As we come to the end of another year, we are looking back on the stories that stretched, challenged, and encouraged us this year.
We’re so grateful for the immigrants who vulnerably shared their stories with us, inviting us into that sacred space of proximity.
Women in our community took brave steps to speak out about putting action to their compassion.
And faith leaders sat down with us to challenge us to move beyond fear into faith. Here’s a wrap-up of the year. We hope these stories inspire you as we head into a new year of putting our faith into action!
Immigrant Stories
Joel and Jamie shared their story with us and challenged us to think about the ways we can respond with compassion and empathy to the journeys of immigrants in our churches and communities.
A woman in our community spoke with her Syrian friend about what it meant to her to be welcomed as a refugee in Canada, challenging us to think about ways we can extend life-changing welcome
A group from North America and Myanmar came together to share stories of pain and provision from Myanmar.
Prasanta Verma shared stories from her life and new book, Beyond Ethnic Loneliness. She shared the immigrant experience of feeling like a perpetual foreigner, both invisible and hyper-visible.
She challenged us to consider the role of the church in becoming inclusive communities that reflect the love and welcome of Christ.
Community Stories
Amanda Maya, KIND’s Senior Attorney in the Legal Department in San Francisco, told us the story of how she walked alongside an unaccompanied child through the daunting immigration court system.
Naomi told us us how an initial exposure to other cultures prompted her to learn more, which led to her getting involved in serving in her local community.
Faith, Facts & Fear Series
Following your compassion into this space can feel lonely. You may not know what to think about the issues you hear in the news. Perhaps you are looking for a way to look at the policies through a lens of faith. We sat down with faith leaders to help us answer hard questions, educate you on tough issues, and encourage you all along the way.
To kick off the series, we sat down with author Kaitlyn Schiess, a ThD student at Duke Divinity School studying political theology, ethics, and biblical interpretation, to explore how Christians can thoughtfully engage in politics AND care for our neighbors.
Pastor, speaker, and author Sharon Hodde Miller helped us consider how we can talk and think about immigration as individuals and churches in this divisive time.
Author and speaker Elizabeth Neumann brings a unique perspective to the immigration conversation. With a professional background in counterterrorism and homeland security, it was her faith that ultimately led her to reexamine her political views and align them with the biblical mandate to care for the widow, orphan, and sojourner.