Stories of Hope

A needle and thread might be just the tools needed to stitch hearts together in Willmar, MN. Melissa Scheele founded the Rey’a Community Arts sewing program in 2017, and since then she has watched great friendships form through the 8-week sewing class. This one-on-one teaching program held

The Baskaran family fled Sri Lanka to Malaysia before coming to Minnesota. Sriranjini Baskaran recalls, “While living under refugee status in Malaysia, our only dreams and hopes were to live a peaceful life with basic rights like having the legal authorization to work, study, and get medical

One generous way some local kids are helping refugee families is by donating money from their own piggybanks to purchase welcome kit items and car seats for newly arriving families. A group of kids participating in HOPE Scouts (Helping Other People Everywhere), committed to supporting Arrive Ministries

Arriving in 2014 Amani and his two brothers are originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They resettled through Arrive Ministries in 2014. Our employment counselor, Anya helped Amani land a job his first weeks in Minnesota, and register for classes at Inver Hills Community College. “Amani

Just imagine arriving new to a country with 1-year-old twins, a 3-year-old, and a 5-year-old? What would be some of your immediate needs as you step off the plane? The answer: gathering very practical items, such as diapers for the twins, safe car seats for all four

How would you feel if you were a farmer, and suddenly, you were landless? Feeling a lack of purpose, connection, even depression would all make sense. These feelings are all too common for refugees, many of whom were involved in working the land back home, and who

In big and small ways, Tracy works to open her doors at our Immigration Legal Services department in warm and welcoming ways. She offers tea or water to her clients, and toys to their kids. Tracy also regularly offers to pray for her clients. “The sweetest parts

Airport Jitters It was last fall, and my first time welcoming a new refugee as a Resettlement Case Manager.  I was nervously waiting at the airport for a 24-year old Karen* woman arriving from Thailand. Questions raced through my brain: ⦁ How long has she been apart

Volunteer Profile on Bill Cameron, SALT Site Director in East St. Paul Courteous, hospitable, and respectful are the three attributes Bill Cameron used to describe a group of community members who moved into the apartment complexes in his East St. Paul neighborhood 13 years ago. These attributes

Thank you to Slumberland for donating 75 beds to refugees served by Arrive Ministries. Arrive Ministries is honored to be one of 6 worthy recipients of this Home for the Holidays initiative. “We wanted to give our mattresses to people who are sleeping on the floor. Most