Navigation

Our Refugee Story: moving from stranger to friend

I put this short video together that highlights through pictures the last 9 years of life and ministry revolving around the work to welcome, serve, support and celebrate refugees.

You will begin by seeing us in our first church prayer meeting on 5th ave, a prayer that ended up intertwining us into the plight of the Karen people of Burma through the connections and documentary film of my brother Matt Blauer. Through his work and with the help of World Relief, my family hosted the first Karen family to Spokane. Moonlight’s family of 5 moved into our home and that began a journey that has led to places we would of never dreamed. 

You will see pictures taken that show the center of our work with the Karen but also the expanding work that has reached out to many other ethnic groups from Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Cuba and others.

You will see our community garden and Community Resource Center where we assist refugees and former refugees in all the challenges and opportunties facing them as they figure out a new life in America.

You will see some pictures of our mission trips to refugee camps and villages along the border of Thailand and Burma. Trips where we visited family member of our friends, witnessed first hand life in the camps and were able to build bridges for future ministry.

You will see shots of our life together that touches all the goodness we all celebrate like food, nature, learning, creating and work, as well as outreaches in our neighborhood that we’ve done together.

You will see the wonderful director Sue Beck and her staff and volunteers that come from churches, colleges and businesses.

This is a small attempt to celebrate the goodness God has shown us through the ministry of love, hospitality and service. It’s been the most challenging work i’ve ever done and some of the most rewarding. I hope it sparks an interest in crossing the cultural boundaries that exist and discovering the joy of friendship that awaits those willing to serve.

Comments are closed.