Will the church in Spokane seize this opportunity to support persecuted Christians and share the Gospel?

Robert Savage, Guest Author 

You’re on the church softball team. Bases are loaded and you are up to bat. A pitch comes right where you like it. What do you do? Wait and let the ball pass? No way. You swing, you swing hard.  

This is the opportunity the church in Spokane has with refugees who have come to our city. God has brought the nations to us. A pitch right down the middle. Roughly half are Christians already, persecuted for their faith. They are starting new churches here: Swahili speakers, Karen (originally from Myanmar), and more. For others, you might have the privilege of being the first Christian friend they have ever had. 

Those who have been involved in churches a long time know the work we did to send missionaries. These were heroic people serving at great cost – learning language and culture, raising money to go and moving far from all they knew. Now the nations are here. How could we not do here (where it is so much easier) what we expected missionaries to do there?  

With the help of the World Relief volunteer coordinators, I’ve been on a Good Neighbor Team with people from my church, Immanuel. We befriended a family from Syria. I’ve been matched one-on-one with a guy from Iraq I have known for years now. I did other things too. My wife, Martha, and I are also regular donors.  

These are things the church in Spokane can do.

It’s just so hard for folks new to this country to figure everything out. Any regular American knows enough to make a difference in someone’s life, just because we live here and know the ropes. I’ve driven families to medical appointments, usually big families with lots of kids. I’ve taken a family to a clothing bank. Snaked a clogged pipe. Helped apply for apartments. Took kids for their first day of school. I got the power back on in a kitchen – the family thought I was amazing. All I did was push the popped GFI button on one of the outlets. You get the idea. These are things you can do, too. Martha has done more. She’s done similar things, plus teaches English two mornings a week.  

For me, even snaking a clogged pipe is profoundly theological. God calls us over and over in the Bible to love those especially vulnerable among us: the orphan, the widow, the foreigner. For retired folks like me, we still need a purpose. We are super valuable as volunteers because we have daytime availability.  

Last month I was part of an event at the World Relief office that I really liked. A few of us invited churches from across the spectrum to come and hear why we are passionate about this work. Even with the new executive orders – resulting in no new refugees coming for now – there are already thousands of refugees in Spokane brought here by World Relief through the years. There’s still plenty to do.  

In the book of Acts, chapter 1, Jesus said that we will be his witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” How do you do that in Spokane? This is how – it’s all set up for us. 

Take the swing!  

About the Author

Robert Savage has been a long term volunteer and partner with World Relief Spokane. His family attends Immanuel Church in Spokane.