Irvine church helps refugees
Eastside Christian Church, recently had the opportunity to partner with WelcomeNST, a nonprofit organization with a passion to put the superpower of community to work, welcoming refugees. The goal is to help vulnerable families to find secure housing, navigate school systems, find work, and become part of a new community. When WelcomeNST reached out in search of a church willing to welcome a newly arrived refugee family in Orange County, Eastside answered the call.
The refugee family – a young Muslim couple with two school-age daughters and a 7-month-old baby boy – arrived in the U.S. with no local relatives, limited English, and a long list of urgent needs: employment, transportation, school enrollment, and access to social services.
We call our volunteers Change Makers because they are the heroes making a difference every week.
local church in Irvine
helps a refugee family resettle
Donna Whitman and her husband have been part of the Eastside Christian Church Irvine, since it launched in 2023. Shortly after that, Priscilla Ward, from Eastside’s Compassion Team, asked if they’d be willing to welcome a newly arrived family in Orange County. Donna rallied people around her who were eager to help, bringing together a team of ordinary people with extraordinary hearts. Donna, together with a small group, quickly stepped in to lend a hand.
Thanks to the generosity of our Eastside community, incredible things began to unfold. This dedicated small group began to connect the family to community resources, including South County Outreach and the local Food Bank. Children’s Hope Warehouse helped furnish the family’s new apartment.
And then came a powerful moment of answered prayer: after the husband received his driver’s license, the group began praying for a car. Completely out of the blue, someone donated a vehicle to Eastside Christian Church —just in time.
Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!
Matthew 25
WELCOME THE STRANGER
Stories like this remind us that we don’t have to be experts to make a difference; we just have to be available. A group of ordinary people who choose to step in and walk alongside a family in need. From transportation and school enrollment, to job support and friendship, practical help and a sense of belonging.
No special skills are required — just willing hearts, and a shared commitment to welcome the stranger. Because when we come together, we don’t just help families resettle — we help them rebuild with dignity, hope, and love.
Local Outreach
At Eastside, our mission is to pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion — and that includes extending love to refugees who are starting over in an unfamiliar place.
If you were inspired by this story, we would love to tell you more about Eastside. We have a relentless love and commitment for all to know God. We are committed to finding unique ways to serve in our local communities and help our global neighbors. If you want to learn more about ways to make a difference in your community and around the globe, visit eastside.com/compassion.
We volunteer in local and global communities, and we also meet together every weekend if you would like to join us in person or online. We believe that this is a place for everyone, wherever you are on your journey. If you would like to find out more about Eastside, please visit eastside.com.