In 2024, World Relief Chicagoland celebrated 45 years of welcome to refugees and other immigrants.
The legacy of these years is filled with stories of God’s faithfulness and an incredible community of churches, organizations, and volunteers coming together in welcome. In 2024, you helped to build a community of support and safety for over 10,700 refugees and other immigrants!
Over the decades we've teamed up to welcome over 29,000 refugees and serve thousands of other immigrants. But the impact of your generosity extends far beyond the moments of a family's initial arrival. We've seen lasting change across generations. Families who arrived with few physical resources many years ago are now thriving and watching their children pursue their dreams.
In 2024, this legacy continued.
A record number of refugees and other immigrants received care, compassion and support. You have been a part of this vital work this past year, and through these stories you’ll see a glimpse of the incredible impact you have made.
45 Years of Partnership: Wheaton Bible Church
“Wheaton Bible Church, you are sent…” World Relief Chicagoland is grateful for the 45 years of partnership with Wheaton Bible Church, and we praise our Father in heaven for the incredible impact that has been made in the community together! Over the years, Wheaton Bible Church transformed from a predominantly white, globally focused missional church to a diverse congregation reflecting the community. Wheaton Bible Church sought to define what it means to be a church in a new place and neighborhood moving from one focused only on global missions to being “glocal” and reflecting the community. We deeply appreciate WBC’s partnership, admire their humility, and celebrate their leadership among churches across the region.
Sewing & Group Connection: The Story of Amira
“When I first met Amira, she didn’t have confidence. She was nervous and very shy; she wouldn’t talk. Since joining the group, she started to share, and now, whenever she knows the answer, she speaks up. She even proudly wrote her name on the board in her beautiful handwriting. She was so happy and full of joy in the group! As her teacher, I noticed her eagerness to learn and show me how much she had learned. If I taught the class how to sew pillowcases, Amira would go home, add something extra to the pillowcase. She would work and create something new all by herself. Amira is a very smart, creative, and ambitious woman.”
13 Years of Separation: Now Welcomed Home
After coming to the United States as a refugee, Hodan communicated with her family only through phone calls and WhatsApp for 13 years. Her mother, Safia, and her sisters, Seynab and Yagsir, were 8,000 miles away in eastern Ethiopia. In September 2024, their long separation finally ended. Thanks to your partnership with World Relief Chicagoland’s Immigration Legal Services team, Safia, Seynab, and Yagsir were able to join their sister and start a new chapter of life.
Flying to New Heights: Ihosef’s Story
When Ihosef was a boy, he dreamed of airplanes. His mother Yolette worked as a legal consultant at an airport, and on the days when he came to work with her, the planes amazed him. “I was always good at taking things apart and putting them back together,” says Ihosef. “Planes especially interested me. I always liked to see how versatile they were. I simply felt that aviation mechanics was for me.” His dreams were jeopardized when they had to flee Venezuela due to conflict and economic turmoil. After a number of years in a second country, they came to the US as refugees. Through your partnership, you walked with Ihosef and Yolette, and saw his dreams come true.
Read Their Stories:
Currently Reading
45 Years of Partnership:
Wheaton Bible Church
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Sewing & Group Connection:
The Story of Amira
Currently Reading
13 Years of Separation:
Now Welcomed Home
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Flying to New Heights:
Ihosef's Story
Thank you for making such an impact in 2024 and investing in the year ahead.
Thank you for helping to create change that has lasted for over 45 years with us. Thank you for believing that our communities are better when all are welcome and given a chance to thrive. Thank you for impacting the lives of so many. We look forward to continued partnership for the next 45!
Serving Together,
Susan Sperry
Executive Director, World Relief Chicagoland
