We are going to be speaking to
the MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) group at Collierville United Methodist Church, 454 Poplar, this morning around 10am. We want to thank these ladies and Collierville United Methodist for allowing us this time to connect and share what We believe Jesus is doing at Asha’s Refuge. We are excited to partner with this group of ladies in prayer and to help pull in items to stock our Preschool Pantry, get some preschool craft ideas, and gather a few welcome baby diaper bags and perhaps some other needed items.

Asha’s Refuge serves about 50 families but an approximate rotating 30 moms often with preschoolers consistently attend our weekly American Life and Language Classes at 675 National in our shared space at Highland Heights Baptist Church. The needs these mothers with preschoolers have are very similar to the needs our American moms of preschoolers have except a refugees needs may be a bit more challenging to meet. Often refugee preschoolers hang by the sides of their mothers who are frantically trying to accomplish understanding and surviving their new life in America. Their mothers often have little to know time to play with or truly work with their preschoolers to ensure that they will have the self esteem and tools they need to thrive well in their new American environment.

Asha’s Refuge aims to give our refugee preschoolers a head start into American Kindergarten classes teaching them important skills they will need to be successful and hopefully not fall behind before they even begin. We teach a lot of vocabulary and language that the average American child already knows when they first enter elementary school such as their colors, letters, counting to ten and common words we would use to communicate in a classroom. Refugee children are not familiar with our American culture either. We have to teach the children and the mothers what kinds of things to expect from our school system and society. Teaching our disciplinary and cultural social system is very important. Refugee children and their moms are not used to things like time out, sharing, using kind words, respecting others, throwing trash in the trash can, staying seated in a chair, standing in a line, taking turns, pulling a clip, reward systems, chore charts, expressing feelings, washing hands, using Kleenex, having a good healthy hygiene, not talking when someone else is talking, etc. Asha’s Refuge wants to help our families with preschoolers have a smoother and more successful transition into the American School System and we do this by encouraging moms to bring their age 3-5 yr. old preschoolers to our weekly preschool classes. It’s been truly wonderful to see some of our students be successful and happy once they have started school. We are sure that our help also helps out their Kindergarten teachers!

We are so thankful for Mrs. Sheila, Chloe, Mrs. Bridgett and the other volunteers who are committed to working with the preschool kids each week. Teaching a child the kinds of skills and lessons they teach when the child speaks little to no English, is new to America and has little to no behavioral skills can be so challenging yet extremely rewarding. It is the example of love that shines through the teachers and volunteers that probably teaches the mothers and children the best. And, it’s the love and kindness that we believe will show them Jesus.