Posts Tagged ‘Chicagoland’
World Relief Affirms New Biden Administration Proposal Expanding Legal Pathways for Those Fleeing Hardship, Decries New Asylum Restrictions
January 5, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE — Today, President Biden announced a series of new immigration policies seeking to address the challenges at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration plans to significantly expand parole programs for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela — allowing individuals with U.S.-based sponsors to lawfully enter the U.S. and be authorized to work upon arrival — while creating new restrictions for individuals from these and other countries who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border and wish to seek asylum. To do so, the Biden administration is relying upon the legal authority of Title 42, a public health law whose use the administration has previously said is no longer justified, but which the U.S. Supreme Court has kept in effect with a temporary hold issued last month. Under the Title 42 policy, individuals are expelled to Mexico without the ability to seek asylum under the terms of longstanding U.S. immigration law. The administration also announced expansion of refugee resettlement from the Western Hemisphere and additional new proposed restrictions on asylum eligibility.
World Relief welcomes the expansion of lawful mechanisms for entry for individuals from these countries and is eager to partner with local churches to facilitate their integration, but opposes new proposals that would deny due process to those seeking refuge in the United States along the border.
“We strongly denounce any policies imposed by any administration that prohibit, deter, or limit individuals from seeking refuge in the U.S. as allowed by U.S. law,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Those fleeing their countries due to conflict, violence or fear not only have the right to seek safety and protection but to plead their case to determine if they qualify to stay in our country lawfully.”
World Relief has persistently advocated for the reversal of the previous administration’s harmful, illegal, and ineffective anti-asylum policies and now calls on President Biden to fulfill his promise to “secure our border, while ensuring the dignity of migrants and upholding their legal right to seek asylum.”
“We certainly acknowledge that not every individual who arrives at the border will qualify to be granted asylum under U.S. law, but we must respect our nation’s moral and legal obligations to ensure due process for those seeking protection from persecution,” said Jenny Yang, vice president for advocacy and policy at World Relief. “We are encouraged by the expansion of legal avenues for those who have fled countries where people are enduring incredible hardship. However, such processes should not be paired with new restrictions on asylum for those with no other avenue for protection under current U.S. law but for reaching the U.S. border to seek asylum. We urge President Biden to work with Congress to develop a pathway forward that both protects our nation’s borders and respects the dignity and value of all human life, especially those who are vulnerable.”
To learn more about World Relief Chicagoland, visit worldrelief.org/chicagoland.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
Being a Person of Peace this Lenten Season
Friends,
As we approach Easter, I am reflecting on the life of Jesus. His time of ministry has had the greatest resounding impact ever known, changing this world over the past 2000 years. I am grateful for the obedience of Jesus to the will of the Father and I am struck by how much God was willing to give of Himself so that we can have a forever home with Him.
During the ministry of Jesus, we read that he and his disciples had no place to call home. As they went throughout the region, they would search for a “person of peace” to welcome them and create a space they could feel at home. As I have reflected on this passage, I find myself pulled toward the term “person of peace”. Who are “people of peace” in our day? What does it look like to embody this in the world around us?
It doesn’t take long for me to think about God’s call to welcome the stranger. The person who welcomes the stranger is a person of peace. Today, there are over 100 million people who are displaced from their homes, some of whom have found themselves arriving here in Chicagoland as a stranger in need of welcome.
Friends, we have the opportunity to be “people of peace” in our present-day world. We can be people who show welcome to our new refugee and immigrant neighbors. Though we are not coordinating housing refugees in volunteer homes at this time, we are working to ensure that every family that needs a place to stay finds one. We have staff committed to networking with property owners and finding long-term residences for those in need. We are coordinating rental support and training for new renters and landlords.
By partnering with World Relief financially through sacrificial giving or a special offering, together we can help find housing for our new neighbors. Together, we can embody what it means to be “people of peace”. Send me an email to talk more.
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Keith Draper
Regional Director of Church Relations
World Relief Chicagoland
630.824.8498 | kdraper@wr.org
Stories of Impact
Farzana is an Afghan Paralympian who was forced to flee Kabul in August of 2021.
As a leader and advocate for women in her country, she was no longer safe. She found herself living in temporary quarters at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. After several months, she was sent to Chicagoland for a better living situation.
Because of partners like you, World Relief was able to find a place for her to live that accommodates her mobility devices.
Jerome lived in a refugee camp for 19 years.
Can you imagine that? During his time in the camp, Jerome was already working to make a difference and that made him a target.
Thankfully, he was selected to be resettled and came to the United States.
When he arrived at his first apartment, he was finally able to live in a secure and safe place. He was able to find peace again thanks to people of peace who supported the finding and filling of his new apartment.
Yomardy left her home in Venezuela to come to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship.
Fully intending to return to Venezuela and use her status as National Teacher of the Year, she soon discovered that she was declared an enemy of the state in Venezuela.
Her honesty about the conditions in her country meant that she could no longer return to her home. Thanks to partners like you, Yomardy was able to find the support she needed here in Chicagoland.
Her new dream is to buy a house to be able to welcome others like her who need a place to call home.
Download their stories as a pdf.
The Impact of Your Giving
$15,000
A gift of $15,000 can provide 1 month of housing assistance to 10 families in need of short-term assistance. This kind of gift provides stability that is vital to the successful launch of a new life here in Chicagoland.
$10,000
A $10,000 gift can provide the support and coordination needed to ensure that housing is available when refugees arrive. This gift can cover coordination for over 80 newly arrived families in need of a home.
$5,000
A gift of $5,000 can provide vital case management service to ensure that newly arrived families learn everything they need to know about their rights and responsibilities as first-time tenants in the United States.
$1,500
A $1,500 gift can prepare two new apartments with the essentials needed for everyday life. For those who had to leave everything behind, this gift becomes some of the first items owned by newly arriving families.
What does a year hold?
When I consider the new year, I’m struck by how little we know about what it will hold. In 2019, we had no idea that the pandemic would shut down the world in 2020. Before 2020, we had no idea that Afghanistan would fall in 2021. In 2021, we had no idea that Ukraine would be invaded in 2022. As we face 2023, we have no idea what might lie ahead.
Beyond these more public events, it is an unfortunate truth that the world is riddled with conflict, poverty, corruption, and environmental realities that have been driving people from their homes for generations. The People of Myanmar, Venezuela, Darfur, Iran, Eritrea, and other places are forced daily to display a resilience many of us will never know.
So, what do we do with these realities?
What do we do with the certainty we can’t know the future and the heart-breaking crisis of mass displacement? It can be overwhelming and we can find ourselves focusing on what we do not know. In these moments I ask myself, “Who am I becoming?” “How will I lean into trusting God this year?” “How can I be a person of faith in the year ahead?”. Questions more easily asked than answered.
But in my life, I have found that amid uncertain futures, it is vital that we hold to our core values. It is vital that we lean into learning to trust God and others. When tethered to truth, we can navigate the uncertainties ahead with grace, confidence, and hope. When bound to one another, we can endure challenges, create lasting solutions, and make the world a better place.
Values We Hold
All people have sacred worth.
For those of us who follow Jesus, we believe that every person is created in the image of God and worthy of welcome. There are no qualifiers here. As a popular quote from an unknown author says “You will never look in the eyes of a person that God does not love.” This means that every person who comes to the US is someone God loves. Every immigrant, refugee, or asylum seeker has unspeakable value and potential. To not extend welcome is to dishonor the image of God in them.
We are made for connection.
John Donne’s poem “No man (or woman) is an island” captures this reality beautifully. We are not made for isolation. Each of us is a part of something bigger. Each of us has a part to play in this world. We are designed to be together. This means at least two things. First, the work of welcoming immigrants is something we do together, relying on each other’s strengths and resilience. And second, building relationships with those around us, immigrants and native-born alike, is sacred work. When we build relationships with one another that are meaningful and mutually transformative, we are participating in a broader multigenerational journey toward a more just world.
We are more powerful together.
My first encounter with the work of World Relief was as a volunteer. I remember a wide range of emotions when I started. Hopeful, eager, anxious, overwhelmed, grateful . . . the list could go on. But one thing that jumps out to me from that time is how much of an impact the whole community of World Relief was having. Sure, I was giving a few hours a week. But alongside others, we were giving so much more. Over my years serving and leading here, I have seen the power of a community to make lasting change. One example of this is a recent study showing how more evangelical Christians are now looking to scripture for their views on immigration, an area of concerted advocacy work for World Relief. We can create something far more beautiful than we can on our own, together.
We All Have a Part to Play
When we hold space for these values to form us, I believe we will find ourselves ready for the year ahead. In the midst of economic uncertainty and a longer-then-we-would-like pandemic recovery, we remain ready to welcome.
In 2023, I anticipate discovering new challenges and witnessing new successes. I embrace the reality that I can’t know the future. I hold to the truth that no matter what comes, we are not alone. We have hope, and we will continue to serve as we have over the past 43 years. I am grateful beyond words for you and the whole World Relief community. And I know that together, we will continue to embody welcome, provide vital services for immigrants, and create a community we can all be grateful for.
Find Your Part to Play
Susan Sperry is the Executive Director of World Relief Chicagoland, a faith-based organization committed to empowering the church and community to serve immigrants in vulnerable situations. She leads World Relief’s three locations in Chicago, DuPage County, and Aurora to provide vital services, bring people together, and build welcoming communities. Susan has served at World Relief since 2001, facilitating the resettlement of thousands of refugees and mobilizing hundreds of volunteers and churches to serve their neighbors. She has her MS in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University, and her undergraduate degree from Wheaton College. She loves working alongside teams to navigate the human side of change and aspires to be a life-long learner.
Worth the Wait: Newlywed Refugees Love Remains
For seven years, Congolese refugees (and newlyweds!), Mbimbi and Goreth, didn’t know if they would ever see each other again. Separated by continents, Mbimbi was stuck in Burundi while Goreth resettled and began her new life in America. In spite of the long wait, the two of them never lost hope, their love growing by the day.
“No one can do what Goreth did,” Mbimbi said about his wife’s commitment not to remarry. Instead, Goreth chose to hold onto hope, believing God was faithful and would bring Mbimbi back to her in America.
Where It All Began
In 2008, Goreth was a wife and mother living in Goma, a city in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Her day began like any other day – she woke up, brushed her teeth, made some tea and headed to the market to sell clothes at her stand. It became a day she would never forget when “the fighting broke out.” She recalls, “My daughters, [Christine and Valentine], and I started running, and we found a way to get past Goma to Burundi. That’s when I started my life as a refugee. My [first] husband died in the fights.”
Goreth and her daughters ended up in a Burundian town filled with other refugees. Upon arrival she shares, “I felt relief because of sleeping in a house and churches help us and Christians help us.”
While Goreth and her daughters were refugees in Burundi, Mbimbi was working as an auto mechanic in Baraka, a city south of Goma in DRC.
Pressure
In 2014, an armed civilian group put pressure on him to “join them for the fight and to be a soldier.” These groups were once formed to defend the Congolese against rebel armies. But tragically, they have created more chaos and violence than protection for the Congolese people.
So, when Mbimbi refused, they threatened him. With a target on his back, he reflects, “That was the night my uncle called me and said, ‘They are looking for you.’” That same day, “I told fishermen what happened and ask if they can help me to another place. They hide me in the boat and carry me down river.”
From there, Mbimbi went to Boku, where “they [gave him a] motorcycle to go to Boda.” From Boda, he traveled to Burundi where he ended up in the same town as Goreth.
Having arrived in the same town six years apart, Goreth and Mbimbi met, by chance, while filling out paperwork to earn refugee status. Goreth was farther along in the process while Mbimbi was just beginning his paperwork. Despite crossing paths at different stages in their journey to flee DR Congo, they formed a connection “and began a relationship.” Within a year, they were married.
Oceans Apart
Even though they were living in a safer town than the cities they had fled, Goreth and Mbimbi couldn’t escape the violence. In 2015, their Burundian town experienced fighting; so, when Goreth was given the opportunity to go to America, she agreed. The catch? Mbimbi wouldn’t be able to join her and her daughters. It was a bag of mixed feelings for Goreth.
“To be a refugee is not an easy thing,” she says. “It’s just a thing you have to do to pray to God. God helped me because I became strong and fight for the kids to grow up…in a safer place.”
Leaving behind her new husband, Goreth and her daughters traveled to America not knowing when and if they would ever be reunited with Mbimbi. When they arrived in the U.S., their new lives began right away.
Goreth remembers they were greeted by World Relief staff and volunteers. “[They] had already found an apartment for us,” she recalls.
Staff and volunteers came alongside Goreth and her kids, taking them to doctors appointments and helping Goreth find a job in manufacturing, packing hospital-grade linens. Goreth expresses sincere gratitude for all of World Relief’s help, especially in “the first three to six months.”
Even though Goreth felt “sad sometimes” she shared with deep conviction that she “still waited and prayed to God” for Mbimbi.
At Last, Together Again
Finally, in July 2022 both her and Mbimbi’s prayers were answered when he was resettled to America. Many were there to witness the tearful reunion at Chicago-O’Hare as Goreth and Mbimbi finally embraced each other after their 7 year separation.
Now reunited with his wife, Mbimbi is taking a World Relief “Zoom job class and language class.” He takes comfort in knowing that once his job and language classes are complete, he can still count on World Relief.
“It’s not like they abandon you,” he said. “If you still need something, they are there to help.”
Mbimbi and Goreth are currently renting a one-bedroom apartment. Now able to dream together, the couple says, “for the future, we are praying to God that we can get our own house.”
Knowing that God has provided for them before, they are trusting, through prayer and perseverance, that anything is possible!
Converging Crisis
As crises converge, and global conflict forces more people to flee their homes, it takes all of us, to move forward together, to build peace and lasting change. When you give today, you help us build peace in places like DR Congo while also welcoming those like Goreth and Mbimbi who have been forced to flee to the United States.
Michelle Visk is a freelance writer passionate about sharing compelling stories of individuals impacted by nonprofits throughout the world. In addition to writing for nonprofits, she recently launched her own interior design e-consulting business, geared at making interior design more accessible to the middle class so everyone can create a home they love. When she’s not writing or doing e-consults, she enjoys spending the majority of her time with her husband and pouring into her two feisty little girls (ages 3.5 and 5) as a stay-at-home-mom. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, Michelle worked in ministry for 10 years, serving as a Communications Director for a multi-site church. She holds a BS from Butler University.
I Was No Longer Safe in My Country: Yomardy’s Story of Seeking Asylum
“I am from Venezuela. One of the most wonderful countries in South America.”
To an outsider, it would appear Yomardy lived an ideal life in her home country of Venezuela. Certainly not a situation to cause one to seek asylum.
After all, the terrain was beautiful and diverse with incredible views. Most of her people were kind, honest, outgoing and humble. And her professional life as an educator was nothing but impressive.
Yomardy had been honored as Venezuela’s National Teacher of the Year and accepted into the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. She planned to bring back extensive training and valuable knowledge from the U.S. to improve the lives of the students she served. In fact, her ultimate goal was to become Venezuela’s Vice Minister of Education.
With everything in her favor, you might wonder what could have caused Yomardy to leave a country she so deeply loved. What brought about her decision to eventually seek asylum?
An Enemy of the State
Chronic food and medicine shortages. High unemployment. A corrupt and oppressive government. And unchecked violence that gives Venezuela the highest crime rate of any country in the world. This humanitarian crisis has forced over 7 million Venezuelans to flee their country, making it one of the highest external displacement crisis globally.
Yet Yomardy hoped her time in the U.S. would equip her to better the lives of her people. Instead, it resulted in one of her worst nightmares.
While she spoke honestly and humbly about the challenges her students faced back in Venezuela, her government struck harshly back at her. It wasn’t pleased that Yomardy portrayed her leaders in an unfavorable light. Particularly while she was in a country they considered an enemy.
Ultimately, speaking the truth would have serious consequences.
A Difficult Decision
The ruthless action of her government devastated Yomardy. Her entire life – her job, her family, everything she struggled for – was back in Venezuela. It felt like she died when all that mattered was abruptly taken from her.
After her three month visit ended, Yomardy was determined to return home with her plan to help her country. However, she knew the risks. Would it really be that dangerous if she made a decision to go back?
A New Dream
With no job, no home and no relationships in the U.S., Yomardy’s fears for her future were understandable. But with the help of generous and supportive people, along with the guidance of World Relief, Yomardy rebuilt a new life.
Refusing to sit idle in her circumstances, she quickly earned her license to teach in the U.S. and now brings her passion to American students at an elementary school. She pushed on to pursue a master’s degree and aspires to become a lawyer one day.
But Yomardy hasn’t given up on her dream to become Venezuela’s Vice Minister of Education. While she optimistically waits for an opportunity to return to her country, she has created a few new dreams. Particularly one that gives back to others what was generously given to her during the most challenging time of her life.
Listen to the Full Story
Listen to Yomardy share her complete story of risk, fear, and perseverance to leave a life and country behind to seek asylum in the United States.
Serving Asylum Seekers and Asylees
World Relief Chicagoland believes that everyone deserves a chance to seek safety and a better life. Like refugees, asylum seekers like Yomardy flee their homes because of threats to their safety and well-being. But unlike for refugees, the federal government does not have financial provision for them. They must wait for a legal decision on their asylum claim. Yet they have no way to provide for themselves or their families. And this puts asylum seekers in an even more vulnerable situation.
Since 2019, World Relief Chicagoland has served asylum seekers at their most vulnerable. With your help, the H.O.M.E. program provides Housing, Opportunity, Mutuality (Transformative relationships), and Empowerment for asylum seekers in our community. Will you partner with us to serve asylum seekers today? Gather a group from your church or community to serve as a Good Neighbor Team with the H.O.M.E. program in Chicago today. This is one way you can have a life-changing impact on someone else seeking safety.
Watch other stories of transformation on World Relief Chicagoland’s YouTube channel!
More like this:
New Opportunity in the U.S.: Jenny’s Story
News from H.O.M.E.: Serving Asylum Seekers
Early in 2022, we featured a post by Hannah Thompson, World Relief Chicagoland’s Immigrant Family Services Volunteer Coordinator who works with the staff and community volunteers who serve asylum seekers through the H.O.M.E. Program. Now, Hannah is back, sharing what has changed since January.
First, what is the H.O.M.E. Program?
World Relief Chicagoland created the H.O.M.E. Program because we know that asylum seekers are among the most vulnerable immigrants. Though many have similar experiences as refugees and may have also fled their homes seeking safety, life in the U.S. looks very different. Asylum seekers do not have the same financial support as refugees. Instead, they must wait for their asylum case to be heard and for the U.S. to make a legal decision about whether they can become asylees. This can be a long process that takes months or years. And during that time, asylum seekers are socially, financially, and legally vulnerable.
Over the years, World Relief has seen countless asylum seekers become vital, contributing members of the community after being granted asylum and staying in the U.S. permanently as “asylees.” Yet while they wait, too many experience poverty, homelessness, or deep debt.
The H.O.M.E. Program is the chance to form a supportive community safety net for asylum seekers during this temporary stage of their immigration journey. H.O.M.E. provides Housing, Opportunity, Mutuality (Transformative relationships), and Empowerment for asylum seekers. With the support of volunteers who help provide short-term rental assistance and relational support, asylum-seeking families gain the chance to rebuild their lives – instead of remaining in limbo while they wait for their asylum case to be heard.
An October Update from the H.O.ME. Front
News from the H.O.M.E. Front
It is hard to believe that we are coming up on the two-year anniversary of launching the H.O.M.E. Program! Right now, I am looking back in amazement at all that has happened and how many special moments have emerged just in the last year!
As of October 2022:
- We have served 13 asylum-seeking families through the H.O.M.E. Program!
- 12 local churches have donated financially to cover rent costs, led the way in volunteering as teams to support families, or both!
There is one particularly beautiful relationship I’ve seen blossom. One of our church volunteer teams recently matched with a family living in their neighborhood. When the family and the team first met, the family was expecting their first child: a baby girl! To help the family prepare and celebrate, the team came together. They collected donations. And they even hosted a baby shower for the family!
As the baby’s birth date drew closer, the volunteers drove the family to and from the hospital. They were some of the first people to meet the new, healthy baby girl!
Being a new parent is a big learning curve. It’s an even bigger challenge for those already navigating a new country! Thankfully, the team, loaded with their own personal parenting experience, has been a ready source of support for navigating life with a newborn and for the new mom as she manages post-partum recovery. Without the H.O.M.E. Program and World Relief Chicagoland’s church partners, the family would not have had friends to support them in this new chapter or a home to bring their daughter to. We are so grateful to see this relationship flourish!
You Can Join in Welcoming Families H.O.M.E.
Volunteer teams and financial supporters like you ensure that asylum-seeking families reach important milestones like the birth of a baby, celebrating a new job, and more! With our H.O.M.E. partners, asylum seekers can move forward in life without worrying about how to pay rent or being at risk of homelessness.
World Relief Chicagoland needs more partners to walk alongside asylum seekers. Whether by volunteering, giving rent assistance, or both, you can make the difference and help welcome families “home.”
Learn More
Learn more about the H.O.M.E. Program and how you can get involved here!
Together, we can support asylum seekers as they seek safety.
World Relief Praises New Refugee Ceiling, Urges Biden Administration and Congress to Work Together to Aid Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Yesterday, the Biden administration set the annual refugee ceiling to allow up to 125,000 refugees into the United States for fiscal year 2023. World Relief affirms this decision, which comes at a time when the world is facing an unprecedented refugee crisis, but urges the Biden administration and Congress to do more to strengthen the U.S. refugee and asylum programs in order to aid individuals and families seeking protection from persecution.
“The 125,000 ceiling for fiscal year 2023 is a welcome goal,” said World Relief U.S. Director for Church Mobilization and Advocacy Matthew Soerens. “However, it’s also the same goal that the U.S. has fallen short of by roughly 100,000 refugees in the fiscal year that is ending this week, which demonstrates that setting a relatively high refugee ceiling is not sufficient. The administration and Congress must work together to commit more resources and enact reforms to our refugee resettlement program to ensure we can actually reach the goal of resettling 125,000 refugees while fully supporting refugee integration when they arrive in the United States.”
The U.S. refugee resettlement program has been a vital tool in protecting those facing violence and persecution. In the past year, the U.S. has offered protection to tens of thousands of individuals from countries including Afghanistan and Ukraine; however, the majority of these individuals were not formally admitted as refugees, which has meant they face an uncertain future and a lack of access to permanent legal status. The Biden administration and Congress must strengthen and rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program to continue to aid Afghans and Ukrainians, to offer resettlement to those who have fled protracted refugee situations many years or even decades ago and to be able to nimbly respond to emerging refugee crises.
U.S. law also rightly offers protection for those seeking refuge at U.S. borders through our asylum process. World Relief urges the Biden administration to ensure due process for asylum seekers who reach the U.S., while also encouraging the administration to rebuild the refugee resettlement program so as to allow more individuals to access safety in the U.S. without the need of a dangerous journey to the U.S. border.
“At a moment when there are more refugees globally than at any time in recorded history, we need ongoing leadership from the U.S. government to rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program,” said World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene. “In partnership with hundreds of local churches, World Relief is eager and ready to welcome more refugees and ensure they have the support that they need to integrate into new communities and thrive.”
A recent Lifeway Research poll found that 70% of American evangelicals believe the U.S. has a moral obligation to receive refugees.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
To learn more about World Relief Chicagoland visit: www.worldrelief.org/chicagoland
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
September 28, 2022
CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606
How to Have Impact as a Volunteer Tutor
The volunteer tutors at World Relief have a superpower: they know how to bring out the unique gifts of each student to help them grow. Here’s how one tutor used a child’s passion to overcome his fears so he could flourish.
Aaron* is a 6-year-old boy who arrived with his family several years ago from an oppressive African country called Eritrea. For the past year, Aaron has been part of the Children & Youth program. He received tutoring support, participated in the summer program, and engaged in the spring student leadership team – a model set up to encourage active student participation in planning the summer program.
When Taylor*, Aaron’s volunteer tutor, first met him in 2021, she found it difficult to get him to say a word. In fact, no one could get him to talk. He was extremely shy. He kept his camera off during Zoom meetings. He took a long time to answer questions. He even struggled to share his own name.
But that was about to change when Taylor discovered this young boy’s passion. Aaron loved to draw.
Turning Passion Into Learning
Taylor took Aaron’s love for drawing and turned it into an impactful teaching tool. Tutoring time became drawing time. As Aaron formed an object on his sheet of paper, Taylor taught him the English name for that object. She then followed up with how to spell it. With this learning process, Aaron grew stronger in his English skills.
Before long, he also grew in his confidence. Aaron began to turn his camera on for Zoom calls. He shared his opinion in group discussions with other students on the leadership team. And he grew excited about what the 2022 summer program would look like.
In fact, he didn’t miss a single day.
Turning Fear Into Friendship
Aaron was initially apprehensive about meeting new people when the summer program began. He didn’t want to leave the safety net of his cousins who were with him. But as time progressed, so did his willingness to make new friends.
Before long he was running around, playing with other boys his age, and chatting with new friends. Rides in the van to and from the program turned into times to play and share toys with the kids that rode alongside him – and to heroically rescue a new friend’s toy that fell beneath the seats.
As he grew to enjoy his interaction with the program leaders and volunteers, his friendship with them blossomed as well. After one intern had her last day at the summer program, Aaron asked his aunt to call her. He already missed her and wanted to talk with his new friend.
Your Impact as a Volunteer Tutor
Each year children just like Aaron grow in confidence and self-esteem because of the one-on-one connections they make with their volunteer tutors. Immigrant and refugee youth who otherwise may have stayed isolated and alone are supported in trying new activities, expanding their language skill, and forming new relationships. All because volunteers choose to invest in the future of these young people.
You can make a lasting difference in the life of a refugee child. Start today.
*Names changed.
Read more about the impact happening among children and youth!
Summer Camp: Fun, Fellowship and First Responders – World Relief
How Refugee Children Reshape Resettlement for Their Families – World Relief
The Refugee Journey to Home in a New Community (worldrelief.org)
Summer Camp: Fun, Fellowship and First Responders
Summer camp brings back a lot of fun memories with carefree (and homework-free), sun-filled days. Kids get “screen-free” time to play outside, make new friends, bond with counselors, and learn games and songs. It’s an opportunity every child should have – no matter where they come from or the circumstances that brought them to the Chicagoland area.
The Excitement Begins . . . Again.
After a two-year hiatus, Children & Youth Services in DuPage and Aurora were back at it. They offered in-person day camps to provide children with summer fun. Three camps for school-age youth were held last July, hosted by three World Relief partner churches. A total of 60 kids participated, assisted by 65 World Relief volunteers and staff.
For many campers, it was the first time they got to participate in camp or any kind of summer program. The days filled up with hula hoops, jump ropes, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, soccer and sports in nearby parks. While some caught up with their classmates, others reconnected with ones they knew from World Relief’s After School Club and tutoring programs.
Brushing Up on English
Along with fun and fellowship, World Relief summer camps offered a chance for youth to practice their English. Since most participating families are recent arrivals to the U.S., English is their second language and not spoken at home. This can lead to it getting lost or rusty over a long break from school. The perfect remedy to prevent that? A few hours each day at camp where they can speak English together.
Learning Safety From the Pros
Other learning opportunities focused on safety and preparedness. In Aurora, eight Fire and Police Department first responders demonstrated real-world emergency preparedness skills. They stopped by in their specialized vehicles to interact with the kids and teach them about community safety. They gave tips for what to do at home if there’s an emergency and how to call 911.
Spending Time With American Red Cross
At all three camps, American Red Cross volunteers taught tornado preparedness and home fire safety through storytelling and games. Campers practiced fire drills outside and learned how to keep their families safe inside if they hear tornado sirens.
The Red Cross’s Pillowcase Project was a creative way to prepare safety items at home in case of an emergency. Everyone colored their own Red Cross pillowcases, which also serve as an emergency kit.
Connecting With Counselors
World Relief volunteers and Children & Youth Services staff were on hand each day to supervise and engage with the campers. But more importantly, they showed how much they want these children to succeed as they resettle into a new way of life.
How do you measure summer camp fun? There may not be an adequate way to capture it, except by the smiles that were everywhere. Or in the words of one young camper, “This is the best camp ever!”
Make an Impact
World Relief Chicagoland has ongoing volunteer opportunities that you don’t have to wait for summer to start. Start making an impact today – and memories!
How Refugee Children Reshape Resettlement for Their Families
It’s easy to overlook the unique role refugee children have in the resettlement process. Yet the part they play not only impacts how quickly their family can adapt to life in the U.S. It can also determine how successfully they fully integrate.
The Challenge of Successful Resettlement
For families across the world, many would agree one of our highest priorities is raising our children. This often takes the form of providing stability – whether it’s through safety, good healthcare, a solid education, or better opportunities. After all, children take precedence in our lives and for good reason: they impact us at every level. When they struggle, the family as a unit often struggles, experiencing great difficulty to move forward.
It’s in this challenge many refugee families find themselves up against as they rebuild their lives in the U.S.
The Daunting Journey
Every year, violence, wars, persecution, poverty, famine, and other natural disasters drive children from their homes. According to the UNHCR, 36.5 million children were forcibly displaced in 2021 – that’s more than 40% of the world’s total displaced people. Not only has their normal rhythm of life been torn apart by unforeseen and tragic events. They’re never given the time or resources to mentally and emotionally process what happened – or why it happened in the first place.
Unfortunately, these challenges don’t stop here in the U.S. as they take on a new form during the resettlement process. Although eager to start their new life, refugee children now face a new set of barriers. But this time it’s in the form of adapting to a different culture, learning a new language, and navigating an unfamiliar educational system. To top it off, they must also figure out how to cultivate new relationships.
These challenges continue into the home as children straddle two different worlds and often assume adult responsibilities. As quick learners, children commonly become the primary interpreter for their parents – whether at school, for medical care, or in situations where family members are unable to communicate. They often find themselves trying to integrate two diverse cultures and languages into their household fabric. Their role develops into bridging the gaps and helping the family to function more smoothly.
Finding an Inroad to Stability
Without question, in the event of crisis, war, or conflict, the stability of the family unit is key to building a new foundation. For families, this stability begins with the children. When they’re in a safe space, parents and extended family feel more secure about starting the adjustment process.
Yet the question remains. How can these families rebuild a sense of security when their children continue to be exposed to daunting challenges?
Bridging the Gap
Children & Youth Services at World Relief plays an integral part in stabilizing and empowering refugee children and their families as they resettle in the Chicago suburbs. In the last year, people like you along with the staff in DuPage and Aurora have worked with 633 children from 268 families and 37 different countries. These countries include Ukraine, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Sudan, Nepal, Colombia and many more.
We are all too familiar with the global crises that have uprooted these families. It’s critical to orient them as soon as possible to the nuts and bolts of parenting in America so that they can not only provide needed stability for their children. They can also move forward as a family.
Children and Youth Services Programs
Upon their arrival to the U.S., staff members work one-on-one with each unique family. A parent orientation program provides the initial support to quickly adjust during resettlement. It introduces them to life in the United States and what families can expect at each age and stage of their child’s resettlement.
Resources provided by Children & Youth Services continue to serve as an essential anchor for these families. These services include:
- Early childhood case management: nurtures essential play groups, connects families to local preschools, and coordinates specialized therapy
- School preparation and support: Provides backpacks and school supplies, helps them navigate classes and form new friendships, and shows them how to ride the bus on their first day
- Tutoring and mentoring services: ensures homework help is available through tutoring and provides After School and Summer Clubs for students in all grades
And let’s not forget one of the most important parts of being a kid: having fun and making new friends. World Relief’s youth programming gives refugee children the space to be a kid with other kids. They create new friendships, explore American culture, and share a universal love for games (and snacks). Most importantly, these children are given the chance to move forward – together. Their constant smiles reveal it all – they tell a joyful story of a new life beginning.
Make a Difference. Get Involved.
People like you, along with churches, staff, donors and volunteers walk this journey with refugee children and their families. Together, we advocate on their behalf and connect them to essential community resources such as food pantries, clothing, child car seats, and other social services.
We understand that familiarity with the everyday small things has a huge impact on newcomers. Together, we can tackle complex challenges like employment, learning English, becoming citizens, and restoring dignity and normalcy for our new neighbors here in Chicagoland.