When student accommodation in East London closed during the pandemic, LCM church partner, East End Church, did not expect what would come next. As people seeking asylum moved in, a new kind of ministry emerged. One shaped by God, bringing people from all tribes and nations together.
LCM church partner, East End Church, never set out to undertake ministry to refugees and asylum seekers. It was not part of a strategy or a long-term plan. It simply happened.
The local hostel up the street began housing people seeking asylum in the UK during the COVID pandemic. East End Church suddenly found itself alongside a new community, and, step by step, it chose to respond.
Rachel, a church member ministering to asylum-seeking women and children, remembers how unexpected those early days felt.
“We didn’t go looking for this,” she says. “God brought the nations to our doorstep, and we just said yes to what was in front of us.”
Conversations in corridors led to invitations for tea. Names became known, stories were shared, and what began as welcome and hospitality slowly grew into something deeper.
The partnership with LCM has helped deepen and sustain this ministry over the years, particularly through the work of LCM Missionary Selam. Selam sought and was granted asylum in this country many years ago, and her ability to speak four languages has been invaluable to East End Church. Her presence has brought consistency, cultural understanding, and a natural ability to build trust.
“Selam has been such a gift. She builds trust so naturally, and people feel safe with her,” says Rachel.
“She just naturally welcomes anyone… talking to them, introducing herself, asking how we could help them.
“She also brings insight shaped by her lived experience, which helps us respond more thoughtfully to complex situations. She helps us navigate language barriers, emotional needs, and cultural differences with greater sensitivity.”
Together, Selam and members of East End Church offer various ways for people in temporary accommodation to connect with the surrounding community. They host walking groups, a weekly bible study, a youth camp, and a space for the youth to run around and play football once a week. And of course, their doors are always open to people who would like to come to church.
There are many who have yet to hear the good news because they come from countries where the gospel is actively suppressed, and Jesus isn’t discussed. But there are also people who come with a faith that has already been tested.
“One of the first families we met once lived comfortably in the home they left behind, with secure jobs and strong ties to their community. After choosing to follow Jesus, they faced increasing persecution and danger. Remaining would have meant a comfortable life, but would have denied their faith,” Rachel shares.
“Instead, they left everything behind. Home, careers, and extended family were all sacrificed for the sake of following Christ. They arrived in the UK with very little, but with a deep and enduring trust in God.
“When you hear stories like that, it shifts something in you,” Rachel reflects. “Their courage is incredible. They didn’t come empty-handed. They came carrying a deep faith.”
That faith is also visible within the walls of their temporary accommodation. There are Christian asylum seekers who gather others into their rooms each week for Bible study, offering fellowship and welcome. These small spaces have become places of radical hospitality, where what little is available is shared freely.
Lindsey, a church member, youth worker, and part-time teacher, says, “We thought we were bringing something, but actually we’ve received so much. You see people who have lost everything still choosing to worship, still choosing to welcome others in. It’s humbling.”
“Their courage is incredible. They didn’t come empty-handed. They came carrying a deep faith.”
There are also very real and pressing needs. Many residents are navigating complex asylum processes. Others are living with trauma, uncertainty, or separation from loved ones.
Rachel recalls sitting with a woman who had just received difficult news about her asylum claim.
“She didn’t need answers in that moment. She needed someone to sit with her, to listen, to pray.”
Another experience that has remained with Rachel was from a woman she supported during her pregnancy.
Sitting in a postnatal ward, holding the woman's newborn, Rachel was shown videos on the phone of the family's dangerous journey to the UK.
“I was sitting here holding this baby, and I found it was a profound moment for me, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this could have been a very different outcome.’
"It was a powerful reminder of the risks many families take and the vulnerability they carry with them," says Rachel.
"What might have ended in tragedy had instead led to a mother safely welcoming her child into the world. And I am convinced that sharing Christ's love through practical care and friendship matters deeply to people rebuilding their lives in a new country."
Life inside temporary accommodation is also not easy.
“It is often marked by uncertainty and confinement. Families live in small, shared rooms with very little space, and for children, this can mean being told off simply for playing or making noise in the corridors,” Lindsey goes on to explain.
“Days can feel long and repetitive, marked by waiting and uncertainty about what will come next, while frequent and sudden moves disrupt routines, friendships, and schooling. It can be quite disorientating to move from place to place, carrying both practical needs and deep trauma,” Rachel adds.
There are also smaller, long-term changes that speak of real impact. Lindsey shares, “I’ve seen children arrive withdrawn and anxious, and slowly become confident and settled through the youth activities.
“Some children who had never engaged with church before started to understand more about Jesus through games, conversations, and prayer. I’ve seen some young people start to pray for themselves or ask thoughtful questions about God. It’s not dramatic all at once, but over time you see change.”
The vision of East End Church has grown out of these relationships. Their work is shaped by a desire to walk alongside people as someone valued by God, recognising the body of Christ in all its diversity.
Lindsey explains, “We want to be a church where everyone belongs. Not where some people are helping, and others are being helped, but where we recognise each other as brothers and sisters.”
This understanding shapes how they gather, pray, and share life together.
The seeds being sown are already bearing fruit. Friendships have formed across cultures and languages. Faith is being nurtured in steady and meaningful ways.
Lindsey reflects, “You see glimpses of the kingdom here. People who might never have met are now sharing life, praying together, carrying each other’s burdens.”
She recalls one evening when voices in different languages filled the room in prayer, yet there was a clear sense of unity.
“You realise this is what the church is meant to look like.”
At its core, this ministry is about recognising Jesus’ command to love our neighbours. It is about honouring the faith that people can bring and responding with humility and love.
Rachel puts it simply: “We share the love of Jesus because it’s who we are. But in doing that, we see more of who he is through our interactions with them.”
LCM shares the gospel alongside the local church of London, equipping everyday Christians to lovingly bring a message of hope in Christ to those least likely to hear it.
Registered Charity No. 247186
