Annette Ellard and Steve Clark

Annette Ellard and Steve Clark are Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel serving in Louisville, Kentucky, among the large population of refugees from Burma who began being resettled there in 2006.

Approximately 7 percent of Louisville’s population is foreign born, and the share of refugees among them is nearly twice the national average due to Louisville’s large and successful refugee resettlement programs. The city is routinely recognized as a model Compassionate City and is a preferred resettlement site of the United States Department of State.

Annette and Steve welcome Karen, Chin, Karenni and other refugees from Burma while encouraging churches in Louisville and across the country to build relationships with these refugees and develop ministries to meet their spiritual and physical needs.

For those who struggle with English, unfamiliar social systems and cultural differences, small problems often become big problems. Helping a refugee work through a problem, while relieving anxiety and fear, builds their confidence for working through similar issues in the future.

Through their ministry of availability and hospitality, Annette and Steve strive to be the presence of Christ among more than 1,000 refugees from Burma living in Louisville. They share the love of God through a host of ministries including pastoral care, social work, crisis management, education, advocacy and consulting to refugees and those who seek to serve them. These ministries involve:

• Visiting people in their homes and the hospital
• Preaching and praying in worship services
• Scheduling and accompanying folks to appointments
• Helping those in need access resources
• Standing with them in a crisis
• Educating about everything from medicine to car repairs
• Advocating for rights to be respected
• Advising the Karen Community Committee, the local school district and hospital systems
• And so much more

Annette and Steve’s success is best measured by the relationships that they develop, and through these relationships they are able to be the presence of Christ and share the good news.