Word Relief: Andrew Secrist, Baltimore Office
Vision: In a world focused on quick fixes, we are fighting for lasting change as we empower the church to serve the most vulnerable. At our Baltimore Immigration Legal Clinic, we are serving refugees and immigrants in holistic and sustainable ways, helping them to move from the margins into a place of thriving.
Andrew’s Bio: I grew up in Roanoke, VA, and studied Business Management at James Madison University (where I was also an active leader in Intervarsity) before pursuing a Masters in Intercultural Studies from Southeastern Seminary. During my time in seminary, I was hit with the Lord’s desire to use His Church to bring the Gospel and wholeness to areas of the greatest brokenness around the world. With this on our hearts, my wife and I moved to Baltimore City where we live and are actively involved in a local church that is seeking to shine Christ’s light. This desire also led me to World Relief, an organization who’s mission revolves around empowering the local church to be Christ’s hands and feet rather than doing it ourselves. If the Church is the Bride of Christ, we see ourselves at World Relief as the bridesmaid- helping make the Church beautiful and to fulfill her calling around the world. One other thing that led me to World Relief is our work with displaced peoples. For over 75 years, we have been working with those who are displaced- whether refugees or immigrants in our community or those abroad. We get to work at the root of the problems abroad, and with refugees and immigrants who often have to flee as the fruit of an international problem, and to do all of it out of Christ’s calling!
