Welcoming All Neighbors Ministry
Our mission:
To embrace refugees and immigrants in friendship and love.
Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
Refugee Family Updates
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church has partnered with Lutheran Social Services (LSS) to help two refugee families. We provide funds for short-term financial support and other concrete help as we identify needs. Below are updates on the two refugee families we’re currently walking alongside. We can show our love for God and neighbors by welcoming refugees; they are people God deeply cares about!
Ramsey Ukrainian family
The first family arrived in 2019 after fleeing Ukraine for political persecution. We started sponsoring a second family in September of 2022. They fled Crimea in 2022 because of the war in the Ukraine. In the fall of 2022, the families joined us at Our Saviour’s for Refugee Sunday. We learned they needed a freezer, winter clothing, and basic household items. The congregation responded by donating gift cards, winter clothing, household items, and Christmas gifts during the holidays. The family sent a message of “huge thanks” to our church. It’s good to know they have been able to keep warm on the coldest days of our Minnesota winter.
These two families are continuing to build lives for themselves in Ramsey with employment, learning English, and pursuing college education. Several family members are taking English classes and a couple of the women hope to start community college classes soon with the long-term goal of becoming nurses. The grandparents are making friends and enjoying being reunited with their children and grandchildren. Fishing, cooking, and painting are a few of their pastimes. The children like school, enjoy Anoka county parks, play a lot of video games, and love the snow!
In spring of 2023, a member of the family shared her family’s story over Sunday morning coffee. This was well attended by the congregation and very informative. We look forward to more upcoming visits from our Ukrainian families this coming year.
Please note that for the family’s safety we are not including names publicly. We are currently supporting two extended families: a total of 9 adults and 6 children.
Be sure to watch for future giving and service opportunities to help refugee and immigrant neighbors. If you want to find out more about our ministry, contact Tracey Dalve at 763-244-5412.