After more than 40 people walked across the border over the past two weekends, churches around the province are preparing to respond.

Somalian asylum seekers from the United States have been flooding the Emerson border over the past few weekends. Emerson has been housing many of them, while organizations like Welcome Place in the city are taking many in.

"I have written to the executive director of Welcome Place here in the city asking if there are practical ways in which United Church people might offer support," Joan Jarvis, the minister for relations and social justice with The Conference of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario United Church of Canada. She says they are waiting on their response so that they can help in the way most beneficial to this working hands on with this situation.

"I think our response is to respond with care and with compassion," Jarvis says. "It's important to connect with the agencies and groups that are dealing with refugees and offering support in the ways they request."

Like most churches, the Penecostal church is also getting ready to respond. Jim Poirier, the district superintendent for The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, the Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario District, says they have emailed their churches and asked how they are able to respond.

"We [should] respond with compassion and grace," Poirier says. "When people are in need, we have a commission to respond to people in need."

Welcome Place is holding a press conference this afternoon to announce their plans to continue dealing with the influx of refugees. Keep listening to CHVN to learn more.

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