Refugee and Immigrant Support

From Crisis to Care: Churches Stand with Displaced Families

aheckman — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 23:06:27 +0000

From Crisis to Care: Churches Stand with Displaced Families aheckman Fri, 08/15/2025 - 23:06

From Crisis to Care: Churches Stand with Displaced Families

AUGUST 15, 2025 ~ AMY HECKMAN

Since the start of 2025, more than 70,000 people have fled the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into Burundi to escape ongoing conflict.

“Some have traveled from as far as Goma, hundreds of kilometers to the north—another devastating example of repeated displacement in the East Africa region,” said a Nazarene Compassionate Ministries leader in Burundi.

Those who can’t find space in refugee camps have sought shelter in schools, churches, stadiums, or open-air camps. Governmental and aid organizations cannot fully meet the need for food, healthcare, and shelter, leaving people already traumatized by war to face yet another crisis.

To help restore hope and protect the dignity of displaced people, local Nazarene churches and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Burundi prepared a compassionate response in Rugombo and Buganda. Before launching the project, a leadership team observed refugee shelters, held listening sessions, met with health professionals, and surveyed refugee households to understand these families' most significant needs. Their data showed that 98% of refugees in the area do not have enough to eat or enough essential supplies to survive.

The project leaders value focusing their efforts on helping the most vulnerable to survive and heal.

“We want to meet household needs and reduce the malnutrition of children, nursing mothers, and elderly people who have been affected the most,” explained one leader.

The project provides essential items (such as mosquito nets, water cans, and soap) and food packs (consisting of rice, beans, and cooking oil) to support refugee families. A recent distribution provided care for 375 people from 130 households. In addition, trained church volunteers are offering trauma and child protection training for leaders in the refugee community and raising awareness about avoiding cholera and other communicable diseases.

“Through this support, refugees were able to obtain nutritious food and other essential items they needed,” shared one volunteer. “They also received items to improve their living conditions, well-being, and dignity.”

Refugees who received aid have expressed gratitude to church volunteers for the support, including food and non-food items. However, they also highlighted ongoing challenges they face, such as insufficient food rations, limited access to healthcare, and the need for psychological support. Many—especially women and children—are struggling with inadequate living conditions and the trauma that comes with enduring conflict and displacement.

Florence, a widow with children, expressed appreciation for the gestures of solidarity provided by the church.

“It’s the first time I’ve felt considered since arriving [here],” she explained.

Many refugees, including women like Mapendo and Promesse, reported that food rations are insufficient and that they sometimes go days without eating.

“The support we got will help us to eat for some days,” they said.

Pascal emphasized the significant need for psychosocial support, particularly for women and children.

“We want to thank you for thinking about this,” he said.

Through these kinds of distributions, church leaders are certain they are faithfully representing Christ and his love. With each food pack or supply distributed, they aim to help displaced people heal, thrive, and live out their God-given potential. Some people impacted by the outreach have also begun attending local Nazarene churches.

“[The project] planted a seed of compassion,” said one volunteer. “There is always joy when you serve.”

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Compassion Through the Word of God with Teenagers

aheckman — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 17:00:01 +0000

Compassion Through the Word of God with Teenagers aheckman Thu, 08/07/2025 - 17:00

Compassion Through the Word of God with Teenagers

AUGUST 7, 2025 ~ HUNTER STEINMETZ

This first-person account was written by Rev. Hunter Steinmetz, High School Pastor at Hermitage Church of the Nazarene in Old Hickory, Tennessee. It was originally shared in NCM Magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.

Luke 15 is Jesus’ response to a quiet murmur:
“This man eats with the wrong people.”

The Pharisees and teachers of the law were troubled by Jesus' choice of dinner companions. In response, Jesus tells three parables: a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to search for the one that’s lost, a woman who celebrates after finding a lost coin, and a father who runs to welcome home a son who has squandered everything.

These parables flip the script. While the Pharisees are preoccupied with optics and religious appearances—“You’re condoning their behavior,” “You don’t care about holiness”—Jesus is concerned with something deeper: restoration and welcome. Where the Pharisees see categories and behaviors, Jesus sees names, faces, and the potential for transformation. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Have you even asked their names?”

For the past ten years, I’ve served as the high school pastor at Hermitage Church of the Nazarene just outside Nashville, Tennessee. Each summer, we guide our students into encounters that challenge them to wrestle with what it means to follow Jesus in the real world. These experiences are designed to expose them to people whose lives look nothing like theirs. We want our students to reflect on how they will respond to the Spirit of God through God’s church, participating in God’s mission.

It’s easy to have an opinion on a situation you’ve never entered. But everything changes when an “issue” becomes a person—with a story and a name.

In the mid-2010s, the refugee crisis in Syria reached a breaking point. More than 4.8 million people were displaced by the civil war. Countries around the world scrambled to offer aid and resettlement. Turkey and Lebanon opened their borders to millions. The United States allowed about 12,500 Syrian refugees to resettle here.

That same year, we learned about the work happening at Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center in Cactus, Texas—a small town with a surprisingly diverse population due to refugee resettlement. We knew we couldn’t solve a global crisis but could choose how we responded. We decided we would not judge others based on political narratives.

We wanted to do what Jesus did: sit down at the table, learn names, listen to stories, and honor the dignity of those who had been displaced.

So we loaded up a 56-passenger bus with high school students and drove 18 hours to Cactus, TX. On the way there, I addressed the elephant in the room. I told our students plainly:

“We’re heading into a town filled with people from all over the world—South America, South Asia, Africa. You’re about to be in the most diverse place you’ve ever experienced. You’re here to serve, yes—but more than that, you’re here to listen.”

I challenged them: When you’re at a restaurant, a worksite, or in someone’s home, take a risk.

I asked them to listen closely and assume the posture of a learner. I told them to write down what they heard—on paper, on their phones, anywhere—because these were stories worth remembering. These weren’t statistics or policies—these were people.

Each evening, we debriefed as a group. I’d ask, “Whose story did you learn today?” Sometimes, it was a 13-year-old girl from Myanmar. Other times, it was a 30-year-old man from Haiti or a father from Somalia. The students leaned in, shared what they had heard, and reflected. And in those stories, something shifted.

What had been a “hot topic” political issue started to feel more like a theological one. How do we treat those caught in the middle of political, cultural, or religious tension? Do we hold them at arm’s length like the Pharisees did? Or do we pull up a chair, learn their name, and listen—like Jesus did?

We chose to listen, to be present, to be compassionate. Perhaps God used those moments to grow compassion in us.

Compassion doesn’t usually erupt out of nowhere. It grows—slowly, intentionally—when we create space to encounter someone else’s humanity. When our students listened to the stories of people who had fled violence or persecution, something softened. They weren’t forming opinions from the sidelines anymore; they were engaging in relationships.

The students didn’t return from Cactus with easy answers or political talking points. They came home with names and stories. They came back more aware of the sacred dignity each person carries, more awake to Jesus’ call to love without agenda.

In a world filled with noise, fear, and division, it’s easy to become numb. But when we ask, “Can you tell me your story?”—walls come down. Hearts open. Compassion has a chance to grow.

Media, politics, and social pressures shape our young people every day. The church has an opportunity—even a responsibility—to help shape that formation by inviting students into spaces where they see the humanity of their neighbors, where they can ask questions, listen closely, and experience the transforming love of Jesus in real time.

It might start with one simple question:
“Can you tell me your story?”

From the Magazine

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Changing Ministry, Changing a Neighborhood

aheckman — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:12:50 +0000

Changing Ministry, Changing a Neighborhood aheckman Thu, 02/20/2025 - 14:12

Changing Ministry, Changing a Neighborhood

FEBRUARY 20, 2025 ~ AMY HECKMAN

It was nearing the end of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the staff and members of Clearwater First Church of the Nazarene (CFN) decided they had to do something to reintroduce themselves to the neighborhood. Months of careful gathering required the congregation to focus primarily on the needs of those closely connected to the church. Now, they wanted to look beyond the church walls to the community. Health and safety measures required that whatever they planned had to be outside—but what would resonate?

Pat Glenn, lead pastor, explains that they settled on a simple Christmas block party.

“We decided ... we would just invite our neighbors and just put up a sign and put it out there on social media.”

That sign and a few posts did the trick. Close to 350 people arrived for a free meal and activities, most of whom had never visited the church before. The staff was also surprised to notice that at least two-thirds of these guests spoke English as a second language.

“Our community looks nothing like what we thought it did,” Pastor Glenn recalled realizing. “It doesn’t look like anything that all our reports say.”

The response to this free event and the demographic questions it raised fueled a radical change in the church's ministry direction.

Today, that single block party has evolved into an ongoing ministry called Hope in the Park, a monthly food distribution and community meal that reaches around 500 people. Between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds of food are distributed at each event. The annual Christmas block party now sees nearly 2,000 people in attendance.

After a year of Hope in the Park, CFN staff was ready to expand their community support. They knew from the beginning that their neighborhood had a high immigrant population and that English classes were consistently requested.

Elizabeth Lauer grew up at CFN and stayed connected to the congregation as she earned her degrees in English language education and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Elizabeth was preparing to move overseas to teach English and share her faith until the COVID-19 pandemic forced a pause in her plans. She started volunteering with Hope in the Park, encountered the diverse participants, and soon came to Sandi Herrington, church administrator, with a revelation.

“‘I don’t think I need to go overseas,’” Sandi recalls Elizabeth saying. “‘I think God is bringing the world right here. Can I start English classes?’”

From there, the church’s connection to its community deepened in ways the congregation couldn’t have imagined at first. The staff made sure the English classes were easy to attend. From free tuition and no documentation requirement to childcare and snacks, they knew that a foundation of treating students with dignity would send a clear message of love and care.

“Now, we have beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes and three childcare groups,” Sandi said. “It’s a wonderfully crazy place here on Friday nights!”

Sandi, Pastor Pat, and ESL class sign

Elizabeth has joined the church staff as director of Compassionate Ministries. She’s also begun training with the U.S. Department of Justice so that the church can open an official immigration legal services center.

When the legal services center opens, Elizabeth and others will be able to offer official guidance and legal representation for people undergoing immigration proceedings and status changes, such as applying for green cards or pursuing citizenship.

The demographic inside the church is slowly starting to match that of the local community. That slow change has been mirrored in the congregation's feelings. Church-wide prayer, fasting, and devotionals on immigration have helped shape the congregation’s hearts.

Nasima lives just down the street and is an English student at CFN. Her story of transformation started at the church, where her family also received help with meeting some of their basic needs.

It was a long journey paved with lots of heartache for Nasima, her husband, and three daughters to find their way to Clearwater. They came from Afghanistan, where decades of war took their toll on the entire population. Her husband, formally educated as a school teacher, worked for the U.S. military for several years, earning him, his wife, and his children the right to apply for refugee status.

Nasima remembered what it was like to live under authoritarian rule as a girl, prohibited from attending school or traveling freely. When she was a young teen, she spent several years forced to learn at home. Her father did his best to continue her education. Then, once the leadership of Afghanistan shifted, Nasima entered school again, eventually graduated college, and became a professor of Pashto literature.

While leaving as refugees provided an escape, it meant leaving behind many loved ones with little hope of seeing them again.

After months of vetting and waiting for approval to travel, Nasima and her family arrived in Florida and, like all refugees, immediately began to work on setting up a life and finding work. But during that process, her children still needed to eat. Nasima walked to Hope in the Park, received some food, and returned to their new apartment. The isolation was hard—she didn’t understand the language, and each task felt overwhelming. She was struggling.

“I am always in [my] house. Three months, always in [my] house. I was a teacher in Afghanistan, but [I had depression]. I’m always shy. I’m not [wanting to] speak to other people,” she shared.

Nasima’s daughters needed more food, and her husband urged her to return to the church. She walked into CFN, terrified to try to communicate. The church staff quickly gathered food and invited her to English class. She came the next day.

Elizabeth has taught Nasima for almost two years, and they consider themselves as close as family now. Nasima’s face brightens when she talks about learning from Elizabeth.

Elizabeth in a classroom at the church; Nasima (l) and Elizabeth (r) holding hands

“She is a good teacher, always a good teacher!” she exclaimed.

Elizabeth has equally warm words about Nasima.

“Nasima is the best student,” she said, beaming. “She is always very eager to learn. She challenges herself. Her ability to read and write is very proficient. She just inspires a lot of people.”

Nasima says that CFN is her church and school now. She expresses that through her friendship with Elizabeth, she knows that God sees her and cares for her.

“God is loving me, even as I do [a] very hard journey,” Nasima said. “I come here. I still love it here. I see Elizabeth, and she helped me. Now I’m speaking. This is a big change.”

Pastor Pat easily explains what he hopes his church will be known as in the community.

“A place of hope!” he said. “But we want to also make sure we explain that hope has a name. We want to make sure that [the community participants] understand the foundation of hope is Jesus Christ. We’re going to bless our community with the intention of leading them to Jesus.”

Hope in the Park volunteers

This story adapted from the latest NCM Magazine. Read the entire story here.

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Between Borders: A Story of Displacement, Suffering, and Hope

aheckman — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 20:50:29 +0000

Between Borders: A Story of Displacement, Suffering, and Hope aheckman Thu, 01/23/2025 - 20:50

Between Borders: A Story of Displacement, Suffering, and Hope

On the set of her latest film Between Borders, actress Elizabeth Tabish (The Chosen, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) testifies before a judge. From the witness stand, her character recounts a humiliating experience as a refugee, forced to repeat the phrase that she was “quieter than water and lower than grass,” in order to secure a job. The actress’ eyes well up with tears, and not all are for show.

While filming the scene, Elizabeth looked off screen and into the face of her character’s real-life inspiration, Violetta Petrosyan.

“As I’m recounting this story,” Elizabeth reflects, “I was able to look at her and remember that this was a real story. This really happened to this woman, this wonderful, kind woman.”

“It was a little bit of a cheat for me as an actress,” she adds. “It was very easy to get emotional, because I was sitting right across from the person that this happened to. It was a very special moment.”

Between Borders shares the harrowing tale of the Petrosyan family—Violetta, Ivan, and their two young daughters Julia and Olga—as they flee violence in Azerbaijan in the late 1980s. In their search for safety and a sense of home, they meet Jesus in a budding Russian Church of the Nazarene.

When Connie and Lonnie Norris moved their family from the United States to Volgograd, Russia, in 1993 as volunteer Nazarene missionaries, they soon crossed paths with Violetta and Ivan, ardent atheists and exhausted parents trying to build a life for their family in yet another country. The couple skeptically visited a worship service after Violetta’s mother began attending a church planted by the Norrises. Initially, Violetta stopped by solely to listen to English, but found herself returning, drawn to the message of hope and healing found in Jesus.

“I always say that my life started when I accepted Jesus,” Violetta remembers. “Everything changed from that day.”

“I’d never seen joy that much on display,” says Violetta and Ivan’s daughter Olga, recalling her first encounter with believers as a child. “They actually wanted to know me,” she says, adding, that “it was such a big thing, to feel loved by people.”

“And then realizing why they’re so different than people just across the street—oh my, it’s Jesus. I want to know that Jesus,” she remembers thinking. “That’s why the hunger for Christ came, because I saw that.” Every Sunday after, the family returned, finding peace and warmth in a violent, unwelcoming world. “That was the place I ran, because I felt loved and accepted by others,” Olga says.

“People need each other,” adds Lonnie, who spent seven years planting churches with Connie in and around Volgograd. “Hospitality is one of the things that’s noted in the Bible that we crave. It’s an inner need. It also gives us an opportunity, in community, to work out the Scripture, interpret the Scripture, make it practical. It’s in community that we encourage one another.”

Community in Christ—the tragedy when it’s missing and the safety net it weaves—is a focal point of Between Borders.

“It is a story that reminds us to be good to each other, to love each other—especially those who are on the outside of society, or ‘othered’ or rejected,” Elizabeth says. “It’s a beautiful story of what can happen when you take care of each other.”

Through the eyes of the Petrosyans, Between Borders explores racism, displacement, and human suffering, as well as humility, hope, and trust. “It’s important to tell stories that represent complex issues that Christians should wrestle with,” says producer Isaac Norris—son of Connie and Lonnie. He also emphasizes the film’s deep Nazarene roots. “The Nazarene Church’s global mentality and focus on compassionate ministries are so evident throughout the film,” he says.

“God is active,” adds Lonnie, emphasizing that Violetta and Ivan’s journey is a powerful testimony to God’s unchanging nature. “He loves our displays of faith that ignite his power and true miracles,” Lonnie adds. “He remains very serious about establishing his Church.”

“I’m so grateful that this movie is coming into existence,” Violetta says. “It is telling our life story, which probably mirrors thousands of other life stories, and we are happy to be in all of it as a tool to bring that message of hope and love.”

“Telling stories through film is an approachable medium that can cast a wider net,” Isaac says. “Jesus told parables, and this is our way to stand on a hill in front of thousands of people and share the Gospel message through story.”

- Story originally shared by the Eurasia Region of the Church of the Nazarene

Find tickets to Between Borders here.

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The Hands and Feet of Christ: Venezuelans Find Hope in Colombia

aheckman — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 05:08:01 +0000

The Hands and Feet of Christ: Venezuelans Find Hope in Colombia aheckman Fri, 09/01/2023 - 05:08

The Hands and Feet of Christ: Venezuelans Find Hope in Colombia

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023 – SANDRA MILENA PEÑA, NCM COLOMBIA

There are many Venezuelan families arriving week after week to Colombia in search of refuge, help, and the hope of starting a new life. Many flee from the violent situations and inequality at home, but above all, they flee from hunger. If they have the financial means, families arrive by bus. But those who have enough are few. In reality, the majority come by foot—with a backpack, their newborn babies, wives, husbands, uncles, grandparents, and anyone who can get out. They carry only what they need to survive, hoping to find help along the way. Tulio, who left Venezuela with his family, shared that it was not an easy decision to leave home.

“We left everything in Caracas, in Maracaibo, in Valencia,” he says. “Many of us leave even our souls: wives, husbands, children, parents, siblings, friends, our homes. The homeland.” The journey begins at the Simón Bolívar International Bridge, the most symbolic border point between Colombia and Venezuela. According to figures from Colombia Migration, some 70,000 Venezuelans cross the bridge on foot each day. Of these, five percent do not return to their country. After the bridge comes three days of walking before reaching the Picacho—part of a paramo, or an alpine ecosystem above the tree line, that spans more than 550 square miles. This is the place most feared by Venezuelan migrants, who come from coastal regions and do not know this beautiful and dramatic landscape. On the paramo, they suffer intense cold and very strong winds.

Across Colombia, Nazarene churches are responding to those who have made the journey. From providing support in hospitals to partnering with organizations who provide immigration aid, they are working together with those who have come in the name of Christ.

A significant percentage of the Venezuelan population works in the informal sector where they face unsafe conditions and have little protection. The pandemic further complicated the situation, restricting work possibilities, which increased the needs considerably. All these facts led us to question the church’s role while facing such a complex time and so much need. The Hechos 29 (Acts 29) Nazarene church took action thanks to a statement on Facebook and the diligence of the pastor regarding a great need of the Venezuelan migrant population in the village of Fagua. In this small village alone, there are more than 50 families in a state of vulnerability and extreme poverty. After understanding the needs, members of the church contributed to the purchase of items such as diapers, clothes, shoes, blankets, and more. The church was able to deliver items required to meet the basic needs of those who were living there, bringing a moment of hope in the midst of the pandemic. When the church visited the community again, the group gathered details about those who were living there, returning regularly and establishing further connections as well as sharing the Word of God.

When people move away from their countries, needs arise that make their stay a little more complex. Many of the Venezuelans who arrive in our area do not have documents, nor legal permits, which are important to be able to access a formal job, health services, and schools for children, among other things. And we as a church wondered: How can the church help at this point? We understood that we were not going to make it on our own, that we needed help to further reach the population, and that together we could create a solution to the bigger problem rather than just supplying primary needs.

Partnership was key. While NCM provided experience, training, and support, many other organizations were also engaged in the work. So, the local Nazarene church took action to contact local mayors in the area, governmental organizations, and foundations. These organizations have been the essential units in finding the solution to this situation thanks to their management and availability. They have been great allies and help for the immigrant population. As a result of this support, more than 200 families have been legalized. Now, they have the necessary documents and permits to work, with access to school for their children, access to free health care, programs for pregnant mothers, and government aid programs for mothers who are heads of households. Many have decided to stay in Colombia; others have decided to return to their country. As they go, they take with them spiritual tools to continue the journey with Christ.

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From the Magazine

A Ministry of Presence at the Border

aheckman — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:57:10 +0000

A Ministry of Presence at the Border aheckman Wed, 03/08/2023 - 15:57

A Ministry of Presence at the Border

MARCH 8, 2023 · BY NMI STAFF

In Przemyśl, Poland, the global Church of the Nazarene has been responding since the onset of war in Ukraine.

When the war broke out, the first Nazarene responder at the Polish-Ukrainian border was a Syrian pastor, seeking ways to serve. Soon after, a team formed, putting out the call for volunteers to come and physically provide resources to the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their homes.

In Arizona, USA, Ukrainian Ira Petersen immediately knew that she needed to go.

“The help ‘path’ was kind of obvious,” Ira says. “Get as close as possible to Ukraine and Ukrainians. I couldn’t just sit and watch from the distance when I could actually do something.” Through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries’ presence at the border train station in Przemyśl, Poland, Ira says, “God showed the direction and opened the door.”

Since then, a steady stream of Nazarenes from Ireland, France, Bulgaria, England, the United States, South Africa, and beyond have flowed from their homes toward the tiny train station flooded with people in crisis. Students, families, professors, nurses, farmers, and pastors have all found a place to serve those fleeing the danger of war. Some haul suitcases up and down hundreds of flights of stairs, providing a moment of relief from a heavy burden. Some brew pot after pot of steaming tea, offering warmth within bitterly cold outdoor lines to passport control. Some sit and color with the littlest travelers, giving weary moms the chance to recharge a phone or repack a bag or simply rest in a chair.

Whatever their role, these Nazarene believers are answering the call to provide the ministry of presence in a moment of pain.

“This group of people had their safety and humanity taken from them,” says Caleb Sandlin, who lives in Missouri, USA. “I chose to volunteer on the border because I believe that’s what Christ would have done. I chose to volunteer on the border because I am a servant of Christ, and I refuse to not share the love of Christ with those in need.”

Matteo Ricciardi, of Italy, knew the call for volunteers was meant for his own ears. “I was moved by God to help,” Matteo says. “When we pray that God gives us ways to serve him and opportunities like these come to our attention, the response can only be to commit one’s strength, invest one’s time, and share grace.”

“Here at the border,” Ira says, smiling, “We have people that speak English with many accents, Ukrainian, Russian, and a lot of different languages. But,” she continues, “the language of love, language of care—anybody who cares and loves, they know that language and they could show it, they could share it.”

Shared from NMI Central. Subscribe to this weekly update here.

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Breaking Down Barriers

aheckman — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 20:42:08 +0000

Breaking Down Barriers aheckman Thu, 02/09/2023 - 20:42

Breaking Down Barriers

FEBRUARY 9, 2023 · BY DENISE AND PHIL ANDERSON, CACTUS NAZARENE MINISTRY CENTER

Cactus, Texas, is a small town of about 3,100 people, a large number of whom are living as refugees or immigrants. The town is truly multicultural, with people from North and Central African countries, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

In fact, it is this population of Cactus that encouraged the West Texas District Church of the Nazarene to start a compassionate ministry here. With so many different ethnicities in one small town, the socioeconomic, cultural, linguistic, and religious barriers have caused significant segregation, especially among those who are new to the area. It is this diversity and this segregation that inspired us to come together to build a community that is culturally diverse, trusting, loving, and mindful of one another. Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center (CNMC) was born.

One way we have found to foster community is through offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, which have been part of CNMC’s ministry since the beginning. Students from the community join a class based on their language level, and conversation practice in the advanced classes helps pique the students’ interest to learn more about one another. From the very first class, each student is encouraged to find a partner who can speak English with them.

Some of the staff have been recruited to sit and have one-on-one conversations, which often include asking about the student’s culture, language, family, and current life situations. The cultural diversity of our staff and the diversity of our students make this one-on-one time incredibly rich. Elsowar, a student from Sudan, explains that the very act of conversing helps build confidence and relationships.

“You can understand what they are talking about,” he explains. “Just being able to communicate with other people can help you develop relationships.”

Through the ministry, the desire is that each of us would grow to understand others better—that those in the classes would not simply learn a new language but come to realize the things we share. While learning English is part of job training and access, many students have also come to realize the benefits of simply being in class—learning a common language and getting to know one another. It also helps parents support their children academically, since the children’s homework is in English.

“We are now friends because we come to class together,” one student said. “I also am able to find more people to get to know from other countries at work, or at shops, and we can communicate in English if both people can speak it well.”

Teaching English is one of the holistic ministries we focus on as we serve the many cultures of Cactus. In the coming months, Cactus International Church, a church plant that will create another safe and inviting environment that promotes oneness, will open its doors. The new church will invite the many cultures of Cactus to be, live, and worship together.

“I am able to share about my culture with others, including the food and how I live,” another student shared. “If you have a common language, then there is good listening, good talking, good meeting with other people."

This story taken from the latest issue of NCM Magazine.

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Love in Action in Panama

aheckman — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:47:49 +0000

Love in Action in Panama aheckman Thu, 01/12/2023 - 17:47

Love in Action in Panama

JANUARY 12, 2022 · AMY HECKMAN

In Panama, the Rio Abajo Church of the Nazarene created a compassionate outreach in the fall of 2022 called “Love in Action”. Their purpose was to serve the asylum-seeking and migrant population traveling throughout the country. Venezuelan families have formed the bulk of recent migrants moving through Panama, and in October of 2022, a change in asylum prospects for these families meant more were pausing and staying in Panama for extended periods of time. Some were waiting for flights and others were trying to figure out how to earn enough money to keep traveling or return to their country of origin. Church leaders realized that these adults and children desperately needed support while they waited.

A team of 35 volunteer church members set up stations in locations where migrants were staying in order to share and distribute hot meals, hygiene kits, medicine, milk and formula, diapers, and funds to assist with travel. Most importantly, the volunteers provided encouragement, taking time to pray with people looking for hope. Some of the volunteers also provided entertainment for children of the families they encountered.

Juan, an asylum seeker traveling with his wife, crossed paths with the volunteers in Panama. The journey had been hard on them both, and they were struggling emotionally and physically. The church offered to supply housing for the couple, giving them 20 days of refuge in the church building. When one of the local pastors shared the gospel message as part of this compassionate outreach, Juan and his wife decided to become followers of Christ. Church members noted how this caused an upturn in their spirits and health, almost immediately. Juan recently got back in touch with the volunteers to share that he and his wife ended up returning to their home country. They joined their local Nazarene church, and have even been able to start a new business.

One leader explained that the Rio Abajo church was looking for a deeper way to serve when they chose to reach out to the migrant community. “We developed some small projects, but we felt that God called us to something deeper,” he shared. “God used this opportunity to get us out of [our] comfort and show us that He has great purposes.”

In addition to supporting people on the move, the Love in Action project is also making inroads in caring for people who are living without homes and those enduring long stays in hospital waiting rooms.

“God longs and desires to embrace the most vulnerable, but it is through His church that he can do it,” said the leader. “In other words, we must carry the greatest commandment from loving your neighbor to immediate action, [and] that is love in action.”

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Reflections: The Border After Violence

aheckman — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 17:55:03 +0000

Reflections: The Border After Violence aheckman Thu, 10/13/2022 - 17:55

Reflections: The Border After Violence

OCTOBER 13, 2022 · TEANNA SUNBERG

Teanna Sunberg, a missionary with the Church of the Nazarene who serves, along with her husband Jay, as the Field Strategy Coordinator team in Central Europe, has been leading the Nazarene response to Ukrainian refugees at the Polish-Ukrainian border since the war in Ukraine started last February.

Tuesday, October 11. Przemyśl, Poland.

I’ve heard the following reports from our neighbors in Ukraine—

A Nazarene family watched and heard a rocket streak by their apartment building at 6:30 this morning. It detonated in the city center of Kyiv.
The daily train from Kyiv to Przemyśl, Poland, was significantly delayed. We’ve heard unconfirmed reports that it left the station just minutes before a rocket detonated.
We’ve also had unconfirmed reports of a medical team that left Ukraine by car just 30 minutes before the rockets hit Kyiv.

The line of people returning to Ukraine today is very short, as people are trying to avoid going back during a time of increased violence. We’ve also seen a significant increase in people bringing children, most babies and toddlers, out of Ukraine since Monday.

Our team of Nazarene volunteers at the border went in search of large teapots to be ready to give hot tea out to people. We suspect there might be large numbers of people arriving at the border in the next few days. However, just as possibly, people may shelter in place, resulting in lower numbers at the train station. Either way, volunteers with Courage for the Journey, the refugee ministry of NCM Polska, are there and serving.

I’ve spent parts of my day with young Ukrainians who do not want to be alone today. We are doing a lot of talking, trying to process questions for which none of us have any answers. The bombings today are triggers for many who lived through the invasion on February 24. This is significant trauma.

Even when the news cycle forgets to update about Ukraine, Iran, or North Africans seeking freedom, autonomy, and their voice—it doesn’t mean the war is over or that people are safe. In addition, even though the war in Ukraine might seem to be a long way away, the effects actually reach far beyond the country’s borders. These attacks targeted the Ukrainian energy grid, but the rest of the world is experiencing the effects in the form of food and energy availability.

Courage for the Journey relies on volunteers to care for travelers at the border. We have been sobered, encouraged, and touched by the number of volunteers who have asked if they can serve. These volunteers have ranged from ages 19 to 70 and have been a mix of Americans and Europeans, including people from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Croatia, and the United Kingdom. Most are lay people who volunteer for a few weeks, but some have served full-time for several months. Their ministry includes providing a safe space for women and children to rest, help securing train tickets, assistance carrying luggage, and providing food and water, and offering listening ears and spiritual support.

This team of volunteers, and those they are caring for, need your prayers.

Pray for peace. Our hope is in Christ.

Want to help with refugees at the border?

Volunteers are especially needed to serve in Przemyśl during the months of January and February—email tsunberg@eurasiaregion.org to learn more and apply.

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The Christmas Project: Shahpur's Story

aheckman — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 21:06:26 +0000

The Christmas Project: Shahpur's Story aheckman Thu, 12/16/2021 - 21:06

The Christmas Project: Shahpur's Story

DECEMBER 16, 2021 · NCM STAFF

Today, read about a boy and his father who connected with caring Nazarene volunteers while living in a refugee camp in Serbia. The Courage for the Journey project cares for adults and children living as refugees across several European countries.

All over the world, children are caught in economic crises, famines, conflict, and more. More than 80 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes as a result of persecution, conflict, and violence. Of those who are displaced, more than a third are children.

This year’s Christmas Project will provide spiritual, educational, physical, and emotional care to children who are caught up in crises in Bangladesh, Venezuela, Jordan, Lebanon, and across Europe.

~~~

Shahpur*, 8, has lived in refugee camps for most of his life. Forced to leave their home in Afghanistan six years ago, Shahpur and his father, mother, and older brother began their journey through multiple countries to seek asylum in a safe place. The family has walked for much of their journey from Afghanistan to Greece, stopping along the way for Shahpur’s father, Mansor*, to work temporary jobs.

After living in a refugee camp in Greece for about a year, Shahpur’s mother and older brother travelled ahead to Germany. There, Shahpur’s mother acquired a five-year visa and is working to establish a home for the family.

Shortly after his mother and brother left for Germany, Shahpur was struck by a motorcycle. Mansor rushed Shahpur to the nearest hospital, but was refused treatment due to Mansor’s status as a refugee and lack of insurance. When a different hospital agreed to treat Shahpur, he remained there fifty days while healing from his injuries.

Once Shahpur became strong, he and his father resumed their journey. They crossed through North Macedonia and stopped at a refugee camp in Serbia. There they met a group of Nazarenes who minister to children living as refugees by offering tutoring services, teaching them to play musical instruments, and providing essential items such as food and clothing. The group also shares the gospel.

Moved by the message of Jesus, Shahpur’s father, Mansor, accepted Christ into his life and was baptized by ministers at the refugee camp. Soon after, Mansor and Shahpur moved within the camp to live in the building where the center operates. Now, they live right next door to the room where the group worships and holds bible studies, often lending a hand to prepare the space for services.

Life has not been easy for Shahpur since his father became a Christian. Some men from the refugee camp became angry with Mansor for his conversion and attacked him while he and Shahpur were in the city. Shahpur watched helplessly as men pulled his father off the city bus, beat him, and stole his wallet containing money and his asylum-seeker identification card. The attack, knowledge of the political climate in their home country, and the separation of the family have distressed Shahpur and Mansor.

Shahpur and Mansor have lived in Serbia for about a year, now. Nazarenes serving at the refugee camp hope to see the two reunite with Shahpur’s mother and brother in Germany, but with the absence of a passport, travel has become more difficult.

Like many children, Shahpur loves to play games on his dad’s phone and drink sodas. Much of his childhood, however, has been unsettled by transition and crisis. Connecting with the ministry center at the refugee camp in Serbia has offered Shahpur and Mansor a sense of community and hope.

*Names are changed for protection.

Learn more about and give to support the Christmas Project here.

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