Help refugees integrate into their new country and community
Pray
Join us for the World Next Door United Prayer each Tuesday at 7-7:30 a.m. CT by calling 720.843.2888 and using the access code: 6207480.
Use Praying for the World Next Door in your personal devotion time, family worship, or a church small group like Sabbath school or Pathfinders.
Be a RWND Ambassador to Your Church
Inspire and mobilize church members to action for the unreached refugees, immigrants, or international students.
Download and print this handout to share.
To apply to be a RWND Ambassador in Houston contact Pastor Scott Griswold. Call 707.380.9554. Julie Griswold 707.380.9864. Write info@reachtheworldnextdoor.com.
English Tutoring
Teach conversational English as a crucial first step in helping refugees get jobs, integrate, and interact in their new environment.
Contact Person: Robin Pimentel. Call 832.722.8360. Julie Thompson. Call 832.257.6697. Bucky Abar. Call 832.471.9521.
Donate Important Items
Share new and gently-used miscellaneous items. The following items are especially needed:
Drop off items at 15908 Bryan Lane, Willis, TX 77378 (Call 707.380.9554) or with Leonard Smith on Mondays and Wednesdays after 6 p.m. at the Houston West Seventh-day Adventist Church (Call 713.447.2224).
Donate a used car to help refugees get to work and school. Help them regain their independence and dignity. If you have a car to donate or a small group that wants to buy one together please email Julie Griswold: julie@reachtheworldnextdoor.com
Food Pantry
Collect and distribute food to apartments or hotels where Afghan families are staying.
Contact Person: Leonard Smith. Call 713.447.2224.
Food and money donations are appreciated. For frequently needed items, see the above list.
Family-to-Family
You and your family or your Sabbath School or small group can help a newly arrived refugee family figure out how to survive and thrive in America. Give them a friendly welcome, help connect them to resources, and be an advocate for them to help them navigate their new life. You can help them orient to find discount stores, schools, and hospitals.
Contact Person: Julie Griswold. Call 707.380.9554. Bucky Abar. Call 832.471.9521.
Apartment Furnishing
Pick up and distribute furniture and kitchen supplies to recently arrived refugees.
Donations are appreciated.
Contact Person: Fredine Daley. Call 832.420.7412.
Pick-Up and Delivery of Large Items
Contact Person: Jose Najera. Call 713.249.7248.
Rise High Club Ministries
Help with a children's program for ages 10-15 two Sundays a month, 3-5 p.m. Or work with smaller children who will tag along. Help befriend the fathers and mothers who are mostly from Afghan background.
Contact Person: Carlos Puerto. Call 713.823.5530. Anita Gonzalez. Call 423.645.6248.
After School Tutoring
Help refugee children who are struggling with their school subjects.
Contact Person: Lucile Saint Martin. Call 909.550.3332
Help with Social Services
Assist refugees to know what they are eligible for and help fill out application forms for various resources such as medical insurance, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Contact Person: Robin Harrison. Call 832.867.5577.
Download this list of Houston Refugee Resources.
Resource Guide for Mental Health and Domestic Violence
Job Hunting Support
To help a refugee interested in being a mechanic contact Stewart Usedo. Call 281.221.8954
To help a refugee interested in phlebotomy or health-related careers contact Daniel Gonzalez. Call 423.432.0780
Cross-Cultural Church Planting Ministries
Chinese: You can assist this family-focused ministry by:
Contact William Chen. Call 281.838.2943. Rachel Chen. Call 208.451.4474.
Rosharon: You can assist this multi-lingual church plant among Khmer, Laotian, Spanish, and English speakers. You can help by:
Contact Jose Rivera. Call 713.302.9076. Nancy Rivera. Call 832.474.3663.
Financial Contributions
Give through ASAP Ministries. Click "Have My Gift Go Towards" then select "Reach the World Next Door" or call 269.471.3026. You can give locally to help the club ministries through Conroe Seventh-day Adventist Church. Zelle to advent7treasury@gmail.com.
Here are 3 areas of training we want you to do for your continued involvement in refugee ministry with Reach the World Next Door.
1. It is crucial that you register and do the Sterling volunteer training with the Texas Conference to help increase our safety for any children we help. https://texasadventist.org/volunteerministries/ (It usually takes a little over an hour).
2. In our work with Afghans we have come to appreciate the training and counsel of Gabriela Phillips who is the director for Adventist Muslim Relations for the North American Division. We want you to go through these 5 orientation sessions before you proceed much into ministry among Muslims here in Houston. (These are short and very helpful).
A) Orientation #1: Refugee: Who? What? Safe? Listen to a clear presentation of where refugees are coming from and why. Understand the status of different ones.
B) Orientation #2: The Church as a Healing Community How can we best care as a church? Should we invite refugees to church? How can we pray with Muslims and others? Explore essential godly qualities needed in this ministry, including how to dress.
C) Orientation #3: Islam 101: Faith, Culture and Engagement. Learn the basics of Islam and how to make excellent bridges into spiritual conversations.
D) Orientation #4: Logistics: What is the Next Step? What are We Expected to Do? Hear a good description of the types of things you can do to practically help refugees.
E) Orientation #5: God's Perspective on Refugees. A simple conclusion call to feel and live God's heart.
Additional Webinar: My Church is Involved in Helping Refugees--Here's How it Looks (Ignacio Goya)
3. Please begin the Reach the World Next Door training. We have packed into our 13-lesson training the essentials of cross-cultural ministry, specifically how to meet, befriend, serve, witness and disciple people from other religious backgrounds. Please begin this training preferably as a group with your church and/or family. This is available through reachtheworldnextdoor.com/training/online. We can help you get registered for that and coach you to help you do the training and facilitate it for others. (This may take you about 3 months if you work on it once a week and is best done with a group of friends, family or church members). You will receive a certificate upon completion.
Please contact Pastor Scott Griswold to get started at scott@reachtheworldnextdoor.com
(This page is a work in progress. Please contact us to inform of new opportunities you think should be added. Write info@reachtheworldnextdoor.com or text 707.380.9864).