ESL (English as a Second Language) class was today. The class is held at our “D2” apartment every Wednesday and Friday from 10AM to 12. You see, once I started teaching Asha English in her home (see the About Page for details) the word got out. The relationships I had developed with several refugee students in the Catholic Charities ESL class were sincere, real and they knew it. There were other ESL volunteer teachers (especially my friend Tricia) who also began to build great friendships with refugees. When students began to see us walk around their apartment their faces just lit up with smiles. “Teacher! My teacher!” they would say. It seemed as though the refugees were proud to call me or Tricia their American friend.

My refugee friends are always extremely hospitable. I have learned that for most of them good hospitality is part of their culture. Most of the time when I visit refugees, I am greeted then asked to have a seat while tea, sweet treats or fruits are prepared. So far, I am always welcomed into their homes.

I started out with only one student – Asha. Asha’s disabilities kept her from being able to physically get to the classes at Catholic Charities. As I visited with Asha and practiced English we would often run errands together, go to doctor appointments and have lunch together. Asha would play a great game of charades with me so that we could communicate. When she would get frustrated, shake her head, and throw her hands up in the air, I would encourage her not to give up and keep trying to communicate with me. We would draw pictures, make weird facial expressions, funny body movements and point to objects sometimes. I was determined and Asha fought with me. We learned all kinds of things about one another without being able to speak the same language. The way Asha and I communicate still amazes me! What Asha and I learned together in her home about communicating with someone when language is an issue was a talent I seemed to take with me as I built other friendships with non English speaking people. I believe it has become a real gift and I treasure it and truly thank God for it. (My secret: It’s God. Not me. I prayed a long time ago and asked God to help me to somehow be able to communicate with, connect to and understand my refugee friends. I asked God to not allow language to be a barrier in my friendships as I try and shine His loving light in a dark world and above all for His Will Be Done in me. I realize that apart from God I can do nothing.)

Asha began inviting her friends in her home to practice their English with us. I invited my friend, Vivian, to come help me and meet Asha and Asha’s friends. Our number of students increased each week. Since we were in Asha’s home and we were all females, we decided to strictly make the English in home classes for ladies. Many of the students were mothers. Some of the mothers were mothers of children with disabilities. Some of the mothers were single moms. Some were single moms with many children. As Vivian and I got to know and work with some of the pre-school children, we realized that the children needed to
learn English and get prepared for Kindergarten. Vivian began working with the preschoolers in Asha’s home while I tutored the mother’s English. We quickly
outgrew Asha’s apartment. Since one of the moms we tutored lived next door to Asha, sometimes Vivian would take the children to her house. It worked pretty
well for a while, but our numbers kept growing. We needed more space.

Men and women in the refugee community began to come to me to ask for help with what I thought to be simple American tasks that most American
mom’s and dad’s would know. Refugees need more than just english help.

Other than ESL, some of the refugees most common needs were and still are today:

• help understanding mail (especially bills and doctor appointments)
• help training for, applying for or obtaining a job (writing a resume)
• basic education and GED assistance, tutoring and testing
• help learning computer skills
• a person to practice driving skills, help obtaining their driver’s license
• understanding their automated food stamp allowance and getting food when it hasn’t started yet or runs out
• help setting up their TV’s
• getting more clothes, shoes, blankets, toiletries, furniture and other household items
• help understanding how to set their central air system to keep their utility bill low
• childcare (mentoring mom’s – discipline help)
• help repairing and buying cars
• help making doctor’s appointments and getting to doctor’s appointments
• learning how to use the bus system

This brings me to Apartment D2. I advocated with my husband and then church, Nations Memphis (www.nationsmemphis.tv), to get an apartment within the refugee community. My refugee friends had welcomed me into their homes for so long and I wanted a way that I could return their generosity. I wanted to invite them into my home. Although I had brought refugees in my home before, it was too difficult to transport refugees back and forth 40 minutes to and 40 minutes back. Gas had gotten expensive. I needed a place that my friends, my church and I could be available to respond to the many needs in the refugee community. And so, we worked out a deal with the apartment owner to have an apartment.

The apartment wasn’t exactly ready for us to take possession of it. Our deal was that our church would fix up the apartment in exchange for rent. Like most of the other apartments in this community, it was bug infested and dirty. We had to go in and bug bomb it, pull out rotting wood, repair floors, paint and clean it. Then we had a terrible plumbing issue that kept us from actually getting into the apartment for several months. The floors were buckled and damaged by the water. After several months not being able to get into the apartment for ESL, I decided I should focus on my in home tutoring at Asha’s. I had almost given up on that apartment. I was actually looking at other locations. And then, one day, the apartment owner hired a plumber to fix the plumbing and then Operation Broken Silence had a team of individuals who provided a lot of labor and better flooring. They will never really understand how much they helped us out! Thank you Operation Broken Silence!

And so, we are in our apartment. D2. We call it the Nations United: Hope Center at church. It’s been several months since we’ve been in the apartment. But, we’ve outgrown it. The apartment is three bedrooms. The main room is packed with about 16 chairs that are usually always full of students. In this room we have three standard rectangle portable tables. One table is for students at a beginner level, which often means they have never held a pencil and cannot write their name. One table is for a middle level, which often means they can write their name and alphabet and are trying to sound out the letters and begin to read. I’ve got rotating teachers for the beginner and middle level classes. Our advanced level is about on a 2nd grade level. They are reading and writing, but need help with their grammar, comprehension, vocabulary and speaking confidence. My friend, Deborah, teaches the advanced class as she is good at getting serious with reading and grammar.

We also began helping the Spanish Community that lives in the same apartment complex with their English. My friend Terry has taken charge of the Spanish classes. She teaches them English on Tuesday nights then Wednesday and Friday mornings in one of the smaller back bedrooms and is often packed in. We figure we are there helping adults learn English and wouldn’t want to not involve our Spanish friends who also need a little help.

During class times, the other two rooms and the outside courtyard are full with children. We have a volunteer staff that helps us that rotates on any given Wednesday and Friday. A few teachers help both Wednesdays and Fridays. We’ve had a lot of sweet mom’s and creative youth helping us out with our children during the summer. I’m not sure what we will do during the school year.

Saturday mornings at 10AM, we’ve started a beginner computer class. Chris and Leah lead it. They have three laptops that they set up in the apartment and teach students how to maneuver on a computer. The men seem to enjoy this class. We need more volunteer teachers and computers.

The needs of vulnerable refugees keep growing. More refugees are coming to the Memphis area and will need help. Many will have disabilities, multiple children or no education. They need a hand to hold. They need a friend. I think it’d be great for each refugee to have an American God loving mentor. Asha’s Refuge doesn’t want to only focus on teaching English (although that part of it is a huge need for refugees). Asha’s Refuge wants to provide hope in situations in a refugees life where they see no help. I’m just an ordinary American mom, but somehow I and the other volunteers at Nations United: Hope Center and Asha’s Refuge are so helpful to this group of very special people.

(Note: The Nations United: Hope Center is a ministry under Lord of the Nations Church in Memphis, TN (www.nationsmemphis.tv). It is a ministry I led that began to grow bigger and faster than what my church was able to really support. The refugee needs are great. My church still has a heart to help refugees and will serve as they can. I spoke with my Pastor and prayed about starting Asha’s Refuge in order to better cater to a particular group of needy refugees. Please see the “About Asha’s Refuge” page for additional details. I still serve in my churches refugee ministry as it fits right alongside of where my heart is for refugees as a whole.)

My cell phone rang about 9:30 this morning. I was surprised to hear Alma’s brother Alonzo on the other end. He was asking where I was. I suppose that my message for him to go and register at Messick Vocational School for ESL and basic education classes by 8AM wasn’t understood. He was excited about going to school and even more happy about the classes being available to him for free. Yesterday I printed a map with directions on it for him to use to get to Messick. I spent about 15 minutes going over the 4 step directions and left him the map and phone number. I explained to him to wake up early and to be there at or just before 8AM and encouraged him to take along with him a few of his friends who also needed to register and expressed that he could do this on his own. All he had to do was get there on time and there would be people ready to help him register for classes that would start in August. Well, Alonzo didn’t understand.

He called today looking for me to take him. “You can drive, remember Alonzo?” I reminded him I left him a map and that he was already too late. He was very sad and confused. Alonzo, from Somalia speaks just enough English to sort of wiggle by in the US. He likes to think he understands and can speak more than he actually can and so therefore he doesn’t take the time to slow down and listen nor does he put much effort into trying to practice his English. Compared to his fellow Somalians in Memphis, he is ahead with his English but just not enough for others to understand or for himself to understand other Americans. Alonzo will have to wait and register in July. Maybe then I can arrange to take him and a group of other adults needing an education.

Since Alonzo missed the registration, he decided to inquire with me about a job which I mentioned to his sister, Alma, about on the way to the immigration office yesterday. There was a Garden Ridge almost across the street from the Immigration office that had several signs posted near the street that said they were hiring. I attempted to tell Alonzo where Garden Ridge was and what it was. He said he understood but I could tell he didn’t. After I hung up the phone, I received two phone calls from other Somalian people who spoke a little better English trying to translate the job information for Alonzo.

I don’t understand Lord. How is sweet Alonzo supposed to get a job? He needs someone to teach him how to apply for a job. He needs to learn more English and get his GED, but he must work to help support himself, his sister and his two nieces (their mother, his sister, passed away). I think he needs a male American mentor. I wish I were closer so that I could help Alonzo get himself a few blocks to Garden Ridge and help him to speak with a manager there to explain a little of his situation and literally beg with him for a position cleaning or stocking shelves or something. How would it look to a manager if an applicant came with someone advocating for them?

I know Alonzo like many other refugee men and women want to work and are hard workers. Many refugees are educated some or a lot in their own countries and come here to do grunge work like cleaning bathrooms and washing dishes.

I once went job hunting with a guy named Jaden. He was from Eritrea. We first searched for available jobs on the internet. We then decided to drive to a few places because the online application process was too tedious for Jaden to understand or complete himself. He was looking for physical labor, entry level type jobs even though he was a skilled leather laser man in his country. We located a janitorial job at Auto Zone and decided to go around the corner to the headquarters and just apply. Jaden borrowed his friends white dress shirt, pants and shoes and we headed out. When we entered the lower level of Auto Zone we were greeted by a stern security officer that said all applications were only accepted online. After several other companies indicated they only did online application processing, we decided to go to the library to use the free computers and apply for jobs.

Jaden had never been to the library. I helped him get his library card and explained to him how he could borrow books and use the computer for free. The system for using the computers was confusing even for me but we finally got on a computer and began filling out applications. I was shocked at the length of the applications and the detail in them just for a job cleaning bathrooms and offices. There were questions like, “Why do you feel you are the right person for this job” and “What experience do you have that would be helpful to you in this job”? I mean, come on! For a cleaning job?

Jaden was inexperienced with a computer and couldn’t have completed the 2.5 hour application on his own. The sad part was that we were in the middle of the application and the free library computer timed out! Needless to say, our American system for obtaining a job isn’t working well for many who are in poverty especially my refugee friends.

Talking to Alonzo today reminded me of my experience with Jaden and a few other refugee friends of mine that I know are job hunting and struggling. There must be a better way. Lord, show me.

I’m working on logos for Asha’s Refuge a lot today and have an idea that might be it. I’ll share it soon I hope. My mind isn’t able to give all it has into the logo though because I’m thinking about a job for Alonzo. I realize it’s hard for many Americans to find a job these days. I wonder how Asha’s Refuge could help refugees in desperate situations apply for and obtain jobs. Could Asha’s Refuge begin to hire refugees at some point?

Today we registered and received our EIN number! I’m learning everyday what exactly that means for Asha’s Refuge. From what I understand, we can now accept donations under the Nonprofit name “Asha’s Refuge” and in the future when we obtain our tax exempt ID we can give tax receipts for donations.

I’ve been working on our logo and will be praying about who our board members should be. We need a team of strong leaders for Asha’s Refuge in order to move forward with parts of the business plan.

My mind isn’t able to stay totally focused on the background work of building the company because I am so involved on the ground work right in front of my face. This morning I took Alma to Immigration Services and helped her family complete Greencard Forms. After our meeting, Alma thanked me by making me breakfast! We had Samalian scrambled eggs with peppers and onion, toast, watermelon and tea. I had a wonderful time visiting with Alma and her family.

When I returned home, I received a phone call from another young refugee friend, we’ll call her Sadi. She was very worried about her sick young girl, Mary. (Here is a pic of Sadi and her daughter Mary.)Hearing another mom cry frantically on the other end if the phone and beg for me to come help was really hard. Her daughter was having severe headaches and nausea. The concern was great for mom because Mary had already experienced a gun shot wound in the head at five years old that initially left her blind and paralyzed on the left side. It wasn’t until three years later when Safia and Mary were approved as refugees and taken to Egypt that surgery could even happen. The surgery in Egypt must have been a real miracle because today Mary is 11 and is weak on the left side but not paralyzed and is able to see but not perfectly. Sadi has only one daughter and today she is very concerned about her headaches, nausea and vomiting.

It’s hard for me not to jump up and meet Sadi and her daughter at Leboneur Hospital. With very little English speaking ability and cultural understanding it’s hard for an unlicensed mother to find her way to and around the hospital and then explain and understand what’s going on with healthcare providers. Sadi needed an American friend to encourage her, link arms today and just be like family during this scary time.

I couldn’t go to her. I was at least 45 minutes away now. I had responsibilities with my own kids, but if I really have needed to, I would have. I got a hold of Sadi and Mary’s case worker who wasn’t far from them. I’m happy there could be someone there to help Sadi quickly.

I think Mary ended up okay tonight. Her CAT Scan came out normal. The doctors seemed to feel like it was a virus. They were giving Mary fluids and probably going to send her home by night. My friend and volunteer ESL teacher, Deborah, that works with Safia spoke to her and her doctor. Deborah was concerned for Mary too. She seemed to feel confident that the doctors had things under control and that Sadi now had some help near her. I’m so thankful for volunteer helpers like Deborah that really care about people.

Each day is a different experience working with my friends from other countries. There is much for them to learn that most Americans take advantage of. The average American is so educated and fortunate. I feel blessed and I often wonder, “Why Me, Lord?” I’m no better and I easily could have been raised on the other side of the world in the middle of a war. I feel like I’m supposed to move closer to my friends in Binghamton, but when and how? Perhaps it’s in my future. I don’t know.

Today was more than a day just to obtain the EIN number. It was a day to encourage and show love. It was a day to build on a friendship. It was a day I truly hope and pray that God was able to shine through me. “Your will God and not mine.”