About Us

RIM's Mission

RIM is an interfaith, community-based organization that was founded in 1986. RIM's programs reflect the mission: "Building Community with Uprooted People to Serve the Common Good." At the heart of RIM's major programs is a corps of dedicated volunteers who bring clients into relationships with their communities.

Refugee Immigration Ministry is a 501(c)3 Agency which serves immigrants who are seeking asylum, asylees, or refugees. Each client must be legally and medically cleared prior to acceptance in RIM's programs. RIM does not allow clients to send money overseas nor does RIM support any other program. Ninety-three percent of funds raised are used directly for client care and program. Only 7 percent is used for administrative overhead and fundraising. This is far below the national accepted average.

Meet our Staff

The Rev. Dr. Ruth H. Bersin is currently the Executive Director of Refugee Immigration Ministry in Boston. She is an Episcopal Priest with experience as a teacher and in the business world. She has extensive experience in immigration issues. Dr. Bersin founded a refugee programs for CWS in California (1978) and in New Haven, CT in 1982. She was Executive Director for Tokyo English Life Line from 1989-1992 and served as a Civilian clergy person on the Yokosuka Navy Base at that time.

Dr. Bersin is a clinical member of American Association of Pastoral Counselors and a member of the Association of Trauma Stress Specialists. She is a Pastoral Psychotherapist at the New England Pastoral Institute in Salem, NH. She has training as a chaplain in a reform school, in a medical center and she received a trauma certificate from the Trauma Center in Brookline in 1997. In addition, she received specialized training for police chaplaincy in 1996 following her work as Team Leader for the National Organization of Victim Assistance in response to the Oklahoma City bombing. From 2002-2004, she provided training for volunteer chaplains for detention centers in across the country. In 2008, she received training in Community Crisis Response and has joined the Community Crisis Response Team of the Victims of Violence Program at the Cambridge Health Alliance and in collaboration with the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants she organized a conference for Refugee Service Providers.

Dr. Bersin has written on Spirituality in the Recovery Process after Traumatic Experience and has given papers on the subject to numerous conferences including the Episcopal East Coast Military Chaplains Conference, Association of Trauma Stress Specialists, and American Association of Pastoral Counselors. She has published  an article: “Healing Traumatic Memories: A Spiritual Journey.” in Theological Literacy for the 21st Century, Eerdmans, 2002 and “Life Beyond the Gates.” in The Antoich Agenda, Andover Newton Theological School and The Boston Theological Institute, New Delhi, 2007.

Dr. Bersin received her B.S. in Education from Indiana University, an M. A. in Religion from Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and a D. Min. from the Graduate Theological Foundation. She received her Ph D in Pastoral Psychotherapy at the Graduate Theological Foundation in 2008. Her dissertation topic: “ Community-based Resettlement: Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Asylees Rebuild Their Lives with the Help of Congregations and Community.”

Christine Karangwa serves as RIM's Case Management Supervisor. Ms. Karangwa, originally from Rwanda, is serving as a Case Manager. She has been a teacher, has worked in a refugee camp and holds a B.S. in Education and a Master of Divinity with an emphasis on Pastoral Counseling. She will also be working with ethnic organizations to build our youth program.

Sami Yuwanes serves as RIM's Community Coordinator. Sami works with Iraqi refugees for Case Management and Community Coordination as well as managing RIM's IT program. Sami has a B.S. in Computer Engineering and worked as an Administrative Manager for Save The Children in Baghdad. He also worked with International Relief and Development as an Administrative Manager and IT Director.