Evangelical Missiological Society, "EMS Southwest Regional Meeting", April 4th 2024

Jamie Sanchez, Talbot School of Theology

Refugee Women: Stories of how Faith and the Faith Community Impact Resilience

Limited research has been conducted specific to women refugees (Freedman, 2015; Gissi, 2018; Marchand, 2008). Resilience, or the ability to successfully overcome adversity (Masten, 2018), is one theme that has emerged in such studies. For example, Hutchinson and Dorsett (2012) asserted that refugee resilience depends on external environments as much as on internal strength. An example of internal and external factors which impact refugee resilience includes participation in their own personal faith and in a community of faith. There are studies connecting faith and well-being (Skalisky, et. al, 2022), other studies which show that refugees benefit by participating in a religion and a religious community (Lusk, et. al, 2021; Muruthi, et. al, 2020; Rayes, et. al, 2021); and that faith-based support for refugees (Nagel, 2023; Tippens, 2022) impacts refugee well-being.

This presentation is derived from a larger study which sought to understand how refugee women describe factors that impact their own resilience. In this section of the study, I present data from interviews with 34 refugee women living in Europe in summer 2023. The specific findings I will present focus on how a personal faith, God’s miracles, churches providing for practical needs, and having a sense of belonging in church are all key factors in helping women refugees overcome their adverse situations with resilience. Data from participants will be shared to substantiate the findings. I will offer implications for church staff, missionaries, missiologists, and NGO personnel working with refugees.