TWU students and staff are partnering with a local non-profit organization to serve the needs of refugee claimants in Canada. Their fundraising event, Ride for Refuge, seeks to raise awareness and draw support.
This fall, Thidarat Phoosit is leading a Ride for Refuge fundraising initiative to support refugee families in Canada. Thidarat, who graduated this past spring with a degree in Social Sciences with Human Services, is the Global Engagement Intern for TWU's Global Engagement Office (GEO).
She explains how Ride for Refuge is an event that TWU's Local Outreach program had been hoping to pursue for the past two years, but was prevented from doing so because of the restrictions that came with COVID-19. Now that restrictions are easing, Thidarat and her teammates are excited to provide students with the opportunity to engage in service-learning with host organizations in the local community.
"My inspiration to engage in this initiative stems from a question about who my neighbour is," Thidarat shares. "Jesus’ earthly ministry demonstrates His care for all people and is a key example for me of the posture I hope to embody when I am in relationship with others. I believe that our neighbours transcend beyond geographical borders and that to care for those seeking refuge is an embodiment of Jesus’ love for all people and a posture of loving our neighbour well."
"Engaging in this meaningful initiative with Journey Home Community for the first time this year is a significant experience for our students. Through organizations like Journey Home Community, students become more connected with their community, gaining the awareness of what it means to serve with a mindset of human worth and inherent dignity at the forefront."
— Thidarat Phoosit, Global Engagement Intern
Partnering with local organizations to support refugees
Refugee Care is one of the five ministry areas that students can get involved in through TWU's Local Outreach program. "We are working alongside Journey Home Community, a local non-profit organization that supports refugee claimants in Canada," Thidarat says. "Every year, they host a national campaign called Ride for Refuge to raise funds in support of the refugee community in Canada." Aside from the fundraiser, Local Outreach is also sending a group of student volunteers from Trinity Western University to support Journey Home Community's work this year.
"Engaging in this meaningful initiative with Journey Home Community for the first time this year is a significant experience for our students," Thidarat expresses. "Through organizations like Journey Home Community, students become more connected with their community, gaining the awareness of what it means to serve with a mindset of human worth and inherent dignity at the forefront."
"We hope that through service, students learn and grow professionally and in their character."
Support the cause
The team from TWU Local Outreach is joining the Burnaby Royal Oak chapter of Ride for Refuge, which takes place Oct. 1, 2022 at Burnaby Royal Park. To learn more, and to participate, please visit Ride for Refuge 2022 Burnaby Royal Oak.
About TWU's Local Outreach program
The vision of Local Outreach is to develop spiritually mature disciples of Jesus Christ who cultivate and model Christlike character, and who selflessly love and influence others in the community. The program is modelled after Christ’s ministry of hope and the historical efforts of the church to do the same. Learn more at TWU's Local Outreach program.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four locations in Canada: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.