Mission

Phoenix Refugee Connections equips and unites Christians across Phoenix to walk in love with their refugee neighbors toward the fullness of life that God intends. Our goal is to encourage mutual transformation through meaningful relationships between the Church in Phoenix and forcibly displaced peoples.

Vision

To see every refugee resettled to Phoenix embraced as kin by the Body of Christ and thriving physically, socially, spiritually, and in wisdom. (John 15:12, Luke 2:52)

History

In 2008, a group of friends walking in relationship with their refugee neighbors across the Valley began meeting regularly to share resources, encourage each other, and collaborate toward the common goal of seeing these new neighbors not just survive, but thrive. Led by Bonnie Lloyd, these initial members of the Phoenix Refugee Connections (PRC) network came from several different churches and had a vision to see even more churches embrace our forcibly displaced neighbors, personally living out God’s many commands to welcome the stranger and love our neighbors as ourselves.

In 2015, as refugees became a popular topic of discussion and churches increasingly asked for help navigating these discussions, PRC began offering biblically grounded, fact-based workshops (based on the training of Tucson Refugee Ministry) for education and networking, in addition to consultations for local-church leaders seeking to mobilize their congregations. After five years of active participation in the network and mentorship from Bonnie, Mary Kaech began taking on much of these tasks. Soon, it became clear the network needed more than spare time from volunteers in order to meet the growing local demand. Mary assumed leadership in Dec. 2017, raising financial support in order to focus on building and expanding the impact of PRC.

Leadership

Executive Director

Mary Kaech first learned about refugees in Tucson in 2003, through the South Sudanese “Lost Boys” community. Spending time with them helped her see some of the beautiful riches our refugee neighbors bring to this country and the enormous challenges they must overcome to thrive here. After moving to Phoenix in 2006 and volunteering at the Lost Boys Center for a few years, Mary saw a need to engage others in building a community where former refugees are welcomed as friends and set up to thrive. She focused on mobilizing her own community—local Christian churches—while working in faith-based, international humanitarian organizations which allowed her to visit many places along the global “refugee highway.” She has been part of the Phoenix Refugee Connections (PRC) network since 2010.

Mary holds a master’s degree from Arizona State University (research focused on refugee resettlement and nonprofit management). She and her husband, Mark, worship at Christ Church Anglican and currently have three daughters, a son, and two grandbabies!

Community Liaison

Mars Adema started learning about refugees through a biblical lens in 2017 and began to dig more deeply in 2020. This has included volunteering at The Welcome to America Project with her family, serving meals to Afghans living in a hotel in the East Valley, befriending a Rohingya family, leading Bible studies to help others in her circle learn about refugees through the lens of Scripture, and mobilizing her local church to serve in several other ways. As passionate as she is about the flourishing of her refugee neighbors, she’s equally as passionate about mobilizing the Church to get involved and not miss out.

Mars’ Finance background and ESL experience overseas has equipped her in serving and empowering those who are forcibly displaced. She worships at MISSION Community Church and delights in taking adventures with her husband, Jeff, and three lively sons.

Advisory Board

The operations and budget of Phoenix Refugee Connections are overseen by five people:

• Dr. Scott has served as a full-time global worker in Mexico City, Pastor of Global Outreach at Casas Church in Tucson, and Senior Analyst at Arizona State University. He has worked with—and loved—refugees for 30 years.

• Bonnie Lloyd is the Global Outreach Pastor at Church for the Nations and the founder of Phoenix Refugee Connections.

• Carrie Vaughn and her family served in China for 15 years. Since moving to Arizona, she has loved and served refugees in various ways. She now works in local and global outreach at Redemption Church Tempe.

• Njenga Maina is the Global Outreach Manager at Grand Canyon University. He has been mobilizing and equipping college students to serve refugees in Arizona for more than 7 years.

• Michael Ly is CEO of Reconciled, Co-Founder of Humnly, and Chairman of Peace Catalyst International. His parents came to Arizona as refugees from Cambodia in the early 1980s.