Asha’s Refuge has been working with several new Syrian families. Very quickly the children and adults are close to our heart. Here is the reality: One preschool boy cries every time he hears a loud noise such as a door shut too hard thinking it is another bomb going off. (It would break your heart to see him and his older brothers try and comfort him). The fighting in Syria caused a 12 and 14 year old boy to have no other choice but stop school at 3rd grade and try to secretly sell chickens in the streets to help support their family. The 18 and 20 year old children have been in America a month were immediately put to work on an assembly line with no English, little cultural understanding and no education. It is hard, but a job will help them to support their family and is good that they have a job. These young adults are begging for an education and English but one returns home from work at 5pm and one at 7pm whenever the work bus can bring them home each night. This is America to them. The children have not been registered in American schools yet, so we are working on that. Meanwhile, we have taken them shopping for school supplies and at least one uniform and pair of shoes for each child. They have understandably requested no photos. Want to help?! Donate to Asha’s Refuge today. Go to home page of this website at ashasrefuge.org and click the “heart” donate button. Schedule to donate monthly to allow us the freedom to help those clients in need.  Asha’s Refuge Credits Photo to: MUHAMMED MUHEISEN, FILE; ISTOCK

We desperately need $ – financial donations. It is so hard to list all the needs… This post is regarding a mother who delivered twins (one boy and one girl) a month ago. I cannot imagine being in a new country and not understanding all of the processes surrounding my newborn babies hospital care because of my lack of English and cultural understanding.  It would be additionally hard for me if I had no transportation available to get me back and forth to the NicU to check on my babies.  

We are so happy that one of the babies made it home early this week with mom, the boy.  The little girl will have another week or so in the hospital until her little almost 4lb. body can regulate her own temperature outside of the incubator.  The mother will need to supplement premie milk since her body has been separated from the babies for a month while they were both in the NicU. Her body has not been cooperating with her to make milk.  She needs Enfamil 22 Calorie as pictured here! We are following up with WIC but it will take a bit to get set up. 
She will also need an Infant crib, double stroller and clothing for boy/girl twins (Kelvine and Kelvin). These supplies will help but there are some things we just simply need money for.  Can you help us help this mom?! Donate today! You can donate through Paypal tight here on our website (go to home page, click the “heart” logo on bottom) or mail it.  Contact us at jamie@ashasrefuge.org if you eant to mail it.  

#loveworks #justlove

Why help refugees?! The bible expresses it best:

“The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  Leviticus 19:34
“Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”  ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1:17‬ 
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:2‬ 

Did you know many refugees are fatherless, all are oppressed, many are also widows/widowers and all are strangers among us… Serve with Asha’s Refuge; Give to Asha’s Refuge – your support makes an impact in another person who was created by God in His very own image. Some of our volunteers may have even entertained angels without knowing it! ❤️
We can not claim to understand IF they should be here or WHY they are here, but they (people of other nations) are here. We know that “fear” is not of God so we will not be afraid.  We believe our call is to love the stranger among us -Just Love.

By giving today you can help us help those refugees facing serious challenges and often tough financial situations. We were at the ER with a gentleman over the weekend who had tooth aches, ear aches, and severe headaches.  His primary care physician referred him to go there. His tooth infection has not been taken care of in so long due to lack of being able to understand our dental systems with no dental insurance and speak enough English to call and make an appointment for himself. This infection has dangerously going through the rest of his body. The CT Scan revealed that it has not affected his brain but the teeth need to be taken care of. He was given a strong antibiotic and is waiting on a way to get dental assistance in order to take care of several teeth and possibly decaying gums.
Asha’s Refuge takes care to find local dental programs and dentists who are willing to help our clients in need at significantly reduced rates. There is, however, still a cost for them. Approximately $65 is for a visit at a dental clinic that specializes in working with low income individuals. This only pays for the exam and perhaps one tooth pulled so I understand. There are other fees assiciated with this initial visit if the patient has more needs that are not covered.  
We are thankful for the many dentist that have a heart to help low income families, but in the city of Memphis, there still is a huge need for dental help. Asha’s Refuge knows of a dental school that can also help but the cost is even greater (even though it is considered to be at a significanltly reduced cost). There is also a traveling clinic Bellvue does but it is not yet set up in the zip code many of our clients live in (we will be working on a time to work this out for our zip code).  
Your donation will help us to help clients like this particular older gentleman get the treatment and care he needs. Help us give hope today by giving a tax deductible donation today.  Mail to:  Asha’s Refuge 1035 Winchester Suite A216, Collierville, TN 38017 or donate conveniently right here through our website by clicking the heart logo on the bottom of our home page.  You can also donate through our Go Fund Me account at:  https://www.gofundme.com/2m26kpg

Ever heard of adopt a parent or grandparent? Ikhlas came to America years ago as a refugee and has a sweet heart to give back to refugees today in our city. She has adopted this gentleman as her father and says she will do anything she needs to in order to help him. We can learn from those we serve and those we serve with! Thanks for being an example to us Ikhlas. We want to help you. Adopt a grandparent through Asha’s Refuge! #adoptagrandparent #justlove 

We are handling our GoFundMe page a little different by better expressing the emergency needs of our clients so that you will better understand who, what and how your financial support helps. Give Hope by making your tax deductible contribution today.

Find out more by clicking the link below.  If the link does not work, please try copying and pasting the link in your browser.  You may also find out more by visiting our Facebook page.

http://gofundme.com/2m26kpg

If you submitted a volunteer application online through our website  before August 17 we likely did not receive it!  We apologize for the inconvenience.  We do not want to miss out on interested volunteers and did not know the system was not working correctly.  

Please may we ask you to kindly resubmit your online application here:  http://www.ashasrefuge.org/volunteer-application.html

It seems to be working very well now that we have made some changes.  We always respond pretty quickly to you to let you know we received your application so if you have not heard from us please resubmit your application by clicking on the link above and/or contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Deborah Eaton at deborah@ashasrefuge.org. 

Thanks so much for your cooperation!  

I visited a family from Bhutan this week that has left an imprint on my heart.  This family has been in America for a few years and seem to have settled in a bit and developed some hobbies and life routines.  One of the hobbies the mother, Chandra, enjoys is gardening.  She has planted flowers all around the front door of her apartment and around other areas in the apartment complex.  Most of the flowers she has planted are orange merigolds because they are her favorite.  Chandra and her daughter Indra walked me around the grounds of their apartments showing me their own vegetable gardens and their neighbors gardens.  In about 2010 I worked with a team of people to help make the raised gardens happen at these particular apartments so it was so good to see the gardening successfully all over the apartment complex!  The many refugees in this complex have done such a great job!  I am thankful for Urban Gardens and others who helped to get this kicked off a few years ago.  

The plants have produced so many fruits and vegetables for the people.  It saves them a lot if money on food I am sure.  The refugees are able to even give back to others.  As a matter of fact, Chandra, Indra and her father gave me a sack of goodies to take home and share with my family.  Some of the produce was new to me such as bitter melon which they tell memis good at reducing blood sugar levels for diabetics.  Since myhusbandis diabetic, I was eager to let him try it.  When he got home he ate one and I tasted it.  It ofcourse was bitter, hence the name.  It had a very strong grassy taste.  

I also received some striped zucchini and a lot of hot peppers which I will have to share.  The zucchini they say can be sliced and used in the shower as a natural scrub.  It is good for your skin!  Well I may have to try it.  

Working with Asha’s Refuge has rewarded me in many ways.  The home visits are my absolute favorite.  God has shown me over and over that if I am ever low on money that I can trust him to be sure I am fed.  My friends from all over the world will be sure I enjoy a variety of teas, coffees, fruits and vegetables and other cooked dishes.  It is fun to work with so many different cultures and they are all a real blessing to me.   

Also… This father worked in construction in his country and is said to be really good.  We are currently trying to find work for him.  If you can help, please let us know.  

Today is the first day of the  2016/2017 Asha’s Refugee adult school day! There are a lot of new happenings, new people, a new van, new rules, new procedures and soon new types of classes offered.  We are expecting about 40 students and perhaps 20-30 volunteers.  Please be praying for us as we serve.  As our class sizes grow we will need additional volunteers ready and willing to lead and teach the classes. The classes that are going on today will be American Life and Language classes for both adults and preschoolers.

Our goals are to first just love our new friends from all over the world as Jesus would love them and then teach things about our culture that will help them in their life here in America.  The A-L-L classes will also teach English vocabulary surrounded on conversational English that is useful to them as adults having to immediately learn new life skillsvand job skills.  For example, we may choose to focus on understand mail.  The vocabulary might be: mailbox, letter, stamp, mail man or mail lady, delivery, package, Post Office, blue mailbox, address, envelope, etc. The students will learn practical life skills that will help them understand and converse in English about mail.  Perhaps in these classes we also have a community Post Office worker visit and speak to the students about their job.  This is just one example of the type of class lessons we are implementing.  The students are always learning handwriting and phonetics.  We want to try to include these skills that tie in to the overall life skill or job skill.  

Thanks to all our clients for coming to class and being on time at your bus stop! Thanks to the many volunteers we have that truly make it all happen.  Thank you to our supports who encourage us and provide donations and funds for the needs we have it programs we offer.  It is going to be another sweet year- My trust is in Jesus! 

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” -Matthew 18:19.
Please agree and pray with me… It is after 9pm… But I need your agreement! After witnessing a young lady crawling on her hands that were fitted with neon flip flops (so they would not get dirty) dragging her legs behind her to move about God placed and developed a huge burden on my heart for a great need in my city (Memphis) for disabled, elderly and other disadvantaged newcomers like her in our city. I cannot shake it!!
Asha’s Refuge was founded in 2010… And later received it’s 501(c)3 approval. Since the beginning, we have witnessed so many of the friendliest and most kind hearted people in their struggles. Aside from Asha and the challenges she faced with no use of her legs and no wheel chair, there was Ayan a four year old struggling with Hydrocephalus and her dear mother in a new country trying to start her life anew while helping her critically ill child. There was Shemsa who had one leg after being in a line up on the ground with her family and all of them being shot at… She was the only one to survive. There was Malyun a teenage beautiful girl who was also shot at and dealing with paralysis and some mental complications. There was a young girl, Kifa, with Cerebral Palsy and her single mother trying to start their life anew with no skills. There was a mom and boyfriend who came with her daughter and the boyfriend was suddenly caught in the crossfire at a gas station crime scene here in Memphis and died within the first few weeks of their arrival. The mother had a hard time psychologically trying to manage her four year old and herself afterwards. She was so afraid here.  The little girl was having a tough time too.  Then there was a disabled elderly widower with no legs and 8 children he was trying to support. The list goes on… And on….and on.

That list goes on and on today too.   I can assure you I am not making these stories up. When we are face to face with these sweet people and these precious children and teens it is quite impossible to turn our back on them if one has a heart at all. Today we still have vulnerable people new to our city with all sorts of challenges that I believe we can very much help… first by just loving them, but we need to take bigger steps. We can help provide food and clothing and furniture, but we want them to have real lasting help that will help them for generations to come.   

You know, I didn’t ask to be involved with newcomers. I tried to run from it and it chases me… It wakes me up at night.  My heart compels me to be faithful to the complete vision God has given me to help them…help us to help them. I don’t know how we are going to for sure get there but we are going to get there! If we can agree… Just one of you in prayer with me… It shall be done! So His word says so and I believe it!!

I believe with all my heart God told me to enlist the help of other believers…and he also has given me dreams of a plan laid out to really help which involves something like a basic elementary college (housing, education, job skills, English immersion and immersion in the truths of Gods word!) We have had so many coming in to our country and in our city who are in seriously vulnerable situations… Because of persecutions and poor conditions in their countries those we work with often have no education, no English skills and no job skills. We are reaching the nations by first just loving them… Please pray that God would provide the land and funding we need to be able to continue this journey. I can hardly express it right on this post.

I let go of my full time paying job to faithfully take this step trusting God will make a way to help us at Asha’s Refuge along with you to dig in deeper and help them. Please agree and pray with me… 
We would love to talk to your church, your small groups, your children, businesses… Let us know, but even more… Will you pray with us!  

Father move me out of the way and cause my steps to go in the direction that most glorifies You.  Here Am I Send Me!  Holy Spirit heal our minds, hearts and city delivering us from all evil.  Bring us together for your purposes.  Allow me to serve, give and love freely.  Open my eyes to what you see, but strengthen me so that I can see it without falling apart but growing in righteous maturity under your wings.  Help me, help them Jesus.  Please provide the funds and land and resources and volunteers we need to reach the places you set forth for us to go.  When there is no way… You make a way.  Thank you that You have not forgotten these people who are new to America and to Memphis.  Lift them up, keep them humble and kind, show them your face and deliver them fron oppression.  May love win!  In Your Sweet Name…Jesus!  Amen.