It’s so hard to express all that Asha’s Refuge does in assistance for local refugees. Lets take the label “refugee” out of the picture for a moment.

I got a phone call yesterday from a young woman, age 25, who was kicked out of her home because of her pregnancy which her family was not happy with. There may or may not be some religious consequences this young woman is facing from her family. I have yet to decipher all that. The woman, lets say her name is Hope, has been sleeping in her car for two or three days. How would The Church respond to help an American in this situation?

It seems there are some systems and programs set up for women who are struggling like this, but the programs are not real easy to figure out by those who are in need of them. I understand there are necessary guidelines and I agree that there should be. Americans can figure the guidelines out and most often get into a transitional program that will provide a helping hand, encouragement and a way to be back on ones feet IF the person needing the help really wants it. It’s challenging even for Americans, but what about a refugee?

So many refugees I meet in many ways are at such a disadvantage. Hope came to America as a refugee many years ago. She entered the American school system eight years ago. At the time of her high school admittance, she was most probably uneducated and very, very behind. I’m sure she lacked English skills in addition to all the basic education skills and like many teenage refugees I have met she was expected to jump in to an American High School, get caught up, graduate and go on to college. Unfortunately the “No Child Left Behind” concept leaves many students behind. Hope was not able to catch up with her education and that causes it to be very difficult even today for her to successfully resettle and survive on her own here in America. The lack of education extends its complications into areas of life most wouldn’t think about. Americans who have for some reason dropped out of school have much more of an education than most people coming from third world countries do just because they live among the educated American people. The problem solving and reasoning skills for uneducated refugees lacks severely and hinders them in real ways toward their successful resettlement. The American idioms in conversations and cultural life, business and social how to’s continue to cause refugees and immigrants like Hope frustration as they try hard to acclimate well into our society.

The answer is having A Place of Hope for Hope!! I contacted a local safe house and a family I knew that is from the same country as Hope to figure out the best solution to helping her. I have a temporary plan but am ready and willing to have this young woman in my own home before she again sleeps in her car in the cold. I need help from
The Church, that is the big church. I believe with all my heart that it is The Church’s responsibility to help needy people in situations like this and I believe even more that it is our responsibility and blessing to reach the Nations…Hope is from Ethiopia. We’ve done some of our work on our Asha’s Refuge end by calling the various shelters and pregnancy help programs that can help us help Hope and her baby. But we want to be sure that people who are connected to Asha’s Refuge understand the kinds of things we do and express this example of why we need continuous financial support. I never thought I’d be stuck in a business of Fund Raising, but apparently that’s what Nonprofits have to do.

Asha’s Refuge wants to help Hope. Can you help us help Hope and others like her? Please pray about giving to our organization so that we can be free to provide assistance to the least of the least of these. Donate right here online through Paypal or mail a check to us at 1035 Winchester Road, Suite A216, Collierville, TN. 38017. And, may I please say “thank you” in advance. May God multiply all that is given as He sees perfectly fit.