“For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners [immigrants] living among you and gives them food and clothing. So you, too, must show love to foreigners [immigrants], for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:17-19, NLT).
God’s people are undeniably called to extend love, welcome and care to immigrants, and for the last 10 years, the people and churches of the Immigrant Connection movement have been united in the foundation of God’s profound love for immigrants and his clear call to us to love them.
The Immigrant Connection movement was born out of a group of Wesleyan pastors and leaders from around the country who committed themselves to addressing the unique needs of immigrant families. They recognized the tremendous growth of immigrant populations across the United States — from large cities to small towns and even to rural regions. While witnessing first-hand how immigrant families were a beautiful and integral part of their communities, these Wesleyans also clearly saw how lacking immigration legal services and navigating challenging and complex immigration systems caused severe distress, loss of opportunity and increasing insecurity for immigrant families.
Ten years ago, the path ahead was not always clear. Yet these pastors were certain that their churches could become radical welcome and hospitality centers, taking steps to be able to offer tangible service to their foreign-born neighbors.
For over 10 years now, that conviction has catalyzed Immigrant Connection in mobilizing, equipping and resourcing local churches to become Department of Justice recognized immigration legal service providers and to serve their local communities and regions with high-quality, low-cost immigration legal services. Through these local churches, 40,000 immigrants and their families have found hope, connection and vital services!
One founding goal of Immigrant Connection was to have a site in every Wesleyan district. Currently, Immigrant Connection has sites in 13 of the 21 United States’ districts. Over 30 sites have been launched in Wesleyan churches across the country, with 26 still operating today. Wesleyan churches and community members nationwide are practicing true biblical hospitality or philoxenos — which literally means “love (philo) immigrants/foreigners (xenos)” — as described in Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 13:2.
In addition to Wesleyan churches, leaders and congregations, numerous other denominations have also committed themselves to Immigrant Connection’s mission and vision. Immigrant Connection is now an interdenominational movement with eight different denominations represented in the 35 local sites that make up the Immigrant Connection Legal Network.
At 10 years in, The Wesleyan Church remains foundational to the growth and impact of Immigrant Connection. It is the seedbed of the movement; from the fertile soil of a deep love and commitment to Jesus and his people, a national, interdenominational, immigrant-centered organization continues to thrive and grow in impact.
In Immigrant Connection’s 10th anniversary year, we celebrate the early visionary leaders of The Wesleyan Church, all who have prayed for and supported the movement, and the commitment of local churches in standing with immigrants. We look ahead with great anticipation to the ways the Holy Spirit will move in and through Immigrant Connection in the years to come.
Sera Han leads Communications for Immigrant Connection.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
