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The Gift of Hearing Brings New Life to a Bhutanese Refugee Couple
Any refugee entering the United States faces significant obstacles. But for Nar and Dhan Maya Ghorsai, a Bhutanese couple resettled in Aurora, silence proved to be the greatest: deaf for most of their lives, Nar and Dhan were unable to learn English, form deep relationships or pursue success in their new community. However, on June 15, 2012, their silence was broken with the gift of hearing aids. Nar and Dhan were able to speak, listen and interact with a world that had been “dull” for years prior, the couple says.
World Relief Medical Case Specialist Esther Myahla explains that deafness is a common phenomenon among the Bhutanese community. Many enter the United States with limited hearing ability, but few doctors have been able to distinguish the root cause. Of Nar, Myahla explains, “He woke up one day as a child and could no longer hear.” For years, the couple was without answers and opportunities, and like many Bhutanese, simply accepted their hearing loss and the resulting limitations.
This all changed when the family was introduced to World Relief. Through the Intensive Medical Case Management program the Ghorsai family was connected with Esther, who acted as their spokesperson, advocate and companion. The Ghorsais were given the opportunity to visit a hearing specialist who outfitted them with custom hearing aids. Since then, the family has expressed how “very happy” and excited they are to be able to hear clearly all of the sounds that they had lost.
Without the ability to hear or speak, the Ghorsais often found themselves sitting idly at home without much drive or hope. Now, they are eager to build relationships, visiting neighbors and relatives regularly. Both Nar and Dhan anticipate returning to World Relief’s English as a Second Language (ESL) classes so they can finally learn the English language, a task previously impossible as they both struggled to read lips. Nar explains, “The ear computers have given me a new life. It is like I am born again.”
Their son, Dal Ghorsai, beams with joy when describing the family’s newfound freedom. Dal says with a smile on his face: “I feel so glad that I could not express it. Since they were children, they were deaf and handicapped. But, now they can do everything. Now, they can have normal lives. I want to give thanks to World Relief and specifically to Esther because she suffered a lot for them.”
When their newfound ability to hear and speak, the Ghorsais have no doubt that they will more easily be able to communicate with the outside world, and experience an easier assimilation into American culture. Their past was marked by limited comprehension, relationships, and potential for success; the future however, is filled with hopeful ambition.
Savings for Life – Empowering the Poor in Rwanda
Rwanda is a small country with one of the highest population densities in Africa (USAID, 2013). It is also one of the poorest countries, but it has made significant progress since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi that killed nearly 800,000 people (USAID, 2013). Poverty has dropped from 56.7 percent in 2006 to 44.9 percent in 2011, a developmental trend worth celebrating (USAID, 2013). Still, Rwanda’s poorest are often excluded from formal financial institutions and basic financial services because of fees and geographic barriers. Less than half of the population is formally banked. Lack of access to savings makes these people more vulnerable to economic shocks and it prevents personal investment for future development.
Local churches in Rwanda are well-positioned to address poverty in their communities. They typically respond by providing food and money to the poor, a well-meaning effort that fails to address root causes of poverty. Often, these churches lack the skills and tools to be agents of transformational development, a holistic approach to poverty that involves
sustainable changes in attitudes and behaviors. World Relief is responding by empowering the local church to deliver basic financial services and education to Rwanda’s poorest through the Savings for Life™ program, which makes access to savings and loans possible for the most poor and vulnerable. World Relief trains church volunteers who, in turn, train savings and credit groups in the communities. Special emphasis is placed on savings mobilization methods, Biblical stewardship, financial integrity, overcoming poverty, effective asset use and group government and management.
The impact of Savings for Life™ extends beyond economic empowerment as Savings Group members discover that they already have the resources necessary to advance their lives and those of their children. The community becomes more resilient as members help each other set aside money for emergencies. When World Relief concludes its work, these self-sustaining groups continue to meet and holistically transform the lives of members. Groups provide an opportunity for people to work together for a common financial goal and serve as a safe place of social support. World Relief has been implementing Savings for Life in Rwanda since 2010. There are currently 682 groups and 14,535 members across four districts.
Courtney O’Connell is World Relief’s Senior Technical Advisor for the Savings for Life program. She will be speaking at the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey Institute of Sustainable Microenterprise Development Program in a class titled “Savings Groups Post-Project: Evolution, Sustainability, Enrichment” Nov. 18-22, 2013 in Arusha, Tanzania. The following interview was conducted on Oct. 28, 2013.
Courtney, what is your history with transformational development,
World Relief, and as Senior Technical Advisor for the Savings for Life program?
C: I joined World Relief in 2011 after having already lived in Africa for three years. My earliest work in Africa heightened my understanding of the need for transformational development to be truly holistic. I believe that just focusing on one area of life, physical, for example, ignores so many other areas of a person that need to be addressed: spiritual, social, emotional, financial. Joining World Relief’s Savings for Life team, then was a perfect fit for me as we try to address communities in a holistic way,
In which countries is this program currently being implemented?
C: We started our Savings for Life (SFL) program in Burundi in 2008, then expanded to Kenya and Rwanda in 2008 then to Malawi (2011), Congo (2012) and South Sudan (2013).
To date, do you know the total amount of Savings Groups and
members?
C: Currently we have 104,857 members across all 6 countries.
Why does Savings for Life and the Savings Group model work so
well? In other words, what about this model is different from other existing
financial services and institutions offered either by countries or other NGOs?
C: The essence of the SFL program is this: groups of 10-25 community members come together and save their own money, use that common pool to make loans to each other charging an agreed upon interest rate. Then, after about 9 months, the members get back all the money they saved plus their share of the interest, or profit, the group made. This money that they’ve accumulated, generally $75-140, is usually the most amount of money these community members have ever had in their hands. And, it’s all theirs! The empowerment they take from this method is remarkable. Members are able to put children in school, buy health insurance for the very first time, invest in a business, or make tangible improvements on their homes. It’s such a huge change in a relatively short time.
Our approach is different from most other NGOs who do savings programs. First, we strive to deliver a high quality, technically sound savings program. It improves upon the indigenous forms of savings that have been present in rural communities for generations and generations. Most importantly, however, World Relief is working in and through the local church. Our desire is to see the church own this program and, towards that end, have volunteers from the church that help to form and train new savings groups. Groups pray with each other and support each other in times of need. We also have a Bible Study the groups can do to supplement their savings activities. In all these ways we’re trying to address the spiritual and the financial lives of the members.
Can you share a recent story from the Savings for Life program in Rwanda?
C: In the Nayamasheke district, Savings for Life empowered the Tuzamurane Savings Group (below) with the ability to address other areas of need in their lives. The members identified that each one needed a mattress at their house, as some were still sleeping on dirt floors. So they took turns buying mattresses from their collective savings until everyone had one. They were so proud of what they did, they bought matching ‘uniforms’ so that the entire community would know that they were empowered and could do fantastic things!
Savings For Life: Financial Opportunity for the World’s Most Vulnerable
The world’s poorest have a tremendous capacity and willingness to save and protect assets when financial institutions cannot serve them. They save to meet social obligations, to prepare for emergencies, to start or expand small businesses and to respond to seasonal changes in cash flow. However, the lack of banks in rural areas often leads to high fees and unattainable minimum balance requirements, leaving savings vulnerable to loss and theft.
Since piloting the Savings for Life program in 2008, World Relief has empowered more than 100 thousand participants across six countries through the facilitation of effective and impactful community-based savings and credit groups. After years of testing and expanding, World Relief has developed a program that offers safe and reliable financial services to people who are otherwise excluded from formal banking institutions. Through regular savings and access to appropriately sized loans, group members can meet daily household needs and establish their own income-generating activities.
The Savings for Life program, like other World Relief initiatives, is also one of spiritual transformation. It is integral to the fulfillment of World Relief’s mission to “empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable.” Churches are the point of contact in communities where World Relief is present and pastors work to identify the most vulnerable within those communities. Church volunteers serve as field agents to mobilize and train the savings groups. Finally, World Relief promotes Savings groups because of its commitment to the holistic Gospel of Jesus Christ, a message that leads to transformation in every area of life.
Often, World Relief implements the Savings for Life program alongside other interventions. In Burundi, care group volunteers who bring life-saving health messages to more than 30 thousand mothers every month are invited to participate in Savings for Life groups. In Rwanda, Savings for Life is combined with leadership training so that church and community members can take initiative to meet the needs of vulnerable neighbors with their own resources. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, farmer group members involved in Savings for Life can buy better seeds and fertilizer with their own resources to produce greater yields.
Some of the most vulnerable in Kenya have also benefited from Savings for Life. Compared to other countries in East Africa, Kenya enjoys the largest, most diversified economy (USAID, 2013). Because of its location, the country serves as a place of transport and therefore plays a vital role for much of sub-Saharan Africa. However, decades of unjust governance have stunted economic development. About 60 percent of Kenyans live on US$2 or less per day (USAID, 2013). Kenyans facing poverty often lack access to the most basic financial services. Supplementing the life-impacting work of economic development, Savings for Life groups in Kenya educate members in managing their own savings. As savings accumulate, group members have access to appropriately-sized loans with which they can finance business or personal needs.
In 2011, a women’s group registered with World Relief in Kenya and Fadhili Trust to participate in a village savings and loan association in Ongata Rongai in Kajiado North. Group members save and lend their funds among themselves and also contribute to a social fund to assist with emergencies. When the group began to grow, the women registered with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development to be recognized by other institutions and gain negotiation power for development. Now, they plan to begin using savings to purchase land for various group members. In the last two and a half years, not one of the members has defaulted on a loan or payment. This is the story of just one of several groups operating in seven regions across Kenya.
The groups also provide discipleship for members through regular Bible studies. World Relief believes that God’s restorative plan for mankind includes, among many things, character development with regard to stewardship, personal finance and attitude towards work. The goal is not wealth, but worship – pointing the most vulnerable to a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ and empowering them to live in a way that brings Him glory.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
World Relief in Fort Worth: A Refugee’s Final Destination
When refugees enter the United States, they are still a long way from their “finaldestination.” Arrival marks the beginning of physical, social, financial, relational and spiritual challenges that threaten this vulnerable population’s ability to be self-sufficient in an unfamiliar culture. World Relief in Fort Worth is empowering the local Church to meet the holistic needs of this group by resettling and meeting the holistic needs of several hundred refugees a year.
There are currently 15 to 16 million refugees in the world. Less than half of one percent of these refugees is offered stable resettlement in a developed nation, but the United States resettles the largest portion of these refugees. Most are given legal residency status and permission to work upon their arrival. They come seeking security, hope and community, but are less likely to experience social connection, more likely to have physical and mental conditions and are entering a country with few economic opportunities. Too often, refugees entering the United States are resettled into spiritual and physical poverty.
World Relief in Fort Worth is seeking to change that. From the moment refugees arrive at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, they are met with the relational, physical and spiritual love of Jesus Christ. The World Relief staff provides refugees with housing, medical services, cash assistance, ESL, case management, employment assistance and volunteer involvement. Additionally, by partnering with local churches and volunteers, World Relief Fort Worth connects refugees to the greater body of Christ. Often traveling from war-torn, oppressive communities, a refugee’s need for employment, housing and food cannot be separated from his or her need for peace, community and security.
Jason, whose name has been changed for this story, is one such refugee. He grew up in Iran where he and his family practiced Islam faithfully. When he entered university and studied Islamic law in his late teens, Jason found himself drifting from particular aspects of the religion that disturbed him; meanwhile, his interest in Christianity grew. Jason worked in Iran as a human rights attorney and professor before leaving his country and spending two years as a refugee in Turkey. Because he had no family or relations at this point, the UNHCR decided to resettle him in the United States and in August 2012, World Relief Fort Worth welcomed Jason at the airport.
World Relief found him housing in an apartment and employment with AT&T upon his
arrival. He feared his Iranian heritage would create tension with Americans, but he adjusted through the friendship of a World Relief volunteer who Jason now says is “like my brother.” Later, World Relief Fort Worth offered Jason a job as a Case Manager. He says his work with refugees at World Relief is much like what he did in Iran. His experience navigating through their challenges has provided him a special understanding of refugee clients. A.C. Musopole writes, “It is a transformed person who transforms his or her environment,” a compelling truth that is evident in Jason’s life.
The same volunteer whom Jason describes as “family” invited the recent refugee to attend Gateway Church at Southlake. There, Jason made the decision to follow Jesus Christ and asked his friend to help him become baptized. During this interview, Jason’s joy was evident as he talked about the peace he has found in Christianity and how he knows that Jesus Christ is his “final destination.”
Child Care Centers are Vital for Malawian Orphans and Vulnerable Children
In the United States, where about 91 percent of children are covered under some form of health insurance (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011) and have access to health and social services, it can be difficult to acknowledge the stark, contrasting conditions for children in countries like Malawi. There, poverty, food insecurity, HIV/AIDS prevalence and weak social service capacity have led to child abuse, neglect and exploitation. The needs of Malawian children are physical, spiritual, emotional and social. However, care is limited: only six percent of orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi receive medical support, four percent receive psychosocial support, nine percent receive material support and six percent receive educational support (UNICEF, 2011).
Community-based child care centers serve as vital spaces for children to play, receive nutrition and hygiene education and access clean water. They are viable solutions for Malawian communities, yet only 30 percent of Malawian children have access to them. Local churches, in collaboration with key stakeholders, have the capacity to increase the provision of child protection and development initiatives in their communities through the establishment of more centers.
World Relief in Malawi is responding to God’s heart for justice, particularly for children. World Relief in Malawi is empowering local churches to create sustainable programs that promote self-efficacy, self-worth and hope for the future of 500 children between 3 and 18 years of age, most of whom are from HIV-affected, rural communities. Through the formation of 10 church-run, community-based childcare centers and the renovation of four existing centers, children will have better access to cutting edge, holistic services. At centers, volunteer caregivers provide children with nutritious food, facilitate games, assist with homework and provide life and psychosocial skill services. As an integral aspect of meeting the holistic needs of these children, caregivers also help children memorize Scripture and gain a better understanding of Jesus Christ.
Recently, World Relief staff shared its mission and vision for Malawian childcare improvement with Salima district’s traditional leaders, including Chief Khombedza. The Chinkhali Presbyterian Church decided to reopen its childcare center, which closed in December 2012 from a lack of resources, training and community involvement. “We did not know recommended ways of handling children at a childcare center,” said Paulina Katoma, one of the church’s volunteer caregivers. “We just did it anyhow.”
Now, through its partnership with World Relief, Chinkhali Presbyterian has access to the resources, training and empowerment necessary for meeting vulnerable children’s physical, spiritual, social and emotional needs. In word and deed, the church is able to share the transforming power of Jesus Christ with Malawi’s orphans and vulnerable children.
“In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:14
Today, HIV is my responsibility
In 2010, Disfol Wenda lived on the streets but participated in a Youth Retreat with Park Street Church. Since then, he has become actively involved in World Relief Mobilizing For Life project, and serving as a Volunteer Trainer for the last six months. He is currently learning English in a local college in Jayawijaya, and hoping that someday he will use his full potential to help other highland youth in Papua. This is his testimony:
Firstly, I want to give thanks to God for everything that he has done in my life.
And secondly, I want to thank World relief and the Youth Forum Baliem Peace Jayawijaya. I believe that World Relief and the Youth Forum have been saving many people from under the HIV and AIDS threats, by providing knowledge to young men and women so that they could be different from their peers.
HIV is one of the problems that we are having right now because HIV and AIDS have been killing many people around the world, especially in Papua. Since I was in an elementary school, I have received much information about HIV and AIDS, but I never understood it well. I thought HIV was just something that people always talk about.
But now, I have a better understanding, and that is because of the activity of World Relief and Youth Forum Baliem Peace Jayawijaya that I have participated in.
We have to solve HIV problems. Today HIV is my responsibility; I have to tell to other people apart from my family. Thank you!!!
Choosing Life in Rwanda
In October 2012, one of our Church Partners, Bethany Community Church in Washington State worked with World Relief and the local church in Rwanda to organize a community event. This event called “Choose Life” used songs, sketches, poems, dramas and soccer games to teach youth about HIV prevention.
One of the Rwandan youth attending shares his experience:
My name is Jean De Dieu, and I fellowship at a church in the Cyuve Sector, Musanze District. I thank God very much for my church leaders, who in partnership with World Relief, organized training for the youth on HIV/AIDS and encouraged us to go for a voluntary test to learn our status.
I was very scared when they told us about it since it was my first time to test, but especially because before I became saved, I was sexually active. For a long time now, I have been living in fear that I may be infected with HIV/AIDs. I had even planned that if I ever got tested only to find that I was infected, I would commit suicide. I was convinced there would be no hope for my future if I found out that I am positive with HIV/AIDS.
World Relief, together with my church, trained us on the book of “Choose Life” and I was very blessed to be trained to train others. There was an event organized by churches and World Relief in the fight against AIDS, where there was a competition in songs, poems, and plays for the youth. After, we went for a voluntary HIV/AIDS Test.
At first I was scared to go because of my past, but later on, I got encouraged by the lessons we were given on “accepting who you are, and know your health status” and therefore I went for the test. When the results came, I was very happy to see that I was HIV/AIDS Negative. I praised God for that and felt that my life was renewed. I went to my Pastor exclaiming, “I was very scared to go for a test because of my past. I have been living with a heavy secret that I would like to share with my church especially the youth; for I believe that my testimony on my past life can help many.”
My Pastor accepted to give me time on Sunday. I gave my testimony to encourage others to abstain and remain faithful. They prayed for me and I was released. I became free and took a decision once again, to abstain until I get married.
Many Thanks be to God, my Church and to World Relief. I don’t know where I would be.
For the first time…
By Emily Roenigk, intern with World Relief in Baltimore, shares her new perspective:
Last year, I could have counted on one hand the number of times I had thought about the concept of global justice. I had never looked beyond my own privileges to desire restoration for a world that is broken in ways I may never experience. I was ignorant to this simple truth: desiring justice is inherent to a relationship with Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ desires justice.
In November 2012, Belinda Bauman visited my college small group and shared the heartbreaking stories of women and children who are suffering the unthinkable from an unnoticed war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. To this day, this somber statistic remains with me: Every nine out of ten Congolese women are victims of rape.
In our own lives, my friends and I have experienced pain, loss and even devastation; however, we enjoy the Lord’s gracious blessings of overall spiritual and physical health, education and success. Imagine our sense of inadequacy when Belinda asked us to mourn the pain of these Congolese women. We prayed for shalom, a state of existence for humanity wherein nothing is broken, nothing is missing. For the first time, I prayed for the restoration of a people I have never met and whose pain had no impact on my own life.
I knew that I eventually wanted to use my pending Mass Communications major to “help people,” but I realized then that I was the one who needed help. I need help understanding what is really going on in places that aren’t trending on Twitter, how truly believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God means I am intricately connected to the poor, and how conflicts and injustices wherein I once believed I had no responsibility are worthy of my broken heart.
Over the next couple of months, I followed World Relief’s online updates. Finally, after prayer and consideration, I applied for the International Programs summer internship at World Relief, and to my amazement, I was accepted. I am so fortunate to be learning from the talented staff of World Relief about how we can serve the real needs of the poor while empowering them with dignity and honor. It might take me a lifetime to scratch the surface of what justice really looks like spiritually, relationally, economically, agriculturally, politically and so forth. For now, I’ve learned that at the end of the day, our faith must do something in the way that Jesus’ faith did.
In their book When Helping Hurts, Steven Corbett and Brian Fikkert write that it would have been useless for Jesus to merely use words and not actions to declare His Kingdom. We know that Jesus Christ is the Messiah because He not only talks about justice, He does justice. If we are to be the body of Christ, how much more must we?
Emily is a Mass Communications major at Towson University and is interning with World Relief in Baltimore.
DRC photos by Christine Anderson
A New Hope for Elube
In the Mzimba District in Malawi, the local church is making a difference in its communities. One member, Elube Makwakwa, is part of the St. Joseph Support Group for those living with HIV/AIDS. In January, she lost her 45 year old son and is now taking care of her grandchildren. She has faced many challenges but shares her story of hope here:
I was unable to support myself, economically forced to live a reckless life. I was totally blank without knowing what to do with my life. Being divorced made it even harder for me to start taking on jobs culturally known to be men’s.
In 2006, I went for an HIV test after getting suspicious about my health, and I tested positive. This was a big blow to me and the family because we felt being found positive was as good as being dead. Life was miserable with no hope.
I used to think God was punishing me for my evil past. Honestly, I had no peace let alone the courage to stand before God.
It was late in 2009 when I attended a Positive Living Training which enlightened me and opened a new chapter in my life. We formed a support group where we encourage one another and develop ways forward for our future.
Through World Relief, I have had opportunities to attend many training sessions on health, nutrition, micro-enterprise, agricultural production and marketing. They have helped me to stand on my own.
My life is purposeful; I grow crops such as tomatoes, maize and soya. I also raise pigs and do income savings. I make simple rations from indigenous vegetables, bananas and Irish potatoes. In addition, I have a back yard vegetable site for nutritional needs. World Relief gave me tomato plants. After selling the tomatoes, I used the money to buy fertilizer for crops and pigs, and now I am able to sustain production for a better livelihood and have been saving some of my money for future use.
Now, my life is an example to emulate by the community. I now believe that being HIV positive is not the end of life. I have survived for 11 years since I tested positive. I thought I would die soon but through Positive Living Training, I have lived a healthy life and am able to support my family. I also live a prayerful life because I know God has solutions to all my needs and problems. I spend time counseling my neighbors who are undergoing various challenges of life, including HIV/AIDS infected people. I admit that AIDS is real and can kill. It is my prayer that God will intervene to mitigate or eradicate it.
The same Gospel story
Each summer, US Church Partners take summer ministry trips to Cambodia. Taylor Strickland from Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, TN, a long time Church Partner with World Relief, shares a bit about her experience:
On the sixth day of our time in Phnom Penh, I and another member were able to go on a field visit with August and Nareem of World Relief. We rode out into a village to assist with the HIV/AIDS education and prevention program.
According to World Relief’s statistics, Cambodia has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Asia, with an estimated 75,000 people living with AIDS. As the moto traveled deeper into the shanty town, the smell of trash and sewage grew strong in the heat, and the terrain looked more and more undeveloped. As we rode alongside rows of dilapidated homes, crossing sewer pipes lined with rotting garbage, I realized I was in the most impoverished place I had ever been. Living conditions in the areas surrounding Phnom Penh (the big city) are tolerable at best, from the perspective of a Westerner.
There I was, listening to a blind woman tell her story of being disowned by her family in 2002 when she tested positive for HIV, and all I could think about was how to prevent ants from crawling up my legs. Then they asked me to share my story. Talk about a rude awakening; I was overcome by feelings of guilt and inadequacy. My story does not compare to the story of any of the people in that town in terms of suffering, but what I realized at that moment is that we all experience the same Gospel. Every believer knows what it’s like when the scales fall off his eyes, revealing both his utter filth and the hope of salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ. So that’s what I made my story about.
The reason World Relief is able to go out into shanty towns, educate people about HIV/AIDS and build relationships with those people is that the same God that changed us is redeeming the slums of Cambodia. The work World Relief is doing in Cambodia is only possible because of the Gospel.
The purpose of this recounting is not to evoke pity for Cambodians, but rather to aid in portraying the power of the gospel to bring hope and peace. The believers I’ve met in Cambodia know contentment. They are sustained by Christ and experience him in a way that I don’t understand yet. I’ve already learned a lot from my new Cambodian friends, and as my story continues to develop, I hope my experience here never ceases to challenge me.
Click here to follow the church teams and their experiences in Cambodia this summer.