the difficult decision to dissolve, Victor Wallace and his wife felt…
Read More14 Years of Volunteering
When Karen first heard of Word Relief in 2008, she thought to herself, “What is that?” Once she realized there was a need for donations, she gathered some towels and home goods left over from her move and brought them to the agency. Karen drove a Volkswagen van. The man who met her at the…
Read MorePartner Spotlight: Greg & Olivia Evans on “Who is my neighbor?”
When their children were school-age and began attending the neighborhood school right around the corner, Greg and Olivia Evans quickly realized something. The students their children were sitting next to in class did not look like them. From a distance, they watched school counselors and teachers meeting the needs of recently resettled refugees. They saw…
Read MoreStarting Small
It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community. A new role When Leah Lesh learned about the many refugee families living in the Quad Cities through an event at her local church, she realized she needed to help these families any…
Read MoreMaking Connections
It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community. A new purpose When Trisha Poole heard about the refugees from Afghanistan at the end of last year, she knew she had to help any way she could. “My heart just yearned…
Read MoreRefugee Family Dentistry
It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community. An urgent need Craig Peterson knew he had to do something when he and his family learned about the staggering amount of refugee families in the Quad Cities. “My wife was the one…
Read MoreEfoe Davis: Resettlement Through the Eyes of a Caseworker
Efoe Davis is a caseworker at World Relief Western Washington in our King County office, who regularly meets with individuals and families as they transition to their new life in the U.S. Here, he shares the joys and challenges of resettlement from his vantage point: The Challenges On December 20, 2021, I greeted a family…
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