On this episode of Our American Stories, Josh and Lauren Manning did not expect to end up in Noel, Missouri. After years in retail management, Josh felt pulled toward ministry and accepted a role at a struggling rural church.

What they walked into was something unexpected: a congregation that spanned multiple cultures and languages. Noel had become home to refugees and immigrant families drawn to the area for work in local industries, bringing with them languages and traditions from around the world. Today, services are held in English, Spanish, Karen, Chuukese, and Marshallese—languages spoken by families from Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands who now call rural Missouri home.

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