Elizabeth Wade

About Me

My name is Elizabeth Wade, and I first caught vision for reaching Muslims with the Gospel when I took Perspectives in 2005. During my years enrolled at Wheaton College, I taught refugees English from Iraq and Afghanistan.

After graduating and also working with refugees in the US with World Relief, I moved to Jordan. During my four years in the Middle East, I was trained to share the Gospel with Muslims using the message of the prophets and stories about Jesus. I reached a level of advanced proficiency in spoken Arabic, and I taught trauma informed fitness classes to Syrian refugee women. I also served on a church planting team that focused on church planting among Syrian refugees.

I moved to Austin in January of 2020. I am thankful to be able to continue to use my Arabic skills and training here, and to be able to work alongside great people who have a similar passion for seeing the church grow among Arab refugees.

MY VISION

My vision is to see Arab refugees find healing and wholeness in all areas of their lives as God builds His Church among them, and to equip the Church to work toward that same end.

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me  to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners  and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

I believe Jesus invites us into this kind of Kingdom work. May His Kingdom come and will be done in Austin as it is in heaven!

Currently in Austin…

In Austin, I have the privilege of living in an apartment complex among many Syrian and Iraqi refugee families. This has been an amazing gift in building relationships with these friends. It has also given me the opportunity for greater insight into needs of the community and helped me be a better bridge between the the Church and this community. I love that I can help serve these families in various ways (translation at doctors appointments, enrolling children in school, teaching ESL, offering help with studying for the citizenship test, etc…) AND equip volunteers from various churches to do the same. 

More than any service I (we) have to offer, I feel these friends need relationship. All throughout Scripture we see God’s command to welcome the stranger. Here are just a few of the many verses on this topic. 

“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.” Leviticus 25:35

“He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:18-19

“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’.”  Galatians 5:14

When I worked at World Relief 10 years ago, I remember hearing for the first time that many refugees have never been invited into an American home. Having been welcomed with such opulent hospitality in various homes (and tents) in Indonesia, Jordan, and Lebanon, this especially strikes a chord with me. I deeply long to be a part of the Church being the welcoming face of Jesus to these friends who have come so far and left so much due to war and unrest. I hope even in our small little corner of the world here in Austin, TX refugees can experience the welcome of our generous God through us, the Church.

Prayer Requests…

…that God would raise up more laborers in Austin to pray together and serve the refugee community together  

…that God would give my community group and I (they have committed to partnering with me in ministry here at Lakeline Station) creative ideas of how to best love this refugee community (including the children)

Thank you all for your encouragement, generosity, and prayers!


CONTACT INFO

Email

Donations can be sent online ( below ) or by check to: Bridge Builders Network PO Box 9041 San Diego, CA 92169.

Please indicate on a note that this donation is for Elizabeth Wade.

For more information about Bridge Builders Network, please write us at info@bridgebuildersnetwork.org