Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Project Portfolio

Degree Name

Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives (DLd)

Department

Seminary

First Advisor

Mario Hood, DMin

Second Advisor

Karen Tremper, PhD

Third Advisor

Jason Swan Clark, DMin

Abstract

This project seeks to cultivate a deeper practice of welcoming hospitality. It addresses the core problem that the community of Rochester, Minnesota, lacks welcoming hospitality between Evangelical Christians and Somali Muslims, minimizing our common humanity. The project aims to invite Christians into a biblically grounded posture of hospitality toward their Somali neighbors.

Rooted in both research and lived experience, this work sits at the intersection of Evangelical ministry, support for refugees and immigrants, and community engagement. Throughout the research process, I observed the deep need for marginalized voices to be heard and understood. The study identifies four primary barriers contributing to the lack of hospitality: Islamophobia, racism, Christian Nationalism, and general apathy or indifference. A biblical vision of hospitality offers a corrective to these challenges.

My current vocational role—serving refugees and immigrants and connecting them with Christian volunteers—places me at a unique intersection. Working primarily with East Africans, many of whom are Somali, I am embedded in both the Somali and Evangelical Christian communities. This position has shaped my identity and responsibility as a bridge-builder and connector between the two groups.

The final deliverable is a book written primarily for a Christian audience. The manuscript is an anthology—curating interviews and stories from individuals across age, gender, and religious identity, including both Muslims and Christians. These narratives are paired with reflective chapters that articulate the theological basis for hospitality and its practical outworking. Blending storytelling, theological reflection, and everyday practices, the project invites Christians to rediscover hospitality as a central expression of Christian faith and discipleship.

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