Extending Our Reach Through Training and Support

Equipping people, congregations, and organizations

Over the last year, IAFR has provided training to people from hundreds of congregations, missions, and other organizations. Across five continents and countless countries, individuals are being equipped to care for forcibly displaced people in ways that are fruitful, sustainable, ethical, and faithfully Christian.

Assistant Director of Training, Jake Tornga, recently explained that as we provide training across the globe, we see over and over that there are people serving in challenging and isolated contexts. Many people feel alone as they face complex issues of ethics and sustainability, and yet they are making a huge difference. They are keeping people and hope alive. But just like those who are experiencing forced displacement firsthand, workers in refugee ministry need support and encouragement to know they are not alone.

Extending our reach

Training allows us to extend beyond the places where we, as IAFR, have a long-term presence. It allows us to be supportive and encouraging, and to equip the people who are present in those regions to do the work. It has an amplifying effect on our mission to help people survive and recover from forced displacement. Our team can’t keep up with all the demands they are receiving for more training.

The Faithful Innkeeper

After years of regular requests for additional training, extended content, and shareable materials, Director of Training, Rachel Uthmann, stepped in to bridge the gap. She recently finished her first book, The Faithful Innkeeper: Fostering Life-Giving Ministry Among Refugees. It builds on the materials already available through IAFR’s training to address real challenges faced by those committed to refugee ministry. In it, she explores questions including: How do we serve sustainably without burning out? How do we build genuine, mutual relationships? How do we process the grief and trauma we encounter while maintaining hope and effectiveness?

We are so excited to give you a sneak preview of her book before it launches this coming February. Rachel’s incredible heart and extensive experience walking alongside forcibly displaced people will be a blessing to your own ministry and life as you read. The book is available for pre-order here or, if you are interested in getting your hands on it sooner, you can subscribe to The Faithful Innkeeper mailing list for more information about joining the Early Reader’s Launch Team, debuting towards the end of 2026.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

If you or someone you know are interested in learning more about the incredible work of IAFR’s Training Team, or participating in a training yourself, you can join the Training Team mailing list for upcoming opportunities, including our next training intensive, February of 2027 in Richmond, Virginia.