Immigrants Are More Than a Label: How Volunteering Changed One Perspective
What does it really mean to give immigrants and refugees a place at your table?
For Sara, a Cultural Companion with World Relief Memphis, the answer unfolded slowly: through shared meals, laughter, language barriers, and the quiet courage of a family starting over in a foreign country. After a year of accompanying an immigrant family, her understanding of immigration has become deeply personal.
I had some understanding of immigration but meeting a family so soon after their arrival gave me a perspective I hadn’t experienced before.”
Sara has lived in Memphis for 30 years. While some parts of her early environment lacked diversity, other areas of her life—including public school, neighbors, and community—brought her into relationships with people from a variety of backgrounds.
She was raised with an awareness of the value of serving others, along with a growing understanding of the privileges that came with her background and citizenship.
Service to the immigrant communities in Memphis has been a consistent thread throughout her life, though not always in a straight line. She became involved with Multinational Ministries in middle school and has returned to it in different seasons over the years, even bringing her own children along as she became a mother. She also formed relationships with immigrant families through everyday life—at her children’s school and in her neighborhood.
Still, she recognizes now that she thought she understood more than she did.
That changed in 2025.
“I didn’t believe in negative stereotypes, and I knew there wasn’t just one kind of immigration story—but I don’t think I fully understood what that really meant in someone’s day-to-day life.”
Through her time with World Relief, that understanding became more personal and more specific. Walking alongside one family gave her a closer view of the complexities, decisions, and adjustments that shape each journey.
She saw more clearly that every story carries its own mix of loss, resilience, and hope—shaped not just by where someone comes from, but by what they carry with them and what they encounter along the way.
Opening the Door to Differences, and Seeing Them Clearly
Sara remembers the first time the family she was paired with visited her home. She had gone to their apartment many times—small, simple, and modest. But hosting them in her own house felt different.
“My house was much bigger. Suddenly, I felt very aware of the differences between us. I didn’t want them to feel out of place.”
But the moment the family came in, those worries disappeared. The children explored with curiosity. The parents smiled shyly. Soon, they were laughing during dinner and games.
The connection didn’t require perfect English.
It didn’t require similarity.
It simply requires presence.
Moving Beyond a Single Story of Immigration
Before volunteering, Sara realized she had absorbed a common misunderstanding: that immigrants share a single story, a single reason for coming, a single narrative.
Through World Relief, she learned that immigration is never the same for everyone. Each family arrives with unique circumstances, sacrifices, and hopes. They leave behind homes, extended families, communities, language, and culture to start over in a place that feels completely foreign.
When Headlines Don’t Match Reality
Public conversations about immigration are often influenced by fear. But what Sara encountered was something completely different.
A family of seven: mom, dad, and five children. The youngest, six years old, is full of energy and sweetness. The middle daughter, calm and kind, once whispered to Sara at the zoo: ‘This is a happy day.’ A teenage son who is learning to drive, excited to soon become the first driver in the family. The oldest daughter works at the same company as her father. A mother who told Sara through translation, ‘You are like my sister.’ And a father who worked many hours, always smiling, was always grateful.
“He was exhausted, but he radiated joy. He was so proud to provide for his family.”
These were not people to fear.
They were people who chose courage every single day.
Even after the family moved to another state, Sara stayed in touch. She is grateful that they have found a community where they are now.
The Invisible Barriers Immigrants Face
One of the most enlightening parts of volunteering has been witnessing the daily challenges that immigrant families have to face—challenges that rarely enter public conversation.
Calling a doctor.
Understanding a school form.
Asking a question at a grocery store.
Getting around using public transport.
Learning English as an adult.
“I realized how much I take for granted. Things that seem simple to me can feel overwhelming when you don’t speak the language.”
These barriers are real. But they can also be overcome with support, patience, and community.
A Moment that Changed Everything
Of all the memories from last year, one stands out. Sara had invited the family to her home for dinner and games. They did not share a common language, but the connection did not depend on words. As they played Jenga, the room filled with laughter—playful competitiveness, big smiles, that kind of joy that seems universal.
“In that moment, I realized how similar we are. Joy does not need translation.”
That evening reminded her of something profound: humanity transcends language, borders, and circumstances. Where someone is born—or whether their country is stable—does not determine their capacity for joy, love, or connection.
More Than a Label
After a year of volunteering with immigrant families, Sara’s perspective is simple and profound:
“Immigrants are more than a label. To me, they are brave.”
Her story is a reminder that when we step toward our immigrant neighbors, we don’t just change their lives—we change our own.
We are so thankful to Sara for sharing her journey as a cultural companion and allowing us to share it with you. Through all of the current hardship, it is still so clear to see God’s work through this welcoming volunteer and her family. Here at World Relief Memphis, we have seen God’s faithfulness through the support from people like you. We thank you for joining us on our journey in making Memphis a more welcoming community.
Writer: Maria Seijas
Communication Coordinator at World Relief Memphis.
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