The past couple of weeks have certainly kept us all on the edge of our seats waiting, watching and wondering what is going on, what we can or cannot do, and what ways we can work to help. We are living in “strange times”.  It has been interesting to watch the Big “C” Church’s response and how creative individual believers and families have been to connect to others during a time when they are making efforts to social distance. Asha’s Refuge has continued to make ourselves available to our clients as much as we can while also being mindful and respectful to others. We have delivered our information and updates to clients, volunteers and supporters with attitudes of “no fear” but being “actively still with the Lord” awaiting on Him to show us what directions and creative ways we can still be a part of helping the refugee and asylee community.

Here are some steps we have taken:

1. Next Gen High School Education Classes are Ongoing but are Now All Online

2. The First Baptist Church Asha’s Office and Classroom Space is Closed for services, but we are serving clients in other ways.

3. A team of volunteers are consistently researching and writing updates, keeping up with the ever changing health situation, so that our clients and interpretors are informed and can make their own decisions based on the updates we provide.

4. We are collecting items such as diapers, wipes, beans, rice, canned goods, pasta, cereals, household cleaning items, toiletries and paper products to be delivered by a very small team to our clients door step.

5. Refugee and asylee community leaders have partnered with us to help get information and supplies to those clients in need.

6. We are communicating to our clients via phone, text message, What’s App, Facebook and other forms of social media. A series of documents and flyers are being created regarding current job openings that are considered “essential” jobs, food pickup locations, healthy habits, etc.

7. Our phones are being forwarded to Jamie right now and she is taking messages and holding all appointments for family and immigration services for a later date. Callers are being patient and understanding.

8. We are working with a very small staff to handle the Next Gen online classes, office duties from home, updating the community, writing grants that may be available for us to help with any financial lag and getting goods out to clients.

9. We are using this time to prepare and plan forward with our staff and update social media and our app.

10. We are praying for our clients, volunteers, supporters, the US and other countries. Deborah is pulling together a prayer team specifically for this time. Contact her at deborah@ashasrefuge.org if you can commit to praying for what we already know of and also various needs that may come to our attention.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who are working to help us continue our services in unique ways. We believe the time we all have with our family and away from others may end up helping us all to draw nearer to our family and also appreciate others more. Our prayer is that we will each use this time to draw closer to God and become more passionate about sharing the love and hope message of Jesus to the nations. Asha’s Refuge classes and services at FBC are on hold until further notice as we, along with the rest of the world are on standby. Please be sure to watch your “news” and “notification” updates on our app, website blog page, check your email and watch for our Facebook updates.