Welcome Immigrants and Refugees in Your Community

Love That Makes Strangers Feel at Home

Scripture References

• Hebrews 13:1-2
• Romans 12:13

Overview

Refugees and immigrants often arrive in our communities feeling like the only stranger at a crowded party—unsure of language, customs, and even where to sit. Through the stories of former refugee Eric Muhizi, Spero Project volunteer Krisa Jenkins, and LifeGroup member Augustine, the episode shows how patient, relational love dissolves those barriers. The call is simple but weighty: enter a newcomer’s story, practice hospitality, and let shared humanity—not shared vocabulary—be what unites us.

Main Points

Eric’s Journey: From Congo to Oklahoma City

• Fled war in Congo at age 3; lived in multiple countries and a refugee camp before U.S. resettlement in 2008.
• Arrival shock: new culture, zero English, deep loneliness.
• First local friends were Brad and Kim (future founders of the Spero Project).
  • Quote:

    “Language is not what defines us. The love that we share, it’s what unites us.”

• Their consistent visits shifted “strangers” to “family,” planting the seed for Spero—named for “hope.”

Barriers Refugees Commonly Face

• Lingering trauma from war and persecution.
• Language hurdles that touch every task—school forms, doctor visits, driving.
• Isolation, especially while raising children in an unfamiliar system.
• Transportation, health-care navigation, and employment challenges.

The Spero Project’s Relational Approach

• Staff and volunteers first learn a neighbor’s culture and story.
• Core posture: “Feel their brokenness, ask what they want to learn, and let friendship grow.”
• Spero functions more like a community than an organization; programs flow out of relationship (ESL, tutoring, rides, citizenship prep).

Volunteering: Krisa’s ESL Snapshot

• Serving three years in weekday ESL classes; onboarding was quick and simple.
• Other roles: one-on-one tutoring, grocery/doctor rides, driver-license practice, citizenship prep.
• Joys: celebrating babies born, grand-babies FaceTimed into class, students earning licenses or seeing children graduate college.
  • Story: Seeing a student walk in excitedly FaceTiming her new granddaughter, introducing her to the whole class.

First Steps & Best Practices for New Volunteers

• Connect through your church; many already partner with refugee-focused nonprofits.
• Put yourself in unfamiliar spaces (international grocery stores, community events) to meet neighbors organically.
• Key attitudes: patience, curiosity, willingness to laugh at language mix-ups, and refusal to assume you “have all the answers.”
• Avoid rushing; ask simple background questions—“Where were you raised?” “What did weekends look like back home?”—to break the ice.

Biblical Mandate to Welcome Strangers

• Hebrews 13:1-2 calls believers to ongoing hospitality, reminding us we may be entertaining angels.
• Romans 12:13 urges readiness to share with God’s people in need and eagerness to practice hospitality.
• Loving immigrants is not extra credit; it is woven into normal Christian obedience.

Key Truths

• Hospitality begins with presence and patience, not flawless pronunciation.
• Refugees’ greatest need after safety is belonging; friendships meet that need.
• Entering another culture requires a learner’s posture, not an expert’s.
• Small assists—rides, language help, shared meals—create lifelong impact.
• Scripture frames welcoming strangers as core Christian living, not optional outreach.

Response

• Slow down and greet newcomers in your neighborhood; ask their story.
• Volunteer with a local refugee-support organization or ESL program.
• Offer practical help: a ride, grocery run, form translation, child tutoring.
• Visit an international market; start a conversation and learn one new cultural insight.
• Pray for eyes to see isolation around you and courage to step toward it.

Closing

Love that crosses culture turns strangers into family. Eric’s airplane-dream from a refugee camp landed in Oklahoma because someone showed up with hope. The same everyday gestures—questions, rides, shared laughter—are within our reach. Keep on loving like brothers and sisters, show hospitality to the stranger, and you may find you’re welcoming angels—or at least new friends—without even knowing it.