Welcoming is not a feeling- it is an action.

One of the biggest blessings in volunteering with World Relief is getting to share our favorite city with our friends. On Saturday Rayne, Evy, and I adventured together in the city with some friends we met through volunteering as friendship partners through World Relief. I started out translating at medical appointments and that soon turned into a friendship. Over the last 10 years of volunteering we have had the privilege of sharing so many great memories with folks new to the U.S. These friendships are so dear to us because they help us understand the world and ourselves better. There is such joy in the friendships forged through differences and a decision to move towards one another in mutual respect and love.

I say this often and I want to model for my children, being welcoming is not a feeling- it is action. I first heard a client that came through the refugee program years ago share, “people said I was welcome but the friends that actually came to help my grocery shop and invited me to their home made me know I was actually welcome.” If you ever want to chat about getting involved I am an open book- reach out and if you and your family want to take action right now to welcome please consider sending school supplies from the needs list to help students from newly arrived families have everything they need to be ready for back to school. My kids and I used the list to add things as they picked out their school supplies. You can even send supplies from Amazon and we will deliver them to World Relief. More details below!

Want to help welcome in a practical way? You can send some needed school supplies from this Amazon list and they will be donated directly to World Relief Chicagoland. Thanks for considering! Also….win giveaways and if you are local-ish to me you are invited- see below!