About Legacy Refuge
We exist to see every orphan come to faith in Christ, adopted, and empowered to live a healthy productive life and reach their God given potential.
A Ministry to Ukrainian Orphans
Mission
Orphanages
Orphans
Age out every day
Meet Our Team

Justin and Alaya
Founders
Learn More
Justin and Alaya are high school sweethearts that were best friends since 6th grade! They rode the same bus together and would talk to each other on the phone till the wee hours of the night! Alaya helped lead Justin to Christ when they were 15 years old. She had grown up in a strong Christian home but began to walk away from what she was taught. And Justin came from a background completely different from that. Growing up in a family where God was not a part of the picture. Justin’s mother died from alcoholism when he was 10 and his dad raised him by himself. One summer Alaya recommitted her life to Christ at a Christian retreat, and when she came home she was a different person. She knew she had to separate herself from the wrong influences and one of those was Justin. His heart was broken and one night Alaya and her friend told him about Jesus over the phone and together they called their pastor and he led Justin to Christ over the phone! Soon after this Justin and Alaya started dating! A year later they went on a mission trip together with their youth group to a small town in Russia where they stayed at an orphanage and built a playground for the kids their. This trip began to place a passion for making a difference, orphan care, and serving God full time in their hearts. After high school Justin moved to Sydney Australia for a year and when Alaya came to visit Justin proposed to Alaya her there. They have both spent time studying at Hillsong International Leadership College. They have three amazing little boys and run a real estate company (legacyhomesmn.com) together. They have also started this ministry, Legacy Refuge, a Christian ministry that exists to see every orphan come to faith in Christ, adopted, and empowered to live a healthy productive life and reach their God given potential.

Jay Messerer
Board of Directors and Leadership Coach

Francious and Lauren
Board of Directors and Marketing