The nations at our front door…
- 70,000+ internationals from 100 different countries live in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Tulsa has a Buddhist Temple, 2 Hindu Temples, and 3 Islamic Mosques
- Some of the Nations in Tulsa include: Albania, Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Libya, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela, Vietnam
Who We Are
In the fall of 2007, Kara Culp began teaching English as a second language at Tulsa Community College. As she began interacting with hundreds of international students and immigrants from all over the world, she began to see the need for developing a ministry among them. However, realizing that she could not possibly effectively engage all of the internationals in Tulsa on her own, she began speaking to other followers of Jesus about joining her in reaching out to the internationals in our city. Soon, God had brought together a team of faithful volunteers committed to working with internationals, immigrants, and refugees in Tulsa.
In 2010, Welcomers International incorporated and began functioning as a non-profit organization, led by a Board of Directors. A volunteer leadership team began overseeing various branches of ministry and leading the nearly 50 volunteers who regularly participate in working with the international community. As a result of the efforts of these committed workers, Welcomers International has touched the lives of hundreds of international students and immigrants from over 75 different nations.
What we do…
English Club
Different volunteer hosts open up their homes once a week to internationals from a variety of different nations and people groups. The night features food, games, and conversation – and thereby cultivates deeper relationships.
Cultural Events
Cultural Events are a great way to have fun. These cultural events include activities such as a Thanksgiving Dinner, a Christmas party, and an Easter party, among other events. The events typically attract 40 – 100 people from many different nations. These cultural events give internationals a chance to learn the story and customs behind each holiday and practice their English with other internationals and Americans that are there while having fun.
Women’s and Men’s Nights
As some of whom we work with are from conservative cultures that do not allow the social mixing of women and men, we provide quarterly activities that are gender-segregated. These events have helped establish deep friendships, particularly with conservative women.