I began volunteering in refugee camps near Frankfurt, Germany, when my daughter’s school gymnasium was converted into an emergency shelter in October 2015. Among the many refugees who have been examples to me is a good friend of mine from northern Iraq.

Over the past few years, a wave of Haitian immigrants has arrived in the greater Santiago area. More than 40,000 Haitians have reportedly settled around the Chilean capital city. While technically not classified as refugees, most of the Haitian immigrants trying to make a life in Chile are facing challenges familiar to refugees.

For the Christmas season, our ward decided to serve the refugees in our community through a two-part project. The first part was carried out by families in our ward, and the second part was largely the responsibility of the youth.

Many women have responded to the call to support refugees in their communities. Here are five ways that sisters are reaching out.

Find the courage to be a friend at all times. Just as the Savior is our friend, we should be friends to those around us.

When I contacted Refugee Focus, I discovered that there was more to becoming involved than just wanting to help. I had to apply for a volunteer position—much like applying for a paying job. This seemed a bit overwhelming, but I remembered the strong promptings I had felt that we needed to help those in our own city.

I had the idea to hold a pinewood derby event with refugees, but I was pretty nervous to present it. I used to work at a school with a large number of refugee children, so I called the school to see if they felt this idea was even feasible. When they expressed their support, I decided that I would make this event happen.

I made a new friend today. Her name is Yasmine, and she is Muslim. In the past, I had seen her at our local pool, and I had once asked where she had found her daughter’s cute, modest swimsuit.

My name is Avery, and I’m 10 years old. This past summer, I met a family named the Willards. They live in Utah, but they came to our city in Texas for a summer internship.

Once a week, my little boy and I would meet with Anna, a girl from the Congo, and spend time together—sometimes at a local park and sometimes at my apartment complex’s swimming pool, which she loved. Being with Anna was immensely beneficial for my son and me.