Courage in community: MBMM’s ministry amid rising fear on World Refugee Day
Valley Forge, PA (06/20/2025)—Massachusetts Baptist Multicultural Ministries is one of ABHMS’ partners that supports refugees and immigrants in their journey of resettlement, integration, and healing. It serves newcomers from Afghanistan, Somalia, Burma (Myanmar), Bhutan, Iraq, Central America, and Haiti, among others. Every year, it celebrates the resilience and dignity of people it serves on World Refugee Day, in the spirit of its mission: “to advocate, celebrate, and empower (A.C.E.) ethnic churches, pastors, and new Americans from different parts of the world. We promote and speak the language of love. Our work is weaving God’s love across cultures.”
World Refugee Day, instituted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2000, is celebrated globally to honor those who had to flee their homes. Globally, in December 2024, there were an estimated 42.7 million refugees, that is people who have fled their home countries due to war, persecution, or violence. The total number of those who experienced forced displacement (refugees, internally displaced people, and asylum-seekers), reached 123.2 million.
Photo courtesy of Ahmed Akacha at Pexels.
In 2025, the celebration in Lowell, Mass., where MBMM is located, is marred by fear. The increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is casting a shadow over the usually joyful, multicultural celebrations. Only last month, 11 roofing workers from Ecuador were rounded up and arrested in Lowell. “People are afraid to come,” says Mar Imsong, Executive Director of MBMM, reflecting on the sharp decline in attendance at the nonprofit’s various programs and events. “The recent surge in ICE raids in Lowell has had a devastating impact — loved ones are being detained or deported, leaving behind children, spouses, and elders who are traumatized and struggling to meet their basic needs.”
In the face of such fear and disruption, MBMM remains steadfast in its mission: responding not only to immediate crises but also equipping refugee and immigrant communities with the tools they need to rebuild their lives. It provides not just legal, logistical, and educational, but also spiritual aid. Through its ACE Center for New Americans, with the input of refugee advocates, it helps “refugees seamlessly achieve a path to self-sufficiency, inclusion, and become active citizens in their new communities.” With support from an emergency grant from ABHMS, MBMM was able to provide essential legal assistance to Haitian immigrants through one-on-one sessions with an immigration attorney, helping families navigate the complex process of applying for asylum.
Furthermore, MBMM refugee advocates assist refugees with navigating complex American institutions. MBMM also delivers adult literacy programs, tutor training initiatives, English as a Second Language training (ESL), afterschool programs, drivers’ education, citizenship classes, immigrant pastor coaching, and leadership development workshops. Each year, ACE supports 3,000+ individuals and families in the greater Lowell area.
“Volunteers are vital for the success of the programs right now,” said Imsong. Refugees and immigrants, especially those without legal status, avoid driving as being pulled over without proper documentation or insurance can lead to arrest or deportation; so, some choose not to drive at all. This is one of the reasons why attendance is plummeting. But with the growing number of volunteers who can pick up children and adults, things look hopeful.
To celebrate refugees, even in the face of adversity, on Saturday, June 21, 2025, the ACE Center for New Americans will host a multicultural World Refugee Day celebration, inviting the broader community to stand in solidarity with refugees and immigrants. The event will feature a performance of “What the World Needs Now” by Jenny Bonham-Carter and the Interfaith Coalition, as well as music by an Egyptian band. Attendees will also hear “Backpack Stories,” a powerful storytelling segment highlighting personal journeys of displacement and resilience, along with cultural performances that reflect the rich diversity of the communities MBMM serves. There will also be a showing of the movie “Lamya’s Poem,” which tells the story of a young girl escaping war-torn Syria. It will be a meaningful expression of hope and belonging.
The celebration will also be marked by the presence of public officials who recognize the importance of uplifting refugee and immigrant voices in Massachusetts. State Representative Vanna Howard, herself a refugee from Cambodia, will join the gathering, alongside Yasmine Padamsee-Forbes, Executive Director of the Asian American & Pacific Islander Commission. The mayor of Lowell, Daniel P. Rourke, is also expected to attend. In addition, a letter of recognition from Senator Elizabeth Warren will be read aloud, offering words of encouragement and solidarity.
As the ACE Center prepares for this year’s World Refugee Day celebration, Rev. Veronique Lapaix is helping lead the effort in her new role as project director for MBMM and the ACE Center. A longtime supporter of the ministry and former board member, Rev. Lapaix stepped into her staff role in March 2025. She now oversees a range of programs, from the afterschool and ESOL classes to major events like World Refugee Day. “It’s one thing to be on the board and hear reports,” she reflected, “but it’s another thing to be part of the daily work.” As Lapaix also prepares to take on leadership of MBMM’s Thriving Pastoral Ministry Program later this year, she embodies the spirit of the celebration itself: faithful presence, cross-cultural care, and the steady weaving of God’s love into every corner of community life.
If you’d like to support the life-changing work of ministries like MBMM, consider donating to American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) by clicking here. Your gift will help provide vital resources, such as language classes, afterschool programs, and emergency aid to refugees and immigrants building new lives in the U.S.
By Rev. Dr. Anna Piela, ABHMS’ senior writer and the associate editor at The Christian Citizen.
