Welcoming Refugees
Imagine being uprooted and only being able take a single suitcase filled with all your belongings. That is the common story of many refugees. BelPres understands the present refugee crisis as a part of God’s mission to heal his broken world. That’s why we are dedicated to warmly welcoming, serving, and loving refugees arriving in the Seattle area, in the same way Jesus loved us. This is our opportunity to further God’s kingdom in the lives of those that are unrooted, unsettled and alone.
Refugees arrive from all over the world. Recently, we have welcomed families from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Syria, and the Ukraine.
Ways to Welcome our New Neighbors
Today, refugees and other immigrants in the United States are in need of people like you: local community members who will welcome and help them navigate new challenges as they seek to rebuild their lives in the U.S. BelPres, in partnership with World Relief, is committed to supporting refugee families as they arrive to temporary homing in Ballard and commissioning Good Neighbor Teams to support the family holistically for 6 month increments.
transitional homes support
One-Time or Continual Opportunities
Serve on a house prep team to set up a home for a new refugee family’s arrival. Connect with a refugee family by helping them explore and connect their new neighborhood or purchase hygiene and household items from the Amazon needs list for homes.
Join a Good Neighbor Team
6 month Commitment, Training Provided
Good Neighbor Teams are small groups of committed volunteers trained by World Relief to walk alongside a refugee/asylee family or group of individuals for 6 months, through a combination of socially-distanced and remote interactions.
Fawn’s Story
Long time BelPres congregants and real estate developers, Fawn and her son, Ben, felt moved to use their resources to serve the kingdom of God. In August 2021, they turned an empty home into an opportunity to welcome in a family that needed a home. Watch how their openness to listen to opportunity has provided for hundreds of refugee families a warm and loving welcome to the United States in a safe transitional home.
Learn More About Refugees
““I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me.””
Have Questions?
If you have questions or would like to discuss this ministry with our team, we would love to talk further with you. Email us at refugees@belpres.org.