Today was an awesome day for Asha’s Refuge – the cherry on top of a wonderful week. Early voting is going on at New Bethel Church where our classes meet.  As our bus pulled into the parking lot, I shared with the ladies on-board why there were other people coming and going from the church building we use. Even though one of our ladies translated what I said for those with less English, most did not understand because the concept of democracy is totally unknown to them.

In my advanced English class we have been discussing the US Constitution and how our government works. This is challenging for my ladies but they are so anxious to learn because someday they hope to pass the US Citizenship test and become Americans. While most of us learned these things in middle school and our grades depended on learning, our citizenship did not depend on our ability to explain how America is governed. Many of us have probably forgotten most of what we learned about this in school and take for granted the unique way our country is governed.

Recognizing the rare opportunity to show my class democracy in action, I asked if they would like me to ask if the voting officials would talk to them about the process and they enthusiastically agreed. We were met by friendly officials who were very willing to talk with us. They explained about the ballot and walked us through the voting process. My students were amazed at the honesty, legal controls and secret nature of American voting.  They shared with us how voting works in African countries where people have to publicly declare their candidate choices and face serious danger from the opposition. They also described fraud in the election process.  They once again told me how good America is and how happy they are to be here. They said someone should tell African countries how to do this so they will stop fighting.

So tonight I will go to sleep with a renewed sense of gratitude for the incredible freedoms God has given to us as Americans and prayers for all who suffer under oppressive governments.

Greetings! Last week, I was with one of my friends and Asha’s Refuge volunteers, Kortney.  We decided to stop by and see one of our refugee friends (we will name her Jane) and give her a bin full of toiletries, household items and a few toys that were donated by the Soup Friends (Debbie Roper) at Central Church. Kortney and I are grateful the Lord put it on our hearts to stop by.  Jane has been very sick with a fever, headache and some stomach pain for a couple of weeks. When we visited her, her house seemed cold and she looked very ill. She was trying to care for baby Hosea even though she was really not feeling well.  Jane’s body was aching and it caused her to tremble and move about very slowly. Kortney and I offered Tylenol as a fever reducer which she immediately took two of and was so appreciative. She didn’t have any medication other than some gastro pills. Jane asked me to please help make her a doctor appointment at Christ Community, which I was successful at doing this morning.

I felt that Jane needed to have additional Tylenol and something to replace her electrolytes since all she was saying she was drinking was water and eating little to nothing. Kort and I decided to run to Kroger and do this so that she’d have Tylenol for her fever and headache in case it took a while to get her to the doctor. As I was telling Jane that I was going to the store for her and would return, I suddenly had it on my heart to check to see if there were additional grocery items I could pick up for her since she has been unable to get out. Thank Jesus I asked! Jane requested diapers and wipes. Kortney and I went to Kroger and spent our last Kroger gift card that Central Church gave us! At the store we felt compelled to grab additional groceries for Jane and her family since Jane couldn’t. We thought of her oldest son (the 3rd grade math whiz) and middle child (the new kindergartener we had in our Kindergarten readiness program for a little while over the summer) and her baby.  Some of the items we bought were bananas, oranges, chicken noodle soup, two large Gatorades, a large pack of Kroger diapers and wipes, toilet paper, hand soap, a few extra-large bottles of Tylenol (one for Jane and a few for me to keep on hand, they were on sale for like $3), carrots and cookies (Kort was thinking of the kiddos).

How wonderful it was to have the donated Kroger gift card on hand!   We ended up spending an additional $39.29 on this family in need, but it was such a blessing to be able to do so. When we delivered the items, Jane embraced Kort and I with hugs, rolling tears on her shiny black cheeks, and a prayer for us in her language. Her voice was rattling with humility and sickness and her tears were so real. Jane wept. Our hearts connected to her heart. She wouldn’t let go of me! Kort and I had been obedient and the Lord used us to show Jane love. In turn Kort and I felt loved. And as Kort and I are learning, we had the honor of comforting Jesus. (Surely Jesus grieves when His people are hurting and when His people comfort one another then it in turn comforts Him. We believe we comforted Jesus yesterday!) It was such a sweet day yesterday and one that I will never forget.

It’s for those like Jane that Asha’s Refuge exists. Jane didn’t feel comfortable calling to make an appointment for herself with her little English and little understanding of our American appointment making procedures and cultures. She was sick and I believe the Lord brought Kort and I to her. I am still humbled by the experience with Kort but I am reminded how often this type of thing happens to me while working among the disadvantaged poor refugees. How could anyone not want to help? Please encourage our supporters to continue helping us by making financial donations to Asha’s Refuge. If we hadn’t of had the Central Church Kroger card and the funding available from financial contributions in our Asha’s account, I may not always be able to be so free at offering this kind of help to refugees because there is such a great need. Our Asha’s account is getting lower and we need real financial commitments and support. Please be praying about this as I know God will always make a way.

By the way, before Kort and I left Jane, her spirits were lifted. Her fever had reduced and her headache was a little better.

The past few weeks have been very busy for Asha’s Refuge.   It’s been exciting, but I am always kept very humble.  There are so many refugees in need.  Their needs are sometimes food, clothes, warm blankets and better housing  but not always.  Once those initial needs are met, they need jobs in order to keep the housing they have or to continue to bring food home for their family.  They need jobs to bring in the money necessary to provide school supplies to their children who are newly enrolled in school.  They need the money to work towards buying a car and putting gas in it to get it to a job.  (Our Memphis bus system is not efficient.)  In order to get a job, refugees must learn English and in order to get a better job, refugees need to get a basic education and then their GED. 

You see, until refugees are able to have their basic education, they are often unable to really be very successful resettling here in America.  Despite popular beliefs, most refugees DO NOT want to stay on government support.  They are embarrassed by it and want us to know that they WANT to work and are very WILLING.  Most refugees are very hard-working and dependable, but they need a gentle person to train them and give them some basic job skills. 

This is why Asha’s Refuge really needs financial support!  It’s not to hand refugees money and cause them to depend on us.  It’s to set up programs to that will provide these types of life skills and job training.  Some have said that it is easy for people to just write a check and never get involved and many have balked at that idea.  As for Asha’s Refuge, we desperately need your money!  We welcome those who have been blessed and have been given the means to help others financially.  While we certainly will need many helping hands and hearts that are willing to work and befriend refugees face to face, we cannot provide a place for this to occur in a way that will promote a drastic positive impact if we do not have the building space and things necessary to do so.  We need continual financial donations to move through the processes of obtaining our own workspace, learning space, training areas and places to come together. 

Financial support will be used to pay for the gas that it takes our staff to run around and serve the refugee community.  Each week our staff makes visits to our refugee friends, we often take them to their doctor appointments, to the grocery store, tutor them in English, help them understand their bills and mail, help them complete applications and just offer them help overall with a successful resettlement here in America.  There are so many refugees who are here that want our support.  The more volunteers and staff that we have the more help we are able to offer refugees families.  The more volunteers and staff we have, however, the more Asha’s Refuge must have itself together in a way that we can train volunteers, provide the supplies volunteers need and a place for them to come to help serve the refugee community. We have many ideas and dreams that we believe are God sized ideas to bring help to the refugee community.   We just cannot thank you enough for helping us financially!

We’ve added a new page to our menu bar.  It’s the donation page!  Click on MAKE A DONATION at the top of your menu bar to check it out. 

Here’s a little recap about the page (I figure if I post a little bit of the same information here, readers may be more likely to click on the new DONATION page):

Many people have kindly provide us with things (clothes, toiletries, kitchen items, toys, educational supplies, etc.).  We have even had so many who have stepped up to help us by volunteering their time. We do very much need things and dedicated volunteers!  But, please know that, like all non-profits, Asha’s Refuge depends on financial donations to help with its organizational cost.  Without the continued support from our community we would not be able to actively assist vulnerable refugees in achieving successful resettlement.  Without your support, we will not be able to continue moving forward with our long-term plans that involve big dreams to make the refugee resettlement processes a lot smoother in our city.  So what I’m saying is, we desperately need committed monthly financial donors as well as one time financial donations.  No amount is too small!  We trust that God will bless every generous giver and make every faithful penny given multiply.  If you are considering monthly support, we ask that you please pray about it and then let us know.

To make your donation….please click on the MAKE A DONATION tab on our menu bar that runs across the top of your computer screen.  Thank you!

This need is also listed on our “Volunteer” page.  I’ve decided to post it here in hopes that someone will see it a little easier and consider helping us out on Fridays.

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Each Friday Asha’s Refuge holds English Conversation and Kindergarten Readiness Classes for refugee women and preschoolers at New Bethel Church in Germantown, TN off of Poplar Pike. We want to serve them snacks or either a light lunch during our large group time where we enjoy socializing and practicing our English conversation. We need help from our community to provide the food and drinks.

Here’s What We Really Need:  Small Groups to work together to purchase and prepare snacks or finger foods for approximately 20 ladies and then bring them to our English Conversation Class at New Bethel each Friday.  Snacks should be ready to serve by 11:45am.  The snacks should be simple and not too messy.  PLEASE NO PORK. Small groups may contact us to sign-up for a particular Friday.

Some suggested foods are: peanut butter and jelly or turkey sandwiches, fried chicken, cheese pizza, chips, all fruits, nuts, seeds and dates, cookies/brownies, cupcakes and raw vegetables. For drinks, refugees enjoy mango, grape and orange juice, fruit punch, all sodas (esp. orange and lime) and water.

Please arrive at the church at 11:30am with your foods already prepared so that they can be served by 11:45am. Set up your refreshments including all paper products (which your small group will need to provide). Enjoy socializing and eating with our refugee friends. Please prepare to stay and help clean up after lunch and leave about 12:45. Your help is very much appreciated! 

I’m in Nashville, TN.  It’s a beautiful place with rolling hills and country music in the air.  Deborah and I are experiencing our first out-of-town business trip for Asha’s Refuge.  We are learning more about the refugee situation in the state of Tennessee and how other organizations handle helping them receive successful resettlement.  It’s neat to me to be in Nashville to see and hear other people who have hearts to serve their refugee community.  Their experiences sound so familiar to me.  It encourages me to know that I have not been dreaming up a need for continued refugee support after the initial few months of assistance they receive from the resettlement agency.   The resettlement agencies truly need the support of communities in order to really help refugee families.  Asha’s Refuge wants to help.

Yesterday Deborah and I met two other agencies similar to ours.  They were working with preschoolers and assisting moms with various needs related to their resettlement.  Their preschool area seemed to be newly taking shape.  It was interesting that they also recognized the need for early english learning for the preschoolers so that they could have a head start into the American school system.

The agencies we met seem to also be encouraging men and assisting them with job skills.  But, tutoring English to all refugees was at the top of every agencies list. Without better English skills refugees are not successful in school, finding jobs, the transportation systems or altogether understanding how to function in their new world around them.

Each of the agencies we met seemed to be still working at pulling themselves together as a daily functioning business to help serve the needs of their refugee community. It was good to see some like-minded people who had similar experiences to ours.  We now know we aren’t the only ones trying to figure out the best ways to offer encouragement to the refugee community and not create a  dependency.

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I started this post while I was in Nashville and now I have returned.  The trip was good for us to be able to learn from other agencies who serve refugees along side of the resettlement agency like we do.  It seemed to me that serving in this industry is something sort of new.  Catholic Charities of West Tennessee has been serving refugees since 1975 (smiles…the year I was born).  I’m uncertain how many refugee immigrants were being resettled in the beginning, but there are easily 200 plus refugee families being resettled into the Memphis area each year now.  Each year that passes by, there are more and more refugees in our community who are in need of further assistance that extends beyond what the resettlement agency has been set up to offer them.  There are only a few initial months of services that are available to a refugee through the resettlement agency.  After that short time has passed, refugees must provide for themselves financially in order to have food on their table, a house to live in, water and utilities turned on and clothes on their backs.  Many refugees are simply not ready.  Perhaps the need for an organization like Asha’s Refuge to come alongside of the resettlement agency to help support disadvantaged refugees who have in a sense “timed out” or have a “case closed” with the resettlement agency is altogether a newer concept here in the US.

I think Catholic Charities and other major resettlement agencies have done a great job at recognizing the need to be a part of the rescue team for those people all over the world who are being terribly persecuted in their home countries.  They have stepped up to the plate and have obtained legal rights to assist all nations of people in resettling their families into safer living conditions.  But, they cannot do this alone.  They need the help from each community.

It is clear that there is certain criteria, rules, regulations and requirements from our government that are placed on the shoulders of each resettlement agency who is funded with various government grants.  Sometimes it seems that the resettlement agency sort of gets their hands tied by all of these rules and paperwork that they can become unable to do everything they might love to do for the refugee community themselves.   That’s why Asha’s Refuge and other agencies like Asha’s Refuge need to exist!  I am hopeful that we can continue to learn more and that doors and hearts will open for Asha’s Refuge, the community, churches and our government to work as a team.