Co-Journing

“Refuge International seeks to glorify God by partnering with local churches to love refugees and immigrants.”

"Co-Journing” is a word we use to describe those who come alongside refugees to help them adjust to life in the United States. This need is often most acute immediately following resettlement in the United States. They need food, shelter, healing, employment, schooling, healthcare, transportation. Louisville's resettlement agencies (Catholic Charities and Kentucky Refugee Ministries) work with the federal government to provide initial assistance with many of these needs. In many cases, they work with our partner—Launch Properties—to provide affordable housing.

But the aid mentioned above is only designed to help refugees begin life in America. Co-Journing provides an avenue for families and community groups from local churches to come alongside newly settled refugee families and share the love of Christ in deed and word. Co-Journing with these families may involve:

• Helping to furnish their residence.

• Driving family members to doctors' appointments.

• Helping with preparation for the driver's permit/road test.

• Helping navigate the bewildering array of choices in the bath soap aisle, the laundry detergent aisle, etc.

• Explaining how to operate washers and dryers at the laundromat.

• Explaining how to ride TARC.

• And much, much more.

How does Refuge assist you in this relationship?

• Cultural/relational orientation in our application process

• A volunteer guide that provides ideas for relating and abundant links to local community resources (see the button below)

• An introduction to a refugee family

• Ongoing assistance from Refuge staff

What is the commitment?

First, you are not expected to meet all of the needs of your refugee friend(s). We encourage you to enlist the help of others in your church. This will lighten your load in Co-Journing while extending the blessing of serving to others.

Second, the Co-Journing commitment is short-term—typically three months. During this period, the hope is that Co-Journers can help meet immediate needs and help their refugee partner make strides toward independent living. However, our hope—as always—is that friendships will develop that can continue beyond this initial period of service and that through these friendships the love of Christ may continue to be shown in word and deed.