Posts Tagged ‘Quad Cities’

The Democratic Republic of Congo has 25 provinces and over 200 tribes, but they all experience violence and discrimination. Eddy recently reunited with his brother, niece, and nephew who stayed behind in a refugee camp after losing their home. Here’s his story. 

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Followed by War

Edouard “Eddy” Iranzi was born into war. In 1996, fighting had escalated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Unrest grew in the Katanga province as rebels captured territory from the militaristic government, and his parents knew they had to act soon. They fled to the Kivu province while Eddy was just a few months old.

In the high tropical mountains of the Minembwe territory was a large village lined with small houses. Here, people made a living through cultivating the land and raising cattle. Eddy’s dad was a farmer with cows of his own. After the chaos in Katanga, the village felt like a place where they could catch their breath. 

But when Eddy was old enough to understand what was going on, he realized that they hadn’t escaped the war. There was constant fighting between the tribes in his village. 

“They all speak different languages, lots of different dialects. They hate each other because they don’t understand each other. There was so much fighting that every clan had its own defense group,” he said.

A Village Destroyed

His own tribe, the Banyamulenge, suffered some of the most discrimination. His family kept their heads down so they wouldn’t be targeted. Then, everything he knew was disrupted by government violence. It was the worst day of his life.

“They burned my house. They took my cows. We fled . . they burned it all until there was no one left in my community,” he continued. 

The fires displaced nearly 15,000 people that day. As his family hid in the jungle watching flames consume the village, 11-year-old Eddy realized they would have to leave again. 

This time, they fled to a refugee camp in Burundi. Safety never felt so out of reach. 

“We said, ‘we have to leave this country.’ But leaving your own land, your home, it’s a big challenge. And then to be in a refugee camp and not have needs or wants, it’s really hard,” Eddy said.

The family was in the camp for over 10 years, always prepared to pack up and leave at any second. Food was scarce, and police would stop and interrogate anyone coming or going. 

His dad became sick and there was no treatment in Burundi. In 2015, a case opened to treat his father in the U.S. Now, Eddy had a new fear. He didn’t want to lose his father. 

Free from Persecution

It took four years to process their case. In 2019, they boarded the plane that would take them to their new home. When Eddy saw the smiling faces waiting for him at the airport, he didn’t feel unsafe or threatened. All he felt was love. 

“Love from the church, love from World Relief, from the family that was living here. Big love,” he said. 

He found answers to his fears in every place he looked. In the refugee camp, Eddy could hardly imagine what it would be like to live comfortably. Now they had a house of their own, a fridge that was always full, and enough clothes to wear. And with enough medical assistance, his dad was soon healthy enough to start a full-time job at Tyson. 

Eddy felt safer with each night he spent in his new home. He’d always lived in communities ruled by violence and hatred. However, his new community didn’t just accept him, they celebrated him. The new support system changed his family’s lives. 

Full of Love

“There’s no discrimination like in Africa. I felt the change in my lifestyle by love. I can sleep and not be scared something will happen tonight, and I feel safe. No one can touch me because there are rules,” Eddy said.

He was free to drive for miles or eat a lot of food. It also meant that he could follow his calling to help others. Back in the camp, he volunteered as a teacher. He taught others about hygiene, how to be healthy, and how to stay safe. He said casework at World Relief is “kind of the same thing.” 

Eddy loves working with refugees because they’re from the same background. And in helping others, he feels himself growing. Above all, he wants to share that overwhelming feeling of love. Now that he’s safe, his future is bright. 

“This country has lots of love. When you’re safe and free, your mind spreads. You can achieve a lot of things, and you can feel yourself everywhere . . . in all corners,” he concluded.

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Want to help refugees like Eddy and his family? Fill out a volunteer application, learn what to donate, or make a gift.

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Erica Parrigin manages communications at World Relief Quad Cities. She graduated from Western Illinois University with a BA in English in 2020. She believes that stories are powerful, and that learning to empathize with other perspectives is the key to making a difference.

When Karen first heard of Word Relief in 2008, she thought to herself, “What is that?”

Once she realized there was a need for donations, she gathered some towels and home goods left over from her move and brought them to the agency.

Karen drove a Volkswagen van. The man who met her at the office jokingly asked if her van was also up for donation, which she thought was “pretty good.”

That man was Ratko, our Immigration and Resettlement Director and longest-standing staff member. At the time, the Moline World Relief office was staffed by just 4-5 people. She knew that she and her international family would fit right in.

14 years later, she’s dedicated herself to setting up houses for refugee families as if it were her full-time job. Our staff wanted to share some kind words about her for volunteer appreciation month.

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“Karen is a person who acts more than she speaks, she is a woman who lives out her passion to serve the vulnerable and love the stranger without expecting recognition in return.” – Alejandra

“Karen is who I want to be. She has a huge heart that comes out in toys she places in homes, the way she matches bedsheets, the way she cares for the staff. She has incredible energy and passion for the work, clearly sees what needs to be done, and although she could (and may want to) be the one to say what happens and who should do it, she is very respectful of those she works with and for. She could have given up at any time–she’s had dear ones in this service pass away, she’s been underappreciated and taken for granted at times, and sometimes the workload has been overwhelming. BUT. She perseveres and shows love in a thousand ways to the WR family and clients.” – Leah

“We are so lucky to have Karen in our office. Karen has a great personality and cares a lot about our clients and the things we do for them. She always makes sure that every detail of the job is delivered in a perfect manner.” – Najib

“Every single refugee we have resettled through WRQC in the past decade has, in some way or another, been blessed by Karen. Whether she’s on her hands and knees scrubbing dirty floors in new apartments or organizing the countless donations we receive to our office, she does so with a servant’s heart and a love for the families we receive. The donations team could not do the work we do without her, and we are so thankful for the years of service she’s given to our organization.”  – Beth

I honestly don’t know what we would do without Karen. She is an irreplaceable presence in our office and she makes every person that enters feel wanted and appreciated. We are so blessed to have someone so loving, dedicated, and joyful be part of this team. – Clare

“Michelle Obama said it best: ‘Hey, Queen! Girl, you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for us all and doing it flawlessly. I’d say I’m surprised but I know who you are. I’ve seen it up close and personal. Girl, you make me so proud, and I love you.’ I adore Karen we’d be lost without her.” – Lupe

“I consider Karen a beating heart of our office. She connects everything we do to our clients. All of the background work in our office expresses itself through Karen’s hard work, bringing smiles and happiness to our refugee families. There are no words that can describe my appreciation and gratitude for Karen for all these years of dedication and service to World Relief, our clients, and our community. It’s been an honor and privilege knowing and learning from Karen for all these years.” – Ratko

Karen is one of our shining stars. She is very smart and kind in her work. She always works hard. – Amir

Karen has the energy of a toddler, but the wisdom of a centenarian. I think getting to learn from Karen has been one of the most important, everlasting impacts of my career at World Relief. Also, I appreciate a person that recognizes their privilege and is not afraid to recognize if she makes a mistake. She has taught me so much about true humility and grace. – Habie

“She is such a dedicated and committed woman to the work that she is doing! She is an excellent example of how hard she works to all of us!” – Ahmadi

“Karen is a very kind and caring person who enjoys helping the most vulnerable individuals. She is charismatic and has excellent problem-solving skills. Also, she encourages growth from our team members and the people we serve. It’s very remarkable how much of a difference she makes daily by helping people who are in the process of being resettled in the QC area. I feel privileged working with Karen and appreciate her very much for all she does.” – Bekzod

“Words cannot express the impact Karen has had on World Relief Quad Cities, on all our newly arrived families, and on our team. She is part of the World Relief family. I introduce Karen as my boss because she could make a General stand at attention and give her 20; her heart is so full of love but watch out if she’s on a mission to finish a project because she’s a force to be reckoned with. In actuality, she’s a friend and mentor who I can confide in, gain wisdom from, cry with, and laugh with. She always puts others first. I am honored, grateful, and blessed to have Karen in the lives of our refugees and part of our WRQC team.” – Laura

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Erica Parrigin manages communications at World Relief Quad Cities. She graduated from Western Illinois University with a BA in English in 2020. She believes that stories are powerful, and that learning to empathize with other perspectives is the key to making a difference.

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community.

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A new role

When Leah Lesh learned about the many refugee families living in the Quad Cities through an event at her local church, she realized she needed to help these families any way she could.

Lesh, a mother of 3, started volunteering at World Relief Quad Cities a year ago after having much more time to fulfill her goal of helping these refugees.

“When my children were in school, I had so much time to be able to volunteer,” she said. “I learned about World Relief from that event at Bettendorf Christian Church and from there I became a part of the organization.”

Lesh started small in her new role as a volunteer at WR by doing simple things such as collecting donations for the refugees, and eventually putting together houses for these families. This would be one of the most rewarding experiences she would have with WR as she and her family were able to join in on the fun as well.

“It was a great time with the family setting up the house and having the kids have fun helping as well,” Lesh said. “They loved seeing the empty house and couch shopping so it was a fun family outing for a great cause as well.”

Worth the challenge

Among the struggles for Lesh were the language barrier and the many different miscommunications that can occur when trying to communicate with these refugee families.

“It can be really frustrating sometimes trying to communicate with them when we both have trouble speaking each other’s languages.”

However, she says that for those on the fence about volunteering, she realizes that the language and culture barriers can be intimidating but in the end it is more than worth it.

“There’s so many ways to connect with people beyond the language barrier,” she explains. “Through the tough times we’re going through in the world, it’s important that we do all we can to help people locally and volunteering is an amazing way to accomplish this.”

   

 

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Brady Johnson is a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications. He’s currently interning in Communications with World Relief Quad Cities, and hopes to be part of something greater than himself.

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community.

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A new purpose

When Trisha Poole heard about the refugees from Afghanistan at the end of last year, she knew she had to help any way she could.

    “My heart just yearned for those people, and I asked my husband ‘can’t we just take them all in our home?’”

    Poole, a mother of 4 and a part-time worker with exchange students, began her work volunteering with World Relief a month ago, and is already feeling inspired with her new role.

    “It makes me feel like I have purpose,” Poole said, “I love learning about other cultures from the families I help and the exchange students I work with.”

A learning process

    She has been volunteering twice a week with World Relief and helping refugee families in the area any way she can, from grocery shopping to providing transportation to appointments.

The language barrier and budgeting have been the biggest obstacles for Poole as she begins her volunteering journey so far.

    “I usually have Google Translate as a backup in case we have a problem communicating, but sometimes it’s hard to use for certain languages,” she explains.

“Everything costs money too, so it’s been an interesting time helping these families learn to budget their money and resources as well.”

A welcoming community

    Through these struggles, however, she is rewarded for the meaningful relationships she has made with the families and seeing how her help has positively impacted these families’ lives.

    “It’s amazing to see how grateful these families are for what we do for them, and it means even more to become such good friends with these families as well.

    For those on the fence about volunteering, Poole says, the best thing you can do is to get out with these families into the community and show others how volunteering can lead to those connections and relationships that go beyond the language barrier.

    “It can seem intimidating at first with the language and culture barriers to go out and volunteer. But being out in the community with these families helping them and showing others how wonderful taking in these families can be can inspire others to take action as well.”

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Brady Johnson is a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications. He’s currently interning in Communications with World Relief Quad Cities, and hopes to be part of something greater than himself.

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community.

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An urgent need

Craig Peterson knew he had to do something when he and his family learned about the staggering amount of refugee families in the Quad Cities.

“My wife was the one who talked about our family taking in these refugee families into our home, and we asked them if they needed anything during their time with us,” Peterson said, “and that’s when I started giving dental care to some of these families.”

Peterson, a dentist at Cornerstone Family Dentistry in the QC, has been giving free dental care to refugee families in the area.

“I came to an understanding that many of these families are in need of dental care,” he said. “I now see between 2-4 patients a week from these families and give them any sort of dental care they need.”

Overcoming obstacles

During this time, Peterson said that the language barrier has been one of his biggest obstacles he has had to overcome during this experience, but his mission work in Honduras has helped to alleviate the struggle.

“I know a little bit of Spanish so that’s helped a bit in breaking the language barrier, but it’s hard to form a connection with the patients because of this,” Peterson said.

“You can see that they’re very appreciative of this, but there’s no sense of a personal connection since we have trouble speaking each other’s languages.”

However, this experience has been rewarding in that he has been able to hear from these families and to hear of their experiences and perspectives, as well as showing these families how valued they are.

Beyond the language barrier

“It’s wonderful to see the gratitude in their eyes after their appointments,” Peterson said.  “It feels good to help these people realize that somebody cares about these families during this stressful time for them.”

Peterson hopes that with his act of kindness, people will continue to spread the kindness and help out any way they can in their community as well.

“It’s good that acts of kindness get out in the community so that others can feel inspired to take part in changes for good,” he explains.

“With all that’s happened in the world recently, it’s good to know that these things are happening in our community, even if it inspires only the smallest acts of kindness.”

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Brady Johnson is a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications. He’s currently interning in Communications with World Relief Quad Cities, and hopes to be part of something greater than himself.

Celebrating a new year

Talking about Nawroz puts a smile on Ahmadi’s face.

Nawroz is the Afghanistan new year. It falls on March 21st, which also marks the first day of spring. On Nawroz, families wake up early, put on new clothes, and begin the day with prayer. 

“It’s a day to thank God for giving us a new year, a new spring,” he says, “and for the previous year that was passed, that we are alive.”

Iranians celebrate the new year for 15 days, he says, but in Afghanistan it’s tradition to visit other families and spend the day with them. It’s like a family gathering. 

Many dishes are prepared in advance. One of Ahmadi’s favorite dishes is Haft Mewa, which translates to “Seven Fruit.” It’s a mixture of dried fruits and nuts. The nuts are soaked so that the peels can be removed, and then they are combined with dried fruits in a large bowl with hot or cold water to let the flavors meld. 

“For flavor, leave for 48 hours,” he adds. The dried fruits soak up the liquid and make a sweet syrup. 

Haft Mewa doesn’t have to have exactly seven fruits, but Ahmadi says it generally includes most or all of these ingredients: pistachios, almonds, walnuts, raisins, dried apricots, sultan’s raisins, black currants, lotus tree fruits, soft pitted apricots, and cashews.

This recipe uses substitutes for ingredients that may be harder to find in the U.S.

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Haft Mewa Recipe

Ingredients

Feel free to adjust portions to your liking.

1/2 cup walnuts (peeled if possible)

1/2 cup cashews

½ cup pistachios (without shell, if possible)

½ cup yellow raisins and 1 cup red raisins,

½ cup dried bing cherries 

1 cup dried apricots 

½ cup blanched, slivered almonds

½ tsp. rosewater or pure vanilla extract (optional)

5 cups cold filtered water

If you cannot find peeled nuts, blanch walnuts and pistachios. Boil 3 cups of water, remove from heat, and add nuts. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes. Remove from hot water, rinse in cold water, and then remove the peels with your hands. Make sure to remove all the skin.

1. Rinse dried fruits in cold water.
2. Add fruit and nuts to a large lidded bowl or container.
3. (Optional) Add rosewater or vanilla extract. 
4. Pour in 5 cups cold filtered water and stir. There should be at least one inch of water above fruits and nuts. 
5. Cover and put in fridge for 2-3 days. 

Haft Mewa will get sweeter the longer it sits. Serve in bowls without draining.

Serves 6

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Erica Parrigin manages communications at World Relief Quad Cities. She graduated from Western Illinois University with a BA in English in 2020. She believes that stories are powerful, and that learning to empathize with other perspectives is the key to making a difference.

In honor of International Women’s Day, some of our staff have shared their stories about how they’re breaking gender bias to create an equal world.

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Close to the heart

Lupe Nache Vital never misses a chance to honor her Mexican roots. With a vivid portrait of the Virgin of Guadalupe to watch over her and a jar of rebanaditas on her desk, even her office is infused with the heartbeat of la madre patria, or the motherland.

Her father immigrated to the U.S. in the 1970s to follow employment opportunities wherever they arose. He would frequently travel between the U.S. and Mexico to see his family, but it would take nearly three decades for her mother to begin the immigration process. After her mother arrived in the Quad Cities in February of 1999, Lupe was born in Rock Island just three months later. 

Lupe travels to Mexico as often as she can. With her four-year degree in social work recently completed at St. Ambrose, she plans to visit again later this year.

The weight of an accent

For her, Mexico is different from the U.S., but she admits a certain amount of privilege when it comes to traveling. As someone who “looks and sounds Mexican” but doesn’t speak with an accent, she hasn’t experienced a lot of candid discrimination based on the color of her skin. 

“When I go to Mexico, I don’t have that fear that people have while being in a foreign country. Mexico has several travel restrictions for violence, and I’ve never experienced it . . . but here I’ve never been discriminated against like other minorities have,” Lupe says.

Her parents have shared stories of their struggles in the workplace as people who “speak with accents.” And in the past, she’s seen employers turn down qualified individuals in favor of less-qualified individuals due to assumptions about immigrants. Sometimes bias is even disguised as a compliment.

“I’ve had jobs where I was hired for being Mexican, because they said Mexicans are good workers,” she recalls. 

A subtle kind of bias

Statements like these, she adds, demean personal work ethic and make you question your loyalty to an employer. Yet the form of bias that Lupe is more personally familiar with is one that’s easily hidden in day to day conversations. Much of it takes place around her full name, Maria Guadalupe Nache Vital. 

Sometimes it’s repeated mispronunciation, only to be asked “Why do you have so many names?” Other times, it’s a nickname given in place of effort. 

The tell, she says, is intent and willingness to learn. It’s easy for others to mistake microaggressions for innocent questions. 

“Microaggressions leave you thinking. It sits with you all day. You go to sleep and you’re just like, ‘that wasn’t right.’ Some people say it in a tone that isn’t rude, but it’s the idea that they don’t see anything wrong with what they said, like giving nicknames to people instead of the small effort it takes to remember. It’s so disrespectful to the significance behind their name,” she says. 

It’s even more discouraging when it happens in the workplace. Seeing others creating their own workplace standard is troubling when you know you can’t do the same. 

“My parents always warned me that I’d have to work twice as hard,” she continues. 

And as the daughter of immigrants, Lupe has faced bias specific to women of color. On top of the general assumption they’re better at “feminine” tasks, women of color are often seen as “exotic.” She’s no stranger to uncomfortable comments about being Latina. 

Room for growth

For Lupe, finding a work environment that values discussion, diversity, and education has been a much-needed relief. 

She began an internship with World Relief Quad Cities in her senior year of college. She chose WRQC out of two options because she’s always been comfortable around immigrants. Now, Lupe is WRQC’s Bookkeeper and IFRP caseworker, and she’s learned a lot about refugee populations.

“What’s nice about WRQC is that everyone understands and people here ask questions to learn. The other day Ratko and I talked about my four names and the cultural significance of the name Guadalupe,” she says.  

On top of her social work, Spanish, and Latinx studies (“shoutout Dr. Brittany Tulis,” she adds), being in such a diverse work environment has given her a chance to reflect on her identity. 

Ni de aquí, ni de allá

Being born and raised in the U.S. means she’s faced less discrimination than some of her family members. However, it doesn’t guarantee that either culture will wholly recognize her. Part of the immigrant experience, she says, is the idea of nepantla. 

“Nepantla is the concept of in-between-ness. Looking like you’re not from here and then going to Mexico and you’re not from there either . . .  finding peace with existing in between has helped me to understand my identity as a Mexican-American woman of color,” Lupe says.

When it comes to breaking the bias she’s experienced in the past, she makes a point to never assign tasks to others based on gender, or because it falls within the scope of gender roles. She does her best to “reserve judgment.”

But above all, finding peace with herself has empowered her to make the active choice to treat bias as an opportunity for education. She encourages those with the ability to speak up to do the same. 

“It’s not confrontational, it’s not ‘making it about race,’ it’s about things that should be done correctly and respectfully,” she says.

And for anyone experiencing discrimination in the workplace, she says, nurturing your own cultural identity is the first step toward healing. 

“Just solidifying yourself in your identity . . . if you know who you are and know where you come from, it’s not hard to defend yourself,” she concludes. 

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Erica Parrigin manages communications at World Relief Quad Cities. She graduated from Western Illinois University with a BA in English in 2020. She believes that stories are powerful, and that learning to empathize with other perspectives is the key to making a difference.

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When Grace Fitzpatrick thinks about the time she’s spent working at World Relief Quad Cities, she feels proud of the representation of women in the office.

    “World Relief is unique in which the the director of the office is a woman, the volunteers here are mostly women”, Fitzpatrick says, “it’s been relieving to not have to deal with any sort of biases in the workplace based on gender.”

    Fitzpatrick, an employment manager at World Relief Quad Cities, says that with her only place of employment being at WR, she has not had to deal with any sort of bias against her or her co-workers based on gender. However in honor of International Women’s Day, she was more than happy to explain how she would go about breaking the bias for women in the workplace.

    “First, you have to have confidence in yourself,” she explains, “if you don’t have that confidence to speak up for yourself or for others, it’s going to be a lot tougher to accomplish change.”

    She also explains how the next step to breaking this bias in the workplace is to know your worth, and that knowing your importance is a major step in making this change.

    “When things get uncomfortable, you have to know your worth. The work you do is no less important than the work of any man, so knowing your worth and how important you are to the workplace can help break the bias.”

    Fitzpatrick’s final step in how women can break gender bias in the workplace is to always keep pushing. She understands that breaking through the barriers of gender bias is not going to happen overnight, but having the mindset to keep fighting for your cause will help accomplish the breaking of the bias soon.

    “You just have to keep pushing, even though it’s going to get tough. However, as long as you remain confident in yourself, know your worth as both a woman and a valued worker, and to use your voice to speak up for yourself and those around you, it will become easier and easier to fight and abolish these gender biases.”

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Brady Johnson is a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications. He’s currently interning in Communications with World Relief Quad Cities, and hopes to be part of something greater than himself.

Random acts of kindness can completely transform someone’s day. They inspire us to go out into the world, give, and become part of something greater than ourselves. Here’s how Riley makes a difference.

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A career in giving back

When not going to concerts or hanging out with her two cats and pet snake, Riley Vaughan loves giving back.

Riley has worked at Davenport Americorps for two and a half years. As program manager, she’s in charge of running area service projects. Each project is dedicated to helping those in need.

Her last service project was with World Relief Quad Cities in honor of Martin Luther King day. The plan? Donate winter clothing and organize donations for newly arrived Afghan families.

Sparking a relationship

Vaughan, a former intern at World Relief QC, knew she had to take part in the project when she heard about their need of assistance with donations and organization.

“World Relief has always had a special place in my heart,” she said, “so when I heard they were in need of donations and assistance I was more than happy to help them with this service project.”

Vaughan wanted the project to establish a newfound comradery between WRQC and Americorps, hoping to create new long-lasting relationships between clients that could provide future opportunities for service projects, and making sure that they took the weight off of World Relief’s shoulders when they completed the project.

“We wanted to do all that we could to feel like we lifted this burden off of World Relief and their workers,” she said.

An act of kindness

With the project completed and successful, she hopes that it can help inspire others to reach out and do all they can to help those in need in their lives and in their communities.

“It can be easy to get into an individualistic mindset,” Vaughan said, “but it’s important to stop and realize we’re in a community and everyone needs our help. We should all look around us and help those in need instead of focusing on ourselves.”

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Brady Johnson is a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications. He’s currently interning in Communications with World Relief Quad Cities, and hopes to be part of something greater than himself.

Lauren Peterson never expected to bring in two Afghan refugee families into her East Moline home, but she was more than ready to heed the call when the moment arose.

“I was listening to NPR and heard about the evacuations occurring, and I soon started looking up places where I could take up these families. World Relief was one of the first organizations listed and I soon got in touch with them asking how I can take these families into my home.

Lauren, a counselor from the Ozarks, has taken two Afghan families into her home to live with her family. She says that the main challenges upon first taking these families in were not the ones she was expecting to encounter.

“My husband and I were expecting the language barrier to be the greatest challenge with taking these families, but thankfully Google translate has made that so much easier,” she explained.

“However, the biggest challenge for us was our first family feeling like we were forced to take them into our home, so they didn’t want to be a burden to us and our family. So we had to try and make them feel as comfortable and welcome as possible and make it known to them that we want them here.”

“We were also really worried about our children being too loud and bothering the families as well,” she continued, “but the husband explained that the children from Ghana are really loud and really funny, which was a relief to us that they wouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

However, amongst these challenges, taking in these families has proven to be one of the most fulfilling experiences the Peterson family could ever experience. Lauren says that bringing in these families has been incredible on the hearts of her own family.

“It’s truly rewarding to be able to serve these families and make them feel welcome and loved during their times of grief,” Lauren said, “It’s the most heartwarming thing to see our young kids playing with the children of these families and seeing them smile and laugh. It’s amazing to see such unity within our home.”

Bringing in these families has also allowed Lauren and her husband to experience parenting in other cultures outside the United States, and observing their ways of parenting have made them challenge American parenting ideals.

“It’s humbling for us as parents to take these families in,” she said. “It challenged us to change our view on parenting and how we could improve as parents ourselves watching these families raise their children.”

Lauren advised that for families considering taking Afghan families into their own homes, that it’s okay to embrace the discomfort that may come with taking in these families at first because the experience has been the most rewarding decision one could ever make.

“It’s okay to feel uncomfortable with the prospect of taking in these families,” she explains, “We’re a part of the 9/11 generation, so we have these fears and worries instilled within us about outsiders coming into our home.”

“However, our worries were much smaller compared to the families coming in who are experiencing the most profound grief in their lives, so it’s been the most rewarding experience taking them in and making them feel comfortable and welcome in their new home.”

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Brady Johnson is a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications. He’s currently interning in Communications with World Relief Quad Cities, and hopes to be part of something greater than himself.