Choosing Compassion

Have you ever felt out of control? At a loss for how things got to where they are now… with no real clear path toward a fix, try as you may? It happens on a personal, individual level. It happens on a community-wide level. It happens on a national level, and also a global one (pandemic, anyone?). 

Lately, it feels like so much is outside of our control. Between wars, policies, cancer diagnoses, the loss of a loved one, an unexpected accident… life can feel heavy, uncertain, overwhelming. The out-of-control feeling can elicit a myriad of responses. At any moment of any given day, some of us may feel panic, grief, fear, defeat, weariness. Other times, despite the circumstances surrounding us, we may find a semblance of peace. 

I’m always really proud of the team here at City of Refuge, but I’ve been especially proud of them as of late. While all of them may individually be feeling some of the above at various points in time, what I see most from them is compassion in action. We get the gift, in the midst of everything we can’t possibly control, of being part of a mission that is making a real difference in the lives of those who are literally starting over.

Instead of defeat and worry overtaking us I have seen a flurry of activity:
Needs being met. 
Partnerships being formed. 
Compassion on display. 

Staying true to who we are, who we have always been – not determining how or when or why people make their way to City of Refuge, but extending open arms to all who do. 

You may have seen recent news that the Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions has been set at a historically low number—just 7,500 people nationwide, with priority given to Afrikaners from South Africa.

For us here in mid-Missouri, this means it’s very unlikely we’ll welcome any new refugee arrivals in the coming year. Across the entire state, only about 225 individuals are expected to be resettled.

This news, coming after the refugee admissions halt in January, has been difficult for us and for our refugee friends who are already here. Many have loved ones and friends living in extremely hard—and sometimes dire—situations abroad.

But there is still hope and movement. While few, if any, new-to-the-country refugees may walk through our door, we anticipate many secondary migrants continuing to arrive. A secondary migrant is someone who has initially been resettled in one city but then moves elsewhere. So far this year, we’ve welcomed over 100 new individuals to Columbia. So while refugee resettlement across the nation has paused and will slowly pick back up – City of Refuge continues to grow. 

In addition, on October 31, 2025 the USDA released a document regarding the rollout of H.R. 1 and its potential impact on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility for refugees. We don’t yet know the full scope of what this will entail, and we’re also working to understand the ramifications of the government shutdown and how the new Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD) work requirements may affect our families.

Decisions beyond our control may change the landscape, but they do not change our mission — support and empowerment. We celebrate and build upon the strengths, skills, and cultural wealth that our newest neighbors bring from around the world. With unwavering commitment to relationally caring for, educating, and developing our newest neighbors, we move forward.

We can’t control everything happening around us, but we can choose how we respond. And here at City of Refuge, we choose compassion, community, and steadfast love for our newest neighbors.

Thank you for your part in helping that continue on. 

Debbie Beal
Executive Director

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