World Refugee Day

World Relief hosted a celebration at Liberty Park here in our neighborhood for World Refugee Day. There was lots of different ethnic foods, live music, singing, sharing and friend making going on as we celebrated the good things God has done. We've been blessed as a church to be involved for the last two years in refugee resettlement in our neighborhood. With around 100 refugees now as our East Central neighbors and friends, we've seen lots of good stuff take place. We host a tutoring class, a permit/driver's licensee education class, weekly volunteer opportunities with appointments and assistance to the families. We have a Sharing Shack where we collect and store household goods for those who need them. We have a Karen refugee service with their own Karen speaking pastor who lives on the same block as the church. We are working with the Spokane Community College to open a 5 day's a week refugee English program here at the building that will greatly enhance the incoming refugees language and life skills. We are working on a computer class and station for learning and having access to computers. We also will be starting a Basic Car Maintenance class as well. All in all this has developed into a very hands on way for our church to serve and love people who come into our city with many challenges ahead of them. It's been an honor to grow a church that has engaged itself in practical ministry in a loving way. A huge thank you to all our volunteers that make this ministry what it is, you inspire me.

Coats for the Refugees

"When you see the naked...cover him." -Isaiah 58:7

Here is a link: Coat Drive to a set of photos LeeElla took from Sunday night's East Central Community Center's coat drive. We were allowed to come before the general public to make sure the refugees from Burma that we are assisting resettle in our neighborhood get some good, warm coats for the winter. A huge thank you to Dawn and the others at ECCC for being so gracious and generous with our friends. All the families were able to leave with what they will need for winter. You can see the joy and gratefulness in their faces.

my only bank...

suffering
Originally uploaded by ericblauer.

I was talking to a woman, a sister, a refugee from Liberia the other day. She shared how she worked hard but had little money. I asked why. She said, she works, earns money and when she cashes her check and looks at the left over money and knows that it could feed some of her friends and family back in the refugee camp.

She sends it.

She said...I have no bank account...people are my bank account.

God give us more refugees...to teach us what it means to know you.

Did not your father (King Josiah) eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He plead the case of the afflicted and needy; then it was well with him. Is not that what it means to know me? But your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain...-Jeremiah 22:15-17

a refugee tells his story...

refugee
Originally uploaded by ericblauer.

This is an except from a Karen young man's blog that is currently living in a refuggee camp on the Burma/Thailand border:

I lived with my family again for one year. In 1997, the Burmese troops came to our village and destroyed, burned our houses and barns, killed every people they found. When they came and tried to kill us, we had to flee into the jungle. No escape when found. Our life was like wild animals. They killed all old man and children as well as our animals when they found them. They destroyed all of our belongings in the village. I could not live here together with my family anymore. Many people had to flee to border and entered the camps. Some people love their forefather-given homeland very much so they did not move to other places. They just kept themselves hide around the village and live until now. My parents and my sisters also remained around my village in the jungle. Some people moves to Mae Yeh and Klo Pah temporary camp. Before we arrive into the camp we had to move through the shadow of death between the Burmese soldiers’ check points and landmines. We had to come with fear but finally we arrived into the camp well.

I lived in Mae Ra Moe camp for five years. Then in 2001, I came to Mae La camp and live here until now. I always had to live in jungle and camp so sometimes I felt very unhappy and oppressive. Before I die I also would like to see and live in the city and feel the world’s development. Now I apply to go to US too. And now I am waiting for my approvals. And I hope that I will really be there one day. Sometimes I remember and miss my parents and my sisters who are remaining in the difficulty in my village. I want to help them but I can do nothing. But I hope that they will be proud on me when I live in the city on behalf of them. If you see me in US, please talk to me too. Thank you.

So I believe someone will pick a rusty falling key beyond and unlock the door for me. At that time, people will jeer at me completely sure. Because everybody had farewell party before they were going. During my friends’ farewell; I was smile as they were happy and went bright red as they were crying. If my turn finally arrives, none of my friend and neighbor will make a fare well with me. I must carry my package on my own; no one will feel for me and quietly and respectfully get on the bus. There would be no one to wave goodbye with my light hands. I don’t need to turn my head, just sit down and take a look straightly on the road to reach Bangkok and then to my hopeful destiny.

my name is...Saw Klit Mu Htoo

Officially, refugees are persons displaced from their home countries because they were caught in armed conflict or were at risk of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, or political opinions. Every year, the U.S. accepts up to 70,000 of the 14 million refugees worldwide and resettles them, legally and permanently, across the nation.

"They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle." -Psalms 107:6-7

something to think about...

1 in every one hundred Americans is a refugee.

In 1812, the first long term Protestant missionary ever sent from the United States went to Burma, his name was Adoniram Judson.