Thank you Crosstown 9th Grade High School Students for inviting us today for conversation and interviews. We love that you are interested in bringing cultures together and encouraging newcomers, so are we. ❤️

We are changing our annual cookie fundraiser to a Cookie and Bake Sale Swap that Churches can be a part of in a way that makes it a little more personal for each church and group’s ministry. Host a bake sale / cookie swap benefiting Asha’s Refuge. Here are the details… contact Jenny.mcfarland@ashasrefuge.org if your group wants to be involved. We’d love to see a little competition of love between the groups showing our community of church support. It is the church volunteering, prayer and contributions that surely helps to make Asha’s Refuge stand strong reaching the Nations. Thank you!

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World Day of Prayer.  It is today, May 3, 2018. I’m sitting here in tears on behalf of my dear friend Claudine.  She was born in the Congo then traveled to a Rwandan refugee camp where she lived with little to nothing for many many years.  Two nights ago she called me crying her heart out after learning that her uncle was shot and killed by the government, policing the refugee camp.  Word from the refugees is that they were minding their own business other than asking for food because their families were hungry.  The police came in and started shooting and her uncle was shot in the leg.  He apparently bled so much that he died.  This morning, Claudine actually sent me photos of her uncle in the wooden box they made for him as a casket.  Despite how graphic it is, I WILL post this because people need to know the reality of it.

I searched for articles on line and found one written by Reuters World News titled, “Rwanda police arrest 23 Congolese refugees after violence in camp”.  The title of the article is misleading and presents more of what the media wants us to “think” is truth but may very well not be the truth and certainly not the whole truth.  I read the article and the messages of the Congolese people in the refugee camp seem to fall in line with what Claudine is trying to express to me.  It is sad that we have to try and read between the lines of news these days and truly use discernment to get the truth.  I pray that the Holy Spirit reveal to us truth and give us the wisdom to know how to handle the yucky truths’ we might learn about.  Here is a link to the article written by Clement Uwiringiyimana:  Reuters World News Article, May 2, 2018.

   “The problem is, they don’t put this news on social media because they don’t want their country to look bad.  They will write things in Kinyarwanda, a language they know the majority of the world does not know because they don’t want the world to know what is really going on with refugees.  I wish someone could help these people so that the world can better understand the reason why these people are dying everyday.  Innocent people are asking for food.    They would rather even go back to their own country of Congo than be in the refugee camp.”

What is really going on in the refugee camps today?  What is really going on around out world?  I think that we need to better listen to the everyday ordinary people in our world.  We need to better listen to our neighbors.  We need to sit down and have heart to heart conversations putting aside all of our own previous conceptions and ideas that are distorted by fears developed by movies, books, news, TV and other media sources.

Two volunteers of Asha Refuge said it best, “You go seeking freedom and then you lose what little freedom you did have;  you lose it all… at one time atleast you could decide to go to the refugee camp and now once you have signed up, you don’t have the freedom to get back out.  Maybe it is like a concentration camp… and now labeled a refugee camp.”  So many refugees are born and raised in refugee camps and know nothing but the camp life.  Getting out of the camp is scary.  They don’t know what to expect or how to act.

I have come to know many, many, many of the Congolese people while serving refugees in Memphis and they have my heart!   Many of them are solid Christians standing strong in their faith. Their faith has been tested and tested.  Because of Claudine’s request to get the word out regarding what is really going on in the Rwandan refugee camps, I post this article today on National Day of Prayer.  Yes, our world needs prayer.  We are NOT fighting against people; not against flesh and blood!!  We are fighting the evils of a dark world that are unseen.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” -Ephesians 6:12

We as people need to come together.   Pray for the Congolese people; pray for our world as a whole.  The kingdom is here….it is within us!  Believers must become Love and a light to a very dark world.

Photo below in memory and love for Elisa Kanyandekwe (name pronounced Elijah). Newly married father of two precious children. Innocent and just trying to take care of his family like many. Our prayers and heart are with this family.

I am unsure how to start this post. So many people do not take the time to read anymore. I don’t know really how to put into words what my heart wants to say. I will try…

Happy 24th birthday Kumi. I so love you sweet, beautiful, friend and sister in Christ. I am sorry you are struggling with the AVM brain condition and that today, on your birthday, you are in the hospital in ICU in need of a serious miracle healing. I believe God wants to completely heal you and that the prayers of many have been heard. I believe, but I need God to help me with my unbelief (Mark 9:24). I must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

I know that God loves you more than I do, more than your parents do and more than anyone does. I don’t understand why it’s taking so long for you to have the complete healing that you need. Your continued strong faith is amazing and inspiring. Your parents faith right now is such an example to me too. But today, I miss your giggles and bubbly spirit.

I remember riding in the car with you after we ate pizza. You were telling me that your birthday was coming up and that you would love to have an American birthday cake. It was silly trying to scroll through all the pictures of cakes in order to decide what kind of cake you would want. Chocolate cake with white icing, strawberry cake with strawberry icing, yellow cake with chocolate icing, etc. Your preference for yellow cake with white icing was one that I remembered today. I know you are unable to enjoy it as much as you might outside of the hospital, but I especially wanted you to have it today. You won’t believe what happened on my way to the hospital to visit and deliver the cake to you. I had to hit my brakes quickly because of the cars that were in front of me who for some reason slammed on their brakes. The quick stop caused your cake to fly off the seat, hit the side door and flip upside down then land on the floor board. Fortunately I did not try to chase it and have a wreck. I couldn’t reach the cake but could see it upside down in the cake container. (I can envision you laughing with me on this one.) As I drove, I said a quick prayer. Dear Jesus, my heart so wants Kumi to have this birthday cake. Please make it be okay. I had to drive for a few minutes before I could pull over and tend to the cake. When I flipped the cake back over I was sure I would see a very messed up cake with icing everywhere and the written “happy birthday Kumi” an absolute cake disaster. But the cake was perfect. Wow! This was such a little prayer answer and probably dumb prayer. It still strengthened my faith.

When I came into your room this morning, my heart was prepared to pray for you again. It was so sweet to see that your friends stayed the night and were awake with you. Over the past few months, I have seen how many peoples lives you have touched for the greater. People love you. I prayed again with you today. The doctors and surgeons are not talking very hopeful nor are they promising a successful surgery. As a matter fact, it doesn’t seem they feel it is best to have surgery at all. Part of me is happy about that because I don’t want you to have to go through the pain of the very difficult 12-15 hour brain surgery. The other part of me, I am sure like your family and friends, is a bit scared and frustrated that the current medical situation for you has gotten more complicated. I want you to know that everyone seems to be doing the very best that they can under the very serious AVM brain condition that you are dealing with. The medical team says that the part of your brain that is being affected is vital for you to sustain life as you know it. The surgery is just too risky.

I am hopeful that the medical neuro professionals can continue thinking outside of the box for ways that they can help you that or not so invasive. For now, they are desperately trying to manage your pain and get you stronger for possible future procedures that we hope will help. I am believing in a serious miracle for you Kumi. Just maybe God called off the surgery because He has something better coming! I am trusting Him who is within you and right beside you.

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Friends, Kumi’s current medical condition is serious. Her family needs our prayers “believing” for her miracle. Kumi and her mother are unable to work which brings an additional burden on the family because of little finances and medical bills. Kumi did not previously qualify for insurance. Her hospital case manager has determined she is not eligible for other types of benefits. Brain surgery is extremely expensive. Kumi’s medical condition (AVM) is life threatening.

Asha’s Refuge serves many refugee clients who face a variety of challenges. We are unable to always share the details of every story trying to give privacy to our clients. We are asking for your financial support to help us continue to provide services and the critical needs to help this family and others who are currently in need. If you have a heart to help us help others through any amount of a financial contribution, please donate today through our PayPal link.

Asha’s Refuge is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your financial contribution is tax-deductible. We are happy to send you a tax receipt.

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Update for Kumi 4/23/2018: Over the weekend the bleeding in Kumi’s brain slowed and then today stopped. Thank you Jesus! The plan is to continue to stabilize her and after a few weeks possibly try alternative less invasive methods to shrink the AVM such as radiology. Kumi will be monitored closely and continues to need our prayers. We see God working through this family and appreciate your believing in her full recovery and healing miracle.

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To read the original story about Kumi which her family allowed us a while back to share, please visit the following link: https://cultureofrefuge.org/2017/05/07/kumi-congo/

About 10 years ago, I was pretty emotionally exhausted as I nonstopped pushed forward to assist the many people that I met who were in truly challenging situations. One after another, I would see people in our city (Memphis) that were war torn with physical evidence of escaping for their lives the violence and persecutions in their home countries. The prescious people that I met were among women and children but also young and old men. Their stories and personalities grabbed my heart and my heart has never been the same. Exhausted with complete compassion and love, I one day wanted to quit trying to assist the people. The amount of help the people needed was just too much for me to really comprehend and the challenges they faced was simply too much for me to feel like I could even make a real difference. I remember falling on the ground with a broken heart surrendering all these people I was carrying in my heart to God. I cried and cried and prayed to God to help them and to leave me out of it. I just did not see how I could emotionally do what I was doing anymore. I then heard God whisper to me…”Jamie, I did not ask you to DO all this yourself. Enlist the help of other believers.” And so, I obeyed.

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Our Spring Tshirts are ready to order!  We hope you will love them and enjoy wearing them to help us raise awareness about our cause.  Tshirt logo may be dark gray with more of a teal shirt color and are $20 each.  Click the Tshirt above for more information and to place your order today.

4/5/18 – Update on Sakima’s Family. Her apartment complex has placed her family back on a waiting list for an apartment. The waiting list can take sometimes more than 6 months. The complex and fire department will secure the apartment and the families will be allowed to go in and get whatever items they can still salvage maybe by Friday. Sakima has no where to store the items since her family is homeless until their name comes up on the waiting list or they find alternative housing. She wants her youngest to stay in the school he is at so, for now, she will drive back and forth from hotel and friends homes. Please pray for her to have wisdom and what the family needs for a home quickly.

4/3/18 – Update on Sakima’s family affected by the apartment fire: Today we helped the family of four secure an extended stay hotel that is just under $350 per week that has an extremely small kitchen area, 1 single room with two double beds and 1 bathroom. We are waiting on the apartment’s insurance procedure update, info and necessary proof of fire “vouchers” that will apparently take another week or so to obtain. Meanwhile 8 families are displaced. Asha’s Refuge has purchased immediate clothing items, assisted Sakima with some gas, some cash to have on hand for additional food/toiletries items as needed. This single mom has a need for a small set of pots and pans with cooking utensils for the small kitchen apartment area (update…. pots/pans and cooking utensils donated!), cane for grandma with rubber nonslip tip (she’s still using the stick she found in Africa that is slippery), Kroger cards for groceries and paper products, towels, Visa cards or cash donations for paying hotel fees or future housing/utility deposits. See previous post on how to donate or message us please. Thanks in advance for your help. So far, Sakima says, the family is doing okay.

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Prayers and Support Needed: Yesterday afternoon, an apartment building of one of our refugee families, Sakima, caught fire. It was terrible and kept me tossing and turning through the night. Jake and I were returning a group of children from a days fishing trip when were met with fire truck after fire truck at the children’s apartment complex. My heart sank immediately wanting to know if everyone was safe. When I realized the fire had extended into, and completely affected, Sakima’s home, I ran to see if her family of four was okay. I found her teenage son, Isaac sitting on the edge of the parking lot with no shoes pretty shaken up. He had been trying to call his mother who was at work to let her know but his phone had no power. The phone chargers were inside the apartment. He had gotten his 7 year old brother AND his 72 year old grandmother, who has severe scoliosis, out safely and was in a little panic not able to reach his mom. Luckily Jake had a charging bank and an extra chord he gave to Isaac. We quickly charged his phone. We finally got hold of his mother who rushed home about 30-40 minutes later from work. After some time, the fire department allowed us to go inside this apartment with a security guard, just in the front area, to try and grab what remaining things we could quickly salvage. Isaac and I went in together. When we entered the upstairs apartment it was dark, everything was wet and most of it was charred. I saw two prescription pills on the front table unaffected and grabbed those. We grabbed a bin of shoes (luckily they kept their shoes in a large bin near the hallway… most were wet but maybe okay). Isaac was in a room trying to pull clothes out and suddenly the roof fell in over him!!! He got up and was okay. Thank you God!! The sunlight and blue sky beemed through a hole in the roof which allowed me to see Isaac was okay but covered in white insulation fuzz. The security guard guided him out of that room and said hurry! Isaac and I realized just how unsafe his apartment was as it began to creek and make sounds as though it was literally about to fall in. I hurried and grabbed some jeans and a backpack that I saw on the floor when suddenly their was another loud sound from the same room that fell in on Isaac. The rest of the roof fell in and a giant wave of water flew into the house flooding it. The security guard yelled out, “that is enough… let’s go!” I stretched and reached for two blankets from off the couch as we ran to exit the apartment.

After we met with Red Cross (they were great and fast), did reports and spoke to the apartment manager, the whole family came over to my house so that we could be somewhere away from the fire fiasco and think through a plan for the family. They were going to stay with us at least for the evening but their friends were looking for them and by the time we went back out to get some extra clothes and other needed items, the family just assumed it best to go back and stay with their refugee friends who were willing to help them with a place to stay. So now we have a refugee family who is struggling already trying to help their refugee single mom friends family of four who’s home was destroyed by fire. This family needs our prayers and support.

You need to know that Sakima has already previously lost one son in a house fire in Africa. She was very thankful that her sons and mother are okay but is extremely shaken up about the fire.

Here is how you can help!! Share this post! Talk to your church groups. We will be gathering items for the family to rebuild their life, yet again. They are homeless right now so we cannot take a bunch of items for them to try to store just yet, so let’s please hold back on too much “stuff” right now but if you know you have items the family could use and are willing to hold on to them for a minute, let us know, message us or email serve@ashasrefuge.org. The family is in serious need of money to secure either another rental home or a hotel for a while until they are able to get into another apartment that might be available at the location they are at so that the children can continue school easily. Their current apartment complex is full. The money will be used for things like their gas, clothing, additional toiletries, school items needed to be replaced, hotel, food, deposits for possible housing, future household items needed, money to replace medication, money to keep up with bills while Sakima has to take time off of work to help her children and elderly Mom, etc.

Asha’s Refuge has already purchased a few immediate needed items for the family. If you would like to donate to help Sakima’s family, please do so by clicking the “heart ♥️” logo at the bottom of our website page at http://www.ashasrefuge.org through PayPal and let us know your donation is to assist Sakima’s family. Donations made from today until April 15th will go towards helping Sekima Mwamini’s family unless the donor has stated otherwise. Donations made after this date will go into our Asha’s Refuge general funding to support our future refugee initiatives and needs. You may also write a check to Asha’s Refuge and mail to 1035 Winchester Blvd., Ste. A216, Collierville, TN 38017 with “Sakima Mwamini Family” written in the “For” line.

Here are the names and ages of the family:

Age 72 -Grandma AlAmina DOB 1/1/1942

Age 40 – Sakima -Born 1977

Age 17 – Isaac DOB 6-17-01

Age 7 – Salim – DOB 9-30-2011

Asha’s Refuge, Sakima’s family and friends wish to thank you all in advance for your help and sincere prayers.