Who We Are

Mission
Exodus World Service transforms the lives of refugees and volunteers. We educate churches about refugee ministry, connect volunteers with newly arriving refugees through practical service projects, and equip leaders to speak up on behalf of refugees. The end result is that wounded hearts are healed, loneliness is replaced with companionship, and fear is transformed into hope.
 
History
What started as a small group of founders has grown into a grassroots community of thousands.  We range in age from children to retirees.  We represent a wide range of denominational backgrounds.  We bring different gifts. 
 
What unites us is our shared commitment to the transformative power of community and hospitality.  We put into action the Biblical commands to "welcome the stranger" and "love our neighbors as our ourselves."  We know firsthand the powerful ways God can work when people open their homes and their lives to refugees.
 
Our ministry is both simple and profound.  It is simple because it involves sharing everyday moments.  Cooking together and trying new foods, discussing practical issues such as where to buy groceries and how to get medical care, mourning losses and celebrating special events.
 
It is profound because the relationships formed in those everday moments transcend the distinctions of refugee and volunteer.  The willingness to connect across culture and life experiences, the commitment to walk side by side through both struggle and success, and the opportunity to learn and grow from one another transform lives.
 
Impact
Since its founding in 1988, Exodus World Service has mobilized more than 50,000 volunteers who have brought help and hope to over 9,000 refugees.   We've welcomed refugees fleeing terror and persecution in Bhutan, Burma, Burundi, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leon, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Vietnam, Yemen, and Yugoslavia. 
 
Over 54,000 people have learned more about refugees through our workshops, presentations, simulations and publications.  And we've equipped leaders in more than 25 states and in countries around the world, including Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Spain, Uganda, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
 
Programs
Exodus World Service offers a variety of different ways for you to get involved. Check out our volunteer programs.