Immigrant & Refugee Family Services
When ALARM was founded in 1994, the Musekura family started ministering in Kenya to the refugees who fled to Kenya during the devastating times of the Rwandan Genocide. These were refugee pastors and families who came from Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda. It was during this time that Bernadette and Rev. Dr. Celestin were in Kenya for their theological studies. These refugees arrived broken by violence, traumatized, and paralyzed by fear and much pain. These individuals witnessed horrific events that are beyond comprehension; some had seen their family members murdered, some had been separated from their families, and some left Rwanda unsure of what happened to their families. During this devastation, ALARM was birthed as a ministry of healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Bernadette Musekura, the Director of Immigrant & Refugee Family Services (IRFS) has developed a deep passion for working with immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. This passion began in Africa where she witnessed the refugees who were living like sheep without a shepherd. Over the last 15 years, Bernadette has been serving immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area through 2 organizations. These organizations have allowed her the opportunity to provide physical, social, and emotional assistance to many families who have made Texas their new home. Through this work, Bernadette has begun to dream big dreams for what ALARM US could do to serve the DFW communities.
Although these immigrants and refugees now live in America, many of them are still prisoners of hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness. The mission of this new initiative is to reach out to African immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers to walk alongside them in their trauma healing while equipping them with the proper tools to navigate their new lives in America. Our mission in this initiative is to see these individuals transform into successful citizens who thrive spiritually, relationally, financially, and emotionally. As we respond by faith to these individuals and walk alongside them through partnership and in friendship, we have already begun to see God move.
“I think back to the times that my family would host up to 18 people in our small 3-bedroom house in Kenya. I think back to the experiences that my children shared as they first-hand welcomed these refugees in as family members. I think back to the comforts that our family sacrificed to allow God to use our humble home to serve these individuals as a place of rest and refuge. As I think of these times and how vividly real the pain, burden, and devastations were, I can’t help but be hopeful and expectant for all that God can do through ALARM US and friends.” – Bernadette Musekura
