For the past year, our church has partnered with Bethany Christian Services and their refugee resettlement program. This program supports refugees relocating to Central Florida through the US Department of State. We assist Bethany with greeting refugees at the airport, refugee transportation, donations of household items and funding for basic living expenses like rent, utilities and groceries during the first three months after a family arrives in our community. Together, we hope to help families to feel safe, loved, and connected as they settle into their new homes.
Recently, the federal funding for Bethany Christian Services was frozen. Because of this sudden lack of funding, Bethany is now unable to financially support the refugee families who have relocated to Central Florida within the last 3 months. Of the 20 families in Bethany’s care, 6 families who arrived in early January 2025, are urgently in need of financial assistance while they finalize refugee status paperwork and find employment.
You are invited to join as the body of Christ and step into this time of uncertainty. We have neighbors in need of prayer, love and generosity. Please consider the following ways to offer prayer, love and generosity:
PRAYER – Pray for each of these 20 families and especially for the 6 families who have lived in our community only a few weeks. Ask God to protect them just as God protected Jesus with God’s instruction to Joseph to flee to Egypt until the death of Herod.
LOVE – Offer a connection to employment. If you are a business owner, hiring manager or work in a field needing additional employees, please reach out to Clay at the email address below. Adult refugees arrive in the United States with a variety of skills, education and training and with approval to legally start work once state specific paperwork is complete. Let’s match these new neighbors to a job they will excel in!
GENEROSITY – On Sunday, February 2nd Pastor David Miller called for prayers and bus passes for families impacted by the funding freeze. On Wednesday, February 5th, the church learned that additional funding for refugee living expenses fell through and the need was much greater than bus passes. Please consider continuing to donate bus passes as well as monetary gifts to be used for basic living expenses. 100% of financial gifts will be used for living expenses including, but not limited to rent, utilities, food, transportation and healthcare.
