Extending Christ's Compassion to Displaced Communities

The Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries provides comprehensive support to displaced people groups settling in North America. We create welcoming communities where refugees and immigrants can find spiritual nurture, practical assistance, and cultural understanding during their transition to a new homeland.
Cultural Worship Communities

We establish language-specific congregations and worship groups where refugees and immigrants can connect with God and fellow believers in their native languages. These spiritual homes provide cultural familiarity and comfort while fostering spiritual growth and community support during challenging transitions.

Practical Support Services

Our ministry offers essential assistance including welcome kits, housing support, language classes, employment preparation, educational guidance, and legal assistance connections. These services address immediate needs while building foundations for long-term stability and success in North America.

Leadership Development

We identify and equip emerging leaders from within refugee communities through contextualized training, mentoring relationships, and educational opportunities. This approach ensures sustainable ministry growth led by those who deeply understand their community's unique needs and cultural context.

Our Sacred Purpose

The Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries represents the church's commitment to biblical hospitality and care for "the stranger in our midst." Through comprehensive support services and culturally appropriate spiritual nurture, we seek to create vibrant faith communities where refugees and immigrants experience God's love, discover hope in Christ, and develop into mission-focused believers who share their faith with others from similar backgrounds.

Meet Our Ministry Leader

Terri Saelee

Terri Saelee brings over 40 years of dedicated service to her role as Coordinator for Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries. Her journey began in 1982 as a student missionary in Thailand working with Southeast Asian refugees. After returning to the United States, Terri co-founded SEARCH (Southeast Asian Refugee Community Helps), which led to successful Lao and Hmong church plants in Sacramento. She has served refugee communities in multiple capacities, including as secretary of the Sacramento Area Refugee Forum, as a job developer, and as an advocate for disability rights. Together with her husband Ko, who serves as Hmong Coordinator for the Wisconsin Conference, Terri coordinates NAD-wide refugee ministries from their home in Rio, Wisconsin, where they continue church planting efforts alongside their three children.