Local Outreach Spotlight | World Relief and iFace

One facet of our Local Outreach ministry is our partnership with World Relief and iFace—two organizations that strive to manifest Christ’s love to our local refugee neighbors. Exciting work has been happening in our community lately, and as June is World Refugee Awareness Month, we want to take a moment to highlight some recent events and hear stories from our volunteers. The photo of our volunteers below captures their joy and excitement around these service opportunities!

It is our desire to reflect God’s heart for those on the margins, particularly refugees in the Upstate who have been forced to leave their homes and have legally sought asylum here due to factors such as violence, persecution, poverty, natural disasters, or grave human rights violations. Check out the videos below to hear from some of our members who’ve witnessed God’s faithfulness as they’ve stepped into cross-cultural friendships.

We hope their experiences inspire you to consider how you, too, might reflect Christ’s love to our refugee neighbors.

World Relief Updates and Opportunities

Through World Relief, Grace Church volunteers have walked alongside refugee families as they arrive and adjust to life in the US. Folks stepped in to serve in meaningful ways, such as providing airport welcomes, assisting with home setup, offering consistent friendships, mentoring youth and adults, sharing meals, and other practical support.

Most recently, we were able to help World Relief host a few important events, including a fun-filled summer kick-off party for over 150 refugee children and adults, a training event for over 40 local church leaders in the Upstate, and a “Loss Simulation” for 200 people—walking them through the heartbreaking journey that refugees experience before being resettled.

The sport of soccer also has a unique ability to unite people across cultural divides—and the Greenville Triumph Soccer Team has partnered with World Relief to help show support for displaced families in the Upstate! The 3rd Annual World Relief Night on Saturday, June 28, is a family-friendly soccer game with a purpose! Learn more by clicking here.

iFace Updates and Opportunities

Meanwhile, our partnership with iFace has recently provided English classes for over 80 refugee women and children this school year. Grace volunteers have served as English teachers, classroom helpers, childcare assistants, and drivers to the 15 unique people groups that the Lord has brought right here to the Upstate.

iFace has a variety of fun summer activities planned, such as Girls Day (for refugee youth girls) and family picnics. Additionally, World Relief and iFace are collaborating to host a series of “talk cafes” this summer, intended to provide opportunities for relational connection and English practice for refugee families. If you would like to hear more about iFace opportunities and events, or to check out their volunteer training, click here.

God has always cared about creating space for outsiders who seek care, asylum, and refuge. We are thankful to be a small part of supporting our partners in their mission of helping those in need, and our hope is that our investment this season has made a lasting impact in our community. If you have any questions or are interested in learning more about serving in our Refugee ministry, please contact Kirsten at [email protected].