From Helpless to Hopeful
Sometimes the First Step Is Simply Saying Yes
Loving our neighbors doesn't always begin with a plan. Sometimes it begins with a burden we can't ignore.
Maybe you've watched the headlines, felt your heart break for immigrant families, and wondered what one person could possibly do. Maybe you've wanted to make a difference but didn't know where to begin.
This summer, we're sharing stories from Women of Welcome Local Chapter leaders across the country. These women aren't experts. They're ordinary women who chose to take one faithful step, trusting God to meet them along the way.
Today, we're introducing you to Ariana, whose journey began during quiet, sleepless nights with a newborn and a simple question: What can I do?
Meet Ariana
In 2025, I found myself newly postpartum, up late at night breastfeeding my daughter and scrolling through social media, watching our country change. As I held my baby in those quiet, exhausted hours, I couldn't stop thinking about mothers being separated from their own children because of immigration policy. I felt helpless. I felt frustrated. And I knew I needed to do something, I just didn't know what.
Then I found Bri and Women of Welcome.
When I saw the work they were building, something in me said, "This is it." But when I searched for a local chapter, there wasn't one. So I did what felt like the only option: I reached out to a woman in my small group and asked if she'd be willing to start one with me.
I did this because I knew I wasn't alone in how I was feeling. There were so many women around me in the same boat: Mothers who were overwhelmed and heartbroken. Women who genuinely wanted to help their neighbors but didn't know where to start, didn't have the resources, and didn't feel equipped to act on their own.
Women of Welcome became that place for us.
In just a short time, our chapter has hosted five events and become a part of local efforts — two info sessions, two book clubs, a day of advocacy, and an immigration retreat in partnership with local organizations. We've gotten connected to interfaith work in our community, helped create hygiene kits, written to our congressmen, and slowly but surely, we've watched women go from feeling helpless to feeling confident and capable. Women who now know how to identify local needs and activate local helping hands.
We cannot wait to see what 2026 holds. We are so grateful to be part of the Women of Welcome family and to have access to the incredible educational resources that help us love our neighbors well—practically, faithfully, and together.
To Bri and the entire Women of Welcome team: thank you for building something that turns overwhelm into action. You gave us a place to start, and we haven't stopped since.
Hope Begins with One Small Step
Ariana's story reminds us that feeling overwhelmed doesn't have to be the end of the story. It can be the beginning.
She didn't have a roadmap. She didn't have all the answers. She simply reached out to one friend, trusted God with the next step, and watched Him build a community of women committed to loving their neighbors together.
That same invitation is open to all of us.
Maybe your next step is attending a local chapter event. Maybe it's gathering a few friends to learn together. Maybe it's connecting with local organizations already serving immigrants and refugees in your community. Or maybe it's saying yes to starting a Women of Welcome chapter where you live.
You don't have to do everything. You simply have to take the next faithful step.
Ready to Get Started?
Whether you're looking for encouragement, practical ideas, or a community of women committed to welcoming well, we'd love to help you begin.
Download Love Locally, our brand new free summer resource. We are making this the summer of Christ-like welcome, and you can, too. It has ideas on how to model Christlike welcome for your kids, how to connect with your immigrant neighbors, conversation starters, simple recipes to try out, and so much more!
Find a local chapter near you or learn more about starting one. You don't have to do this alone. Together, we can turn compassion into action and love our neighbors well.
