Trudi Starlin
Janessa Saelee
Janessa Saelee
Janessa Saelee
Many of God’s chosen people were refugees and migrants, some even victims of human trafficking, and seeking asylum in foreign countries. Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, and Esther, just to name a few. In fact, Abraham was specifically called by God to migrate to an unknown country. It was even a part of God’s plan for Jesus to become a refugee at a young age, escaping a jealous king.
You will not find the words “refugee” and “migrant” in the Bible, but the fact that God loves refugees and migrant populations is evident in the fact that most of its sacred pages are devoted to a detailed account a group of refugee migrants He repeatedly called “my people” (Exodus 3:7, 10; 5:1; 7:4,16; 8:1, 8, 20, 21, 22, 23; 9:1, 13, 17; 10:3, 4). God took an active role in helping them migrate across the border (the Red Sea) to escape their oppressors, and even parted the Jordan River for them to enter a country where they were not welcome.
He also made sure they understood how He wanted them to treat the “strangers” who decided to join them in their journey, and the command applies to us: “Thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt,” Exodus 23:9. “But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God,” Leviticus 19:34.
There are three refugees in North America for every Seventh-day Adventist. “God in His providence has brought men to our very doors and thrust them, as it were, into our arms, that they might learn the truth, and be qualified to do a work we could not do in getting the light before men of other tongues,” Evangelism, p. 570; Christian Service, p. 200. (See additional insights in context.)
God’s love is like sunshine. It belongs to the whole world! And if we share it with the people He is sending to us here, He can use them, and their networks here and abroad, to send the message of salvation, like an electric shock, around the world!
Here is a glimpse of what God is doing among refugees in the Southern Union so far.
Refugee Ministries in the Southern Union
The Southern Union is dotted with congregations of Adventist refugees and immigrants who have experienced God’s heart of love through the efforts of faithful Gospel workers.
Amharic – Contact Pastor Gemeches Tekle at 651-352-7978, gemex97@yahoo.com.
- Antioch, Tennessee
- Power Springs, Georgia
- Nashville, Tennessee
Burmese (Myanmar) – Contact Pastor Samuel Ngala at 269-519-4193, stngala@gmail.com.
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Jacksonville, Florida
Cambodian – Contact Pastor Thon Hin at 704-608-8520.
- Charlotte, North Carolina
Hmong – Contact Pastor Ko Saelee at 608-772-1248, pksaelee@gmail.com.
- Charlotte, North Carolina
Karen – Contact Pastor Jimmy Shwe at 919-537-1544, sawlulu@hotmail.com.
- Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- High Point, North Carolina
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- New Bern, North Carolina
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Columbia, South Carolina
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Clarksville, Arkansas
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Smyrna, Tennessee
Kinyarwanda – Contact Pastor Joel Mpabwanimana at 602-908-9641,
Joelmp2001@yahoo.com.
- Stone Mountain, Georgia
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Knoxville, Tennessee
Montagnard – Contact Pastor Vinh Nguyen at 626-422-6841, vk.nguyen@sbcglobal.net.
- Greensboro, North Carolina
Swahili – Contact Pastor Enock Omosa at 919-931-7877, prumoja@yahoo.com.
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Atlanta, Georgia
Vietnamese – Contact Pastor Vinh Nguyen at 626-422-6841, vk.nguyen@sbcglobal.net.
- Orlando, Florida
Zomi – Contact Pastor Thang Mang at 270-599-6577, bgzomisdac@gmail.com.
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Bowling Green, Kentucky
- Orlando, Florida
- Miami, Florida
The leaders of each congregation has an incredible story to share — here are two:
Jimmy Shwe, pastor, a refugee from Myanmar (Burma), had to flee from his home at age 10 when his father was nearly executed in ethnic and religious cleansing. After years fleeing for his life and living in refugee camps, he was resettled in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Within two years of his arrival, he was planting three Karen congregations there. He now not only pastors four churches in the Carolina Conference, but also serves as the North American Division Karen church planting consultant. He and the network of Karen church planters he mentors have grown the work among the Karen from zero to 55 congregations across the North American Division in just 10 years. Twelve of these Karen congregations are in the Southern Union.
Thang Mang, pastor, came to the States miraculously on the visa lottery system, and got settled here before his people, the Zomi, also from Myanmar, began arriving as refugees. He serves as pastor of the newly organized Zomi congregation in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which hosted the annual North American Division-wide Zomi Convention. (See description below.) He has been chosen by his people to lead the Zomi work Division-wide, and has organized a team of translators to translate resources into Zomi.
Recent Refugee and Immigrant Events Hosted in the Southern Union
Some of these leaders and their congregations have hosted Division-wide events in the Southern Union this summer.
• Hundreds of refugees honor their missionary and celebrate church organization at Division-wide Zomi Convention: More than 650 Zomi refugees, originally from Myanmar (Burma) and now scattered across the North American Division, with 25 special guests from Myanmar, gathered in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in June to honor the missionary family who brought them the Adventist message, and to celebrate the organization of the Bowling Green Zomi Church during their annual Zomi Convention held there this year.
They honored Dave Anderson, a member of the first and only missionary family to reach out to the Zomi in Myanmar. He shared the miraculous story of his father meeting a man in the middle of the jungle who had finished a Voice of Prophecy correspondence Bible course, and becoming their link to the Zomi people, who eagerly welcomed the Adventist message.
Steve Haley, Kentucky-Tennessee Conference president; Steve Rose, vice president for administration; and Kieth Noll, ministerial director, officiated in the organization of the Bowling Green Zomi Seventh-day Adventist Church with 140 members on Sabbath, June 29, 2019.
• Eighty Karen youth attend Division-wide training in Louisville, Kentucky: The Louisville Karen congregation hosted a Division-wide training for Karen youth from across the North American Division in August 2019. The event, drawing nearly twice as many youth as originally expected, was organized by Jimmy Shwe, pastor and Karen church planting consultant for ARIM (Adventist Refugee & Immigrant Ministries).
• Two Regional African Camp Meetings:
Celeve Izean, pastor and a Haitian church planter recognized by the South Central Conference for his work among refugees, has helped to launch several refugee groups, including the Moriya Kinyarwanda Seventh-day Adventist Church. Wellars Ngilinshuti, elder, with Joel Mpabwanimana, pastor, organized two Camp Meetings for the many Kinyarwanda/Kirundi-speaking refugees in the Conference — July 5, 6 in Louisville, Kentucky, with 500 attendees, and July 7, 8 at Oakwood University, Huntsville, Alabama, with 150 attendees.
• Thirteen baptized at Hmong Camp Meeting near Charlotte, North Carolina: Hmong members in Charlotte, North Carolina, while they do not have a Hmong pastor, have been reaching out to their community. They recently reached out to Ko Saelee, pastor and NAD ARIM Hmong church planting consultant, to speak for a Hmong Camp Meeting in July 2019. He found 13 new Hmong believers ready for baptism. These new members are eager to share their faith and grow the community of Hmong Adventist believers.
Unreached Refugees Need Cross-Cultural Missionaries. You Can Help.
There are still many refugees in the Southern Union who are not yet reached by the Gospel. These can only be reached by those of us outside the language group who know Jesus and His beautiful message of hope and wholeness.
God is doing this in powerful ways in Clarkston, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, often called the most diverse square mile in the United States. Kelli Weaver Czaykowski has involved 30 churches in Atlanta and beyond in serving refugees in multiple ways. She and her team have found ways to help 72 refugees attend Adventist schools. For more information, visit https://freerefugees.org/mission-index-impact
In Greensboro, North Carolina, Fabian Reid noticed Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugee children in his math classes. He began visiting their homes and helping where he could, giving Bible studies through a translator, and inviting them to church. Now, through a partnership with the South Atlantic Conference, this first Nepalese group in the Division is now nurtured by David Tamsang, pastor and retired president of the Nepal field. Reid’s translator, Bizu Biswa, is now studying for the ministry with the goal of reaching his people in North America. This is significant as this previously unreached language group is the second largest new incoming refugee language group in the North American Division, and it started with a math teacher visiting his students.
God can use the most random circumstances to connect you with someone from another culture who is seeking for truth and longing for a personal Savior. Imagine being the link to connect a whole culture to God! It may be easier than you think. Your divine appointment may be just around the corner. Don’t miss it!
Here’s how: Visit https://www.refugeeministries.org/
is the coordinator for Adventist Refugee & Immigrant Ministries at the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
Southern Union | September 2019
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