The United Nations estimates that 110 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced due to conflict, persecution, human rights violations, and violence. Many now live in poverty in crowded refugee camps—some longing to return to their homelands, others hoping to find a new country to call home. In a time when many communities are facing housing shortages and rising costs of living, it can be difficult to understand what would motivate individuals and groups to take on the responsibility of refugee sponsorship.

Yet God’s family is called to welcome strangers. For more than 45 years, Christian Reformed Churches, with the support of World Renew’s Refugee Sponsorship and Resettlement team, have responded to this call by sponsoring refugees and helping them adjust to new lives.

Eleanor McComb, a member of the sponsorship committee of Willoughby CRC in Langley, British Columbia, has seen this commitment lived out over decades. In the 1980s, her committee sponsored refugees from Vietnam; in the 1990s, Middle Eastern families; and in the past 12 years, they have sponsored more than 40 individuals from a dozen families.

Eleanor says, “The impetus to do this comes from my belief that we are to live in accordance with Micah 6:8, ‘Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.’ And walking humbly means that when we are confronted with an issue, we don’t ignore it. Great satisfaction comes to us when we don’t ignore the needs of this world.”

She acknowledges that sponsorship is not without its challenges. “Housing is difficult to find, and so housing is not always optimal. Suitable work can also be hard to secure. Sometimes personality issues are difficult to overcome, and language barriers can lead to misunderstandings,” says Eleanor.

At the same time, she highlights the deep rewards: “Seeing a family thrive and put down roots is a reason for joy. . . It’s a privilege to be involved with people from other countries who have struggled to make their way in this world. It’s a gift! Do it!”

A Continued Commitment to Welcome and Walk Together

World Renew remains committed to walking alongside refugees and the churches and groups who welcome them. Through our Refugee Sponsorship and Resettlement program, we partner with churches and communities in Canada to offer protection, practical support, and the opportunity for refugees to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. Together, these efforts reflect a shared calling to extend hospitality, pursue justice, and advocate for those who have been displaced—continuing to come alongside both sponsors and newcomers as they journey toward belonging and a renewed future.

Story originally adapted from a piece published by Christian Courier.