People of Refuge
"My home will be your home"
We've Expanded Into South City!
The People of Refuge Team is convinced that Jesus' incarnation, his entry into our world, must be the model for our ministry. It follows, therefore, that our ministry center should be located in South St. Louis City so that we can enter more fully into the lives of the refugee and immigrant community there. Toward that end, People of Refuge is now renting approximately 900 square feet of completely refurbished office space at 3129 Chippewa (on the corner of Michigan and Chippewa). Our phone number is (314) 726-9915.
The new People of Refuge Center is within walking distance of many of our New City families and of the International Institute, close to La Clinca and its medical services, and located right on a city bus line.
Our Goal in Locating Here
Our goal is, Lord willing, to be able to be a place of refuge for many, a place where we can share the good news of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, together looking to the work of God in our lives. "My home will be your home" is the slogan, inviting every person to participate just as God invites us to participate in his house. The house of the Lord is a house with open doors where together we will walk in the paths of the Lord and He will teach us His ways.
Stepping out...by Faith
The move of God always implies changes, challenges, opportunities, conflict and doubts. People of Refuge is part of a process of faith by which we leave our known comfort zones to walk in places we don't know. This is the same challenge that our forefathers had. It is the call of God to Abraham, to leave his family and his country to walk among the nations and be a people that demonstrated justice, compassion, and the mercy of God. "By faith, Abraham, being called, obeyed leaving his inheritance; and he went out not knowing where he was going to" (Hebrews 11:8)."
God invites us to follow him without knowing where we are going, but with faith in Jesus Christ, in whom all is sustained, we are confident of His promises. We see from afar that city with foundations whose builder and maker is God. Believing, and healing, and confessing that we are strangers and foreigners on this earth, we walk together with the immigrant and the refugee in St. Louis. We have come to learn that "to go to the nations" does not only mean to go to other countries, because thousands from the nations are right here! As we break bread together and serve one another we begin to see how the life of Christ grows in our lives through unity and reconciliation.
Praise God with us for providing this new place, supporting partners at every step, and financial resources. And do pray that God would use this place to help us love our neighbors in South City.
