Clarkston, GA, isn’t your average suburb. Tucked just outside of Atlanta, this small town has earned the nickname "the most diverse square mile in America." Why? Over the past several decades, Clarkston has welcomed refugees from more than 60 countries, speaking over 110 languages and dialects. To walk through its streets is to experience the world in miniature, with the flavors, cultures, and stories of countless nations all interwoven into one tight-knit community.  

For mission-minded Christians and those with a heart for refugees, Clarkston represents a powerful opportunity to serve. This blog will explore why Clarkston is such a unique mission field, the ways to get involved, and how organizations like Global Frontier Missions (GFM) are making a difference.  

Clarkston: The South’s Ellis Island  

Clarkston’s transformation into a hub for refugee resettlement began in the 1980s, with the passage of the Refugee Act, which formalized the U.S.’s commitment to offering safe haven to those fleeing violence and persecution. Situated near Atlanta’s public transportation and with plentiful affordable housing, Clarkston became a designated resettlement site. Since then, it has become home to over 60,000 refugees from countries like Myanmar, Syria, Congo, and Bhutan.  

Dubbed “Ellis Island South,” Clarkston is a melting pot where newcomers begin their American story. Local organizations, such as Friends of Refugees and Refuge Coffee, have flourished here, providing vital support for resettled families and fostering connections across cultural divides.  

A few eye-opening stats about Clarkston:  

• Refugees from more than 60 countries call it home.  
  
• Over 110 languages are spoken here.  
  
• Clarkston is one of 190 designated refugee resettlement communities in the U.S.  

For mission-minded individuals, the diversity of Clarkston creates an unparalleled opportunity to live out the Biblical calls to love others and reach the nations.

Opportunities for Missions in Clarkston  

What does it look like to serve in a community like Clarkston? At its heart, missions work here is about building relationships. Refugees in Clarkston often arrive with little more than hope. They’re starting over in a foreign country, with a different culture, language, and way of life. This is where the opportunity to serve begins.  

Here are some ways Christians can make a meaningful impact in Clarkston:  

1. Cross-Cultural Relationships  

Engage with refugees by befriending them, inviting them into your home, and offering help as they adjust to life in the U.S. Something as simple as sharing a meal or helping someone practice English can forge lasting relationships.  

2. Service Opportunities  

Volunteer with local organizations offering resources and support. For example, Friends of Refugees runs everything from job training and ESL programs to children’s literacy initiatives. Refuge Coffee provides job training while creating a welcoming space for the community.  

3. Cross-Cultural Missions Training  

Serving in Clarkston also offers a unique chance to develop cross-cultural ministry skills. Programs like GFM’s Missionary Training School provide practical resources to live and work effectively in cross-cultural settings, equipping participants not just for ministry in Clarkston but for work among unreached people groups globally.  

Atlanta: A Modern-Day Jerusalem  

Clarkston’s proximity to Atlanta only heightens its significance as a mission field. Since hosting the Olympics in 1996, Atlanta has grown into a bustling international hub, attracting millions of immigrants, refugees, and students from around the world.  

Just as Jerusalem in the first century was a cultural and religious crossroads, modern cities like Atlanta provide a strategic launching pad for advancing the Gospel. Many of the immigrants and refugees in Atlanta come from groups that have had little to no access to the message of Jesus in their home countries.  

By cultivating relationships and making disciples in Atlanta and Clarkston, the ripple effects can extend globally. Refugees and immigrants who encounter Christ here often take that faith back to their communities of origin or share it with others in their networks, leading to an exponential spread of the Gospel.  

GFM’s Transformative Work in Clarkston  

Global Frontier Missions has been at the forefront of ministry in Clarkston. Recognizing it as a vital mission field, GFM trains and equips believers to engage effectively with refugees and immigrants.  

Here’s how GFM is changing lives in Clarkston:  

• Partnering with local organizations and churches to welcome and support newcomers.  
  
• Offering missionary training to help Christians develop cross-cultural ministry skills.  
  
• Providing discipleship and training programs for those looking to serve both locally and globally.  

By combining hands-on service with focused discipleship, GFM empowers believers to be a part of God’s work in reaching the nations—from Atlanta to the ends of the earth.  

Catch God’s Heart for the Nations  

The story of Clarkston isn’t just about refugees rebuilding their lives. It’s about the Gospel crossing barriers and ushering light into darkness. It’s about God bringing the nations to our doorstep and asking us to love them.  

Want to get involved? Here are three steps you can take today:

1. Pray - Lift up Clarkston’s refugees, volunteers, and local organizations in prayer. Ask God to work powerfully in this community.  
2. Serve - Connect with organizations like Friends of Refugees or Refuge Coffee to volunteer your time and skills.  
   
3. Learn - Consider enrolling in GFM’s cross-cultural missions training to deepen your understanding of how to live missionally in a diverse world.

Clarkston is a living picture of Revelation 7:9, where we see “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language” worshiping before the throne of God. Will you be a part of what God is doing here?  

To get involved with GFM and learn about our Missionary Training School in Clarkston, click the link below!