Cozy Comforts: More Than Coats, A Place to Belong

This past weekend, we hosted our Cozy Comforts Community Winter Clothing Fair at the TenTen building, where we handed out brand-new jackets, gloves, hats, and sweatshirts to families with children who needed warm clothing. A team of wonderful volunteers from Life Center Church joined us, helping families find the correct sizes for their growing kids. We also provided a spread of breakfast foods and coffee, giving us meaningful moments to connect and hear the stories of the people we were serving.

World Relief, one of our valued partners, shared our event with the families they support, especially those who have recently come to the U.S. as refugees. Immigrant and refugee families across the nation have fled war, persecution, and violence. Our hearts ache as we witness the suffering happening in our community, country, and world, and yet, we hold onto hope.

Together with partners like World Relief, we respond with bold compassion, believing deeply that human flourishing is still possible even amid chaos and devastation. Life Center’s founding pastor, Joe Wittwer, says, “The work of caring for refugees and exiles is fundamentally gospel work…the mission field has come to us. If you want to make a difference in people’s lives, you don’t even have to leave town.” Events like Cozy Comforts draw together refugee families, long-time Hillyard residents, and church volunteers alike, moments that reflect the beauty of Jesus’ love.

A majority of the families who walked through the doors of Youth for Christ that morning were Muslim families from Afghanistan. We welcomed every person warmly, encouraging them to take whatever they needed to stay warm this winter.

One family in particular left a deep impression on me: a father, mother, and two boys, one in middle school and one in elementary, who came to Spokane two years ago from Turkey and Afghanistan. Despite language barriers, they were eager to connect. The father shared pieces of their story: he had served in the Afghan Special Forces before the cost of living forced them to move to Turkey, where their sons were born. In search of a safer, more stable future, they eventually relocated to Spokane and connected with World Relief.

Both boys now attend local public schools and are pursuing music with determination. The father works as a mechanic while taking English classes, and the mother, gentle in spirit, was preparing for her first day of work ever at a local nonprofit clothing store. They were excited about the music space in our TenTen building, hoping their oldest son could practice piano there.

As I asked more about their life overseas, the father smiled and shared that their focus now is simply on moving forward as a family. Their resilience moved me, the bravery of rebuilding a life in a new culture, language, and country; the way they care not just for themselves but for each other; the openness they showed me despite our different backgrounds. These are the moments that make me feel alive, the chance to listen, learn, and share in the story God has woven into all of humanity.

We ended our time playing some lively rounds of foosball. It was their first time experiencing the game. The youngest lit up with pure joy as he discovered the magic of spinning the handles to kick the ball.

I believe this family encountered the love of Jesus at Cozy Comforts. I see God’s fingerprints all over their story, and I left feeling encouraged by our time together. I truly believe God is at work in the life of every person who walks through the doors of YFC. That He knows them deeply, loves them relentlessly, and desires a relationship with them.

I’m expectant and excited to see how God continues to unfold their story. And in the meantime, I’m grateful that this ministry allows me to meet such incredible people, and invite you to join us in our mission to create a safe place of belonging where more families can meet Jesus in a tangible way.