The browser you are using is not supported. Please consider using a modern browser.
Olesia and Kira’s Story: Our Whole Life Packed Up
Olesia came to the United States with nothing but a small bag and her six-year-old daughter, Kira, in tow.
Experience the StoryFollow their journeys
Sharing the stories of immigrants and former refugees in their own words.
Every person has a story. We invite you to learn from the resilient people who have shared theirs with us.
Emillie’s Story: Crossing the River
Emillie was only 8 years old when she and her family were forced to flee the Democratic Republic of Congo. They spent 15 years living in Uganda as refugees—but they knew it was not their home.
Yemelianova Family’s Story: Everything Will be Peaceful
When the Yemelianova family's journey to the United States was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they had no idea they would find themselves fleeing a country at war only two years later.
Helal’s Story: My Crime is Being a Woman
Helal Massomi was forced to flee her country and seek safety in the United States.
Pedro’s Story: An Artist’s Journey to America
Pedro* fled to the United States to escape persecution for speaking out against his home country's government. The former physics and economics professor now makes a living selling his art on the street.
Beautiful Again: A Ukrainian Refugee, Three Years Later
Witness how Irina, a Ukrainian refugee who fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine has found love, health, and a new livelihood in the United States, while sharing her dreams and aspirations for herself and
Love is Forever With Us: Support from Vietnam
See how Trúc Hổ and Diệu Quyên, once refugees to the U.S., retained close ties to their home country, and how they paid it forward when Afghan and Ukrainian refugees began arriving in 2021 and 2022.
Rooted in Wellness: Gardening and Yoga in Albuquerque
Global Refuge and our affiliate Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains offer innovative gardening and yoga programs that help immigrants and refugees heal from trauma, strengthen their mental and physical health, and build community in a supportive environment.
A Helping Hand: Global Refuge Welcomes Haitians
See how James, a case manager at Global Refuge, is fostering a sense of belonging for newcomers, helping them find their footing, and ensuring they have the support they need to succeed.
Canopy: The Circle of Welcome Blessing
See how one family from our partner agency Canopy NWA in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, welcomed a family from Rwanda and helped them navigate their new community with the support of a loving congregation and the blessing of true friendship.
Thomas’ Soccer Club: A Job to Finish
After launching successful youth refugee soccer leagues in Denver, Thomas returned to Liberia to launch similar soccer programs for youth and remains committed to continuing his uplifting work for Liberia's youth in the face of challenges posed by COVID-19.
Asad’s Afghan Grocery Store: A Taste of Home
Asad opened Afghan Halal International Market, which not only serves as a grocery store but a place where all local refugees can connect and support each other as they adjust to life in the U.S.
A Circle of Welcome: Receiving Angels
Augustine, Aline, and their six children spent years in a refugee camp before being resettled in Fargo, North Dakota.
New American Businesses: Breaking Bread and Barriers
After fleeing Afghanistan in 2021, Khalis Noori dedicated himself to assisting fellow Afghans in the United States.
Samaritas Assists Refugees in Michigan: The Mitten of Welcome
Samaritas, part of the Global Refuge network, is transforming lives in Southeast Michigan.
Matendo’s Story: Future of Hope
After fleeing their home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Matendo and his family spent seven years in a refugee camp in Malawi before coming to the U.S. through Global Refuge.