Crossing Cultures to Reach Muslim Refugees
The Lord is Never Surprised
Fifteen years ago, I moved to a Middle Eastern country with a vision to work among a specific unreached Muslim people group. Twelve years later, I found myself ministering among- not one, but four- different Muslim groups, as endangered people from war-torn and unstable neighboring countries poured over the borders of my new home. I could never have anticipated the giant influx of refugees this country would receive, but the Lord was not surprised by it. Looking back, I realize that God began preparing me, along with other national believers, years ago- to serve among the very refugee populations living around us now.
Meet Karin
When I first arrived in this country fifteen years ago, I desperately needed a language tutor, and the Lord gave me Karin. Karin is a national believer who grew up speaking two languages. At home, Karin spoke the prominent language of two neighboring countries; at school, she spoke the national language. Once I could speak the national language, I started attending Karin’s church. Over the years, our friendship deepened, and we began serving the Lord together in children's and women's ministries.
Meet Regina
Regina became a friend of mine when I began helping her children with their English homework. She is the wife of Karin’s cousin, and originally from another neighboring country. Regina is a follower of Jesus, but was never taught to share her faith with others in the church she attended.
The Beginning of a New Work
When numerous Muslims from four different countries were driven from their homes and began seeking refuge in our country, the Spirit began opening our eyes to the opportunities surrounding us. God cultivated a common burden in Karin, Regina, and me for these broken people- which drew us together to begin working among refugee women and children. We began with those from Regina's home country, who were living in a neighborhood near us.
Karin, Regina, and I began working at a refugee center- teaching languages and the arts. The women we have worked with over the years have faced daily challenges, and they still frequently share with us deep burdens of concern for the future of their children. Unable to return to their home country, and unlikely to settle as citizens in their new country, they live in limbo.
Until this year, the refuge children have not been able to attend any kind of national school. However, our work at the refugee center has provided some opportunity over the years to teach basic language skills and to build relationships. God has given us opportunities to hold special programs at the center for Christmas and Easter, where we have shared the Gospel message.
The children we work with today, ranging from age four to fourteen, require so much love to counteract the negative effects that war and prejudice have had on their young hearts and minds. They need constant encouragement and affirmation as they struggle to endure a difficult life as refugees in a foreign country. We delight in sharing God's abundant love with them from week to week.
An Unlikely Team
I have been blessed to work with Karin and Regina as we build relationships among Muslim refugee populations. As women from different countries and cultural backgrounds, we each contribute our own strengths to the work. Regina, because she is originally from the same country as these women, understands their language and culture and can relate to them on a level that Karin and I cannot. She is daily growing bolder in sharing her faith as she works together with us. Karin also has the ability to share the Gospel with the women in their native language. I have the ability to share the Gospel through translation and to contribute financial resources that God has provided through my supporters in America. This unlikely team the Lord has brought together from three different cultures and countries is truly an example of his universal church in action- meeting the needs of the lost, broken, and unseen.
Pray for Growth
Please pray for us as we daily carry heavy burdens that these Muslim women share with us. What do you say to the woman who tells you that fifteen of her relatives were killed two days ago? How do you encourage the mother who shares that her son needs eye surgery for an injury he received during the war, which may cause him to be permanently blind in that eye? How do you comfort the woman who gets a phone call informing her that her brother was detained at the border and thrown into the army to be shipped off to war? Only the Lord has answers for the problems these women face, and it is our prayer and our goal to daily point them to Him.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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