About
The Suitcase Project exists to help us love the newcomer as ourselves; to express the deep love of God through practical support and emotional care and by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
God is providing new opportunities for churches in Northern Ireland to respond to the hundreds of asylum seekers and refugees arriving each month from Africa, the Middle East, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Many have been forcefully dislocated from their communities, and come from countries that are closed to the Gospel.
Based in Emmanuel Hall, East Belfast, The Suitcase Project has two key purposes:
To care for newcomers through practical outreach from Emmanuel Hall.
To partner with parishes throughout the Diocese of Down and Dromore to build local churches’ capacity to support newcomers through training, resourcing and practical support.
Connect
We seek to connect with newcomers and demonstrate God’s love by providing them with a warm, welcoming, safe space in Belfast where they can:
Meet together
Rest and relax
Be respected and listened to
Be creative
Belong
Assist
We seek to serve asylum seekers and refugees by helping them become orientated and integrated into NI communities through:
Cultural orientation
Language classes
Understanding their needs
Supporting with advice or signposting
Share
In addition to demonstrating the love of God through our welcome and practical assistance, we seek to introduce people to Jesus Christ by:
Offering to pray with individuals
Studying the Bible together
Connecting people to churches
Equip
Many churches want to serve asylum seekers and refugees but don’t know how. The Suitcase Project is a training hub
to equip and mobilise churches and volunteers in the
diocese to:
Befriend asylum seekers and refugees
Help meet their needs
Share the good news of Jesus Christ with newcomers