Immigrant Ministry Team
Background: The Immigrant Ministry Team at Assembly Mennonite Church formed in January of 2024. We had our beginnings in 2019 when a small group came together with an interest in supporting immigrants in Goshen. Collaboration with Safety Networks and the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) led to a connection with a mother and her two children seeking asylum.
Purpose: To accompany an immigrant family as they navigate the ongoing and ever changing challenges of learning to live in a new culture/country. This includes establishing compassionate relationships, listening to understand, recognizing agency to make their own decisions and offering opportunities for learning, in ways that are culturally sensitive.
Levels of Participation:
- Oversight: Provide counsel and guidance to those providing direct support, participate in major decisions, including use of donations, requests for funding, and issues related to affordable housing, with attention to cultural sensitivity, boundaries, and resources.
- Direct Support Group: Members of this group will have regular contact with the family depending on identified needs and requests from the family. These contacts may include, but are not limited to:
- Providing social and emotional support
- Providing transportation
- Accompaniment to medical and dental appointments
- Monitoring food insecurity
- Providing guidance on budgeting and navigating banking systems
- English language tutoring & academic support
- Support navigating the school system
3. Occasional support: Willing to be asked to assist in a variety of ways.
Contact Char Yutzy for additional information