Rural Colorado

Meet IAFR's Shann Doughty in Rural Colorado

Rural northern Colorado is hardly a context most people associate with refugees. But that is where God called Shanna Doughty and her family to serve.

It turns out many former refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants work in agricultural processing plants, dairies and farms there - good paying jobs that require minimum English language skills.

Populations in small rural communities can be quite diverse. But integration that includes a sense of belonging to the community is often a challenge. Churches can play an important role in welcoming these strangers and loving them as valued neighbors.

I asked Shanna a few questions so you get a chance to know her.

Why do you serve with IAFR?

It is difficult to find an organization that holds together an unwavering love for Jesus that desires to faithfully witness to him and an equally unwavering love for people that desires to be a friend in holistic and tangible ways. Yet, this has been my experience with IAFR. I feel most at home when I spend time with my IAFR colleagues.

Why do you serve in northern Colorado?

My family is originally from Colorado. We realized that the people God called us to walk alongside were in a region we regularly drove through on visits home. So after ten years away we returned.

What have you learned about refugee life in rural America?

There are always more communities impacted by forced displacement than what appears on the surface.

In our community, we’ve discovered that integration can only occur if all communities understand the value of integration and are willing to bring their whole selves to the process. This includes the receiving community, immigrants, asylum seekers, resettled refugees, and every sub-community within each category.

What would you like us to know about the ministry there?

During these divisive times, our community’s diversity in political, religious, ethnic, and national identities in such a small space has the potential to produce widespread and severe harm toward one another. But as a small rural community, we also have the potential to engage in meaningful conversations and action across all potential divides.

Pray that within this context our team will bear faithful witness to Christ as reconcilers and peacemakers.

Click here to learn more about IAFR's work in Northern Colorado.