Send Relief Works Together with World Relief to Resettle Afghan Refugees

By Send Relief Staff

In the aftermath of the sudden, tragic fall of Afghanistan into the hands of the Taliban, thousands of refugees have been fleeing the landlocked nation to escape persecution and retaliation from the extremist group. Send Relief has begun the process of helping Afghan refugees as they resettle around the world by working with World Relief and other trusted resettlement agencies.

Photos and videos of packed aircraft and desperate Afghan people surrounding planes as they take off have captured the world’s attention in recent days. Those who served alongside the United States military are among the groups in the direst situation, but there are thousands of others whose lives and livelihoods are now at risk because of the Taliban takeover.

“We need to pray for the Afghan people as many are fleeing with nothing but the clothes they have on,” said Bryant Wright, President of Send Relief. “Any remaining Christians will be targeted. The women and girls who are left behind will lose the freedoms they’ve gained over the last 20 years. May the church minister to any refugees our government allows in who have supported American efforts or faced persecution there.”

Thousands of Afghan refugees are expected to arrive in the United States in the coming days and weeks, and World Relief—a global Christian humanitarian organization that partners with local churches to serve vulnerable populations—has 17 offices across the United States where they aid refugees who will settle there. As churches seek to respond, Send Relief will provide training and materials to equip those that want to serve refugees in their communities and connect with organizations like World Relief.

Most refugees arrive in the United States with immediate needs like finding a house to live in, figuring out how to enroll their kids in school and purchasing basic household and hygiene items. Many also need assistance with learning English. Along with aiding in the refugee resettlement process in the United States, Send Relief is also coordinating with churches and ministry partners like World Relief to meet these pressing needs and help those forced to leave their homes adjust to life in a new, strange country.

“We don’t view this through the lens of politics or even the through the lens of the images coming out of Afghanistan right now,” said James Misner, Senior Vice President of Strategic Engagement for World Relief. “We respond through the lens of the commands of God in Scripture—which tell us over and over again to welcome the stranger in need.”

As tens of thousands of new refugees enter the country, Send Relief wants to equip you and your church to make a difference in the lives of these hurting families. On September 10, we will be hosting a Care for Refugees Workshop, with featured speakers President Bryant Wright and World Relief’s Director of Church Mobilization Matthew Soerens. Register today to hear from both speakers about how you can mobilize your friends, family and church to meet the growing needs of newly arrived refugees and make them feel welcomed in their new home.

For other ways to help, pray and give towards Afghanistan relief efforts, click here.


Published August 30, 2021

Send Relief Staff