Refugee Regional Roundtable
Amarillo, Texas
Southwest Church of Christ
August 10–11, 2023
Connect with like-minded followers of Jesus who are serving refugees in our region!
Who should come?
Do you serve or work alongside refugees in your career or ministry? Are you an ESL instructor? Are you invested in long-term relationship with refugees? This is for you!
Is Amarillo accessible to you? If you can get here and you feel that it is important for you to be connected in relationship to others in this region, then this is for you!
Are you connected to refugees through a local ministry or program? Are you interested in serving refugees, but you're not sure where to begin? This is for you!
Have you been forcibly displaced? Are you hoping to use your voice so that we can better honor other refugees who settle here? This is for you!
How will you benefit?
People who come to gatherings like this often say, "Wow, these are my people!" We hope to foster relationships between and among forcibly displaced people, practitioners, volunteers, ministries, and churches.
Our hope is that you'll connect with the people in this region who care about what you care about. We expect to foster communities of practice around key focus areas such as English instruction, social work, relational volunteers, and health.
Working among refugees is often difficult, emotionally taxing, and lonely. Not only will you enjoy spirit-filled communion with other believers, but you'll have the chance to pray and worship away from the day-to-day demands of your work or ministry.
This is your chance to learn in an informal, friendly environment. Whether you're new to refugees and asking basic culture questions, or you're experienced and wanting deeper insight, our breakout sessions should meet your needs.
Tentative Schedule
Understand the RHPNA Network
Who is the RHPNA?
We are a network of Christ-followers who share a common passion to see the Church minister the whole gospel amongst those who have been forcibly displaced – including the thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who arrive in North America each year. As a Christian network, The Refugee Highway Partnership North America seeks to connect and mobilize leaders, churches and organizations to effectively engage with refugees.
Our Vision & Values
Our vision is to see a Kingdom movement of transformational ministry with and among forcibly displaced people in North America and beyond.
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We are motivated by our Biblical Mandate
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We believe prayer to be foundational to our movement and ministry
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We are committed to relationships that reflect reciprocity, inclusion and lead to mutual transformation
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We seek to collaborate and nurture partnerships
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We foster a spirit of welcoming and acceptance within the refugee communities where we serve
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We are dedicated to the mobilization of leaders, churches, and organizations
Cost
Tickets for the Roundtable are $45. However, if your breakout proposal is accepted, then you may register for the half-off price of $22.50. These prices will help us to offset the costs for food, snacks, coffee, materials, and any facilities expenses we incur. Any money leftover will be put toward a future roundtable.
If for any reason the price of a ticket is a burden to you, please don't hesitate to contact us. We will gladly register you for free!
Breakout Sessions
A majority of our time will be spent in breakout groups. You'll have the opportunity to plan your own schedule based on the topics you'd like to learn about. Most breakout sessions will consist of a a short introduction, followed by 25 minutes of lecture content, and concluding with 25 minutes of facilitated discussion and Q&A. The breakout tracks, along with some suggested topics, are listed below.
(1) Adult education & ESL
- Working with English language learners (everyday tips)
- Lesson planning & structure
- Teaching methods & exercises, classroom management
- Curriculum, models, case studies, working with multi-level classes
- Assessments
(2) Culture
- Tips for working with other cultures
- Specific culture profiles
- Cultural principles such as honor/shame
- Working with 1.5 and 2nd generations
(3) Faith & evangelism
- Relational evangelism
- Contextualization of the Gospel
- Working with Muslims
- Models of ministry
- Church mobilization & church engagement
- Discovery Bible Studies (DBS)
(4) Health: physical, mental, spiritual
- Dealing appropriately with trauma
- Mental health
- Spiritual health among practitioners
- Dealing with common physical health needs of refugees
(5) Other
- Working in secondary migration cities (e.g. meatpacking towns)
- Social work: Access to resources, documentation, forms, information about pathways, etc.
- Case studies, collaborations
- Facilitating economic independence
- Fundraising
- Advocacy
Please consider submitting a proposal! We'd love to have you share out of your own experience and excitement. As a thank-you, accepted facilitators can use the half-off registration to save some money on the registration. Download the instructions below. The proposal deadline is July 14.
Accommodations
Book your own accommodations
We do not have the capacity to organize hotel blocks for out-of-town guests. Amarillo is an incredibly common location for travelers, so there is a large number of local motels and AirBnBs. The Roundtable schedule should enable you to travel in on Thursday morning and then leave on Friday evening. We hope you will only need to spend money on one night of accommodations, and that this will make the event more accessible to you.
Consider staying in Cactus, TX
We encourage you to consider attending the site visit to Cactus on Thursday evening. Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center has shared dorms available for $60/person, so you can attend the site visit and stay the night in Cactus before driving back to Amarillo for the second day of the Roundtable. Dinner and breakfast is included, so this deal can't be beat! Please book with CNMC directly by emailing Todd Forest at todd@cactusministries.org.
Site Visits
This is your chance to see a couple of local sites with your own eyes. We're offering two separate site visits on Thursday, in hopes that many of you will take advantage of this learning opportunity. When you register, you'll have the opportunity to go ahead and reserve your spot.
The PLACE is a refugee-focused multicultural community center that opened last year. A collaborative project among three local organizations, the PLACE stands for "The Place for language, art, culture & economic growth." It saw over 150 visitors per week in 2022, and has primarily focused on meeting the day-to-day needs of Afghan parolees while we pull them deeper into our programs and long-term relationships. Programs offered at the PLACE include ESL classes, community potluck meals, social services, after-school tutoring, a computer lab, and translation services. Come see how three organizations have collaborated to offer something truly unique.
We'll offer a PLACE tour on Thursday morning at 10:30 AM, and we'll offer a second opportunity on Thursday afternoon at 4:00 PM.
Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center serves the town of Cactus, which primarily consists of employees of JBS, a meatpacking plant. CNMC began in 2023, and offers immigration services, English & GED classes, community engagement opportunities, and programs for children & families. CNMC often hosts ministry teams for projects, allowing them to stay in their dorms. Cactus is a very unique town that leaves a deep impression on all who visit. Come see how one ministry is serving an isolated meatpacking town.
We'll offer a site visit on Thursday afternoon at 5:00 PM. It's an hour's drive north of Amarillo, so we have a special opportunity for you! You are welcome to stay the night in the shared dorms. It will only cost you $60, and you'll get accommodations, plus dinner and breakfast before heading back to Amarillo on Friday. Look above for the email address to book these accommodations. This will save you money, and prevent you from having to drive there and back on the same day.
Register for the Roundtable
Please register for your participation below. Pick your Registration Type and select how you will pay. Once you've finished registering, you can visit our Giving Page to make an online donation to cover your registration fees. The registration deadline is August 4. Thank you!
