Give to the Max!

Minnesota has long ranked among the most generous states in America. It’s no surprise that “Give to the Max Day” was born here in 2009— which happens to be the same year I founded International Association for Refugees, right here in Minnesota.

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Let's Give to the Max Today!

This November 20, I invite you to make a special gift to IAFR’s Sustaining Fund. Your generosity will help us meet our 2025 budget goal and step into the new year with strength and resolve.

IAFR is a one-of-a-kind international Christian mission dedicated to serving refugees, asylum seekers, and people forcibly displaced within their own countries. You are reading this blog, so I trust you share our heart for helping people survive and recover from forced displacement.

A Hard Year for Refugees

2025 has been devastating for displaced people. The U.S. asylum process has been shuttered. Refugee resettlement has stalled. Foreign aid that once provided food, medicine, and shelter in camps has been cut. The message to refugees has been: “You’re not our problem.”

But you and I know better.

Meet Imara

I recently visited Kakuma refugee camp in remote northwestern Kenya, home to over 300,000 people—mostly women and children fleeing war.

While there, I met Imara (photo). Her name means “strong” in Swahili.

She was lying on the dirt floor of her shelter when we arrived. She laughed when she heard she had visitors—she doesn’t get many.

I watched her roll onto her knees, wrap a skirt around her waist, and crawl to the doorway. That’s when I realized she’s severely disabled.

Someone offered to help her up. She refused.

She reached for a beam above the door, pulled herself to her feet, grabbed her crutches, and walked out smiling. Someone offered help again. She declined.

Then she laid down her crutches. Took slow, deliberate steps. Motioned for people to move aside. And greeted each of us, one by one.

The refugee pastor beside me whispered, “She was completely lame until a few years ago. She asked me to pray for her. She’s been able to walk a bit since.”

Imara is more than a person in need. She’s determined. She’s dignified. She’s strong.

But she still needs help - especially with food.

Thanks to IAFR’s supporters, Imara received critical food aid in August. She is one of thousands of displaced people we’ve served across Africa, Europe, and the U.S.

Why Your Gift Matters

Without a strong Sustaining Fund, our team cannot show up in the lives of people like Imara. We need your help to continue this vital work.

Whether you're from Minnesota or not, I hope that you will join us this Give to the Max Day. Your gift will help restore dignity, hope, and survival to those who’ve lost everything.

CLICK HERE to donate to the IAFR Sustaining Fund today!