Posts Tagged ‘Quad Cities’

When Donald and Joyce Halterman first learned about WRQC’s mission through their church in July of 2019, they felt compelled to step forward. They never expected such a simple act of faith to wholly reshape their lives.

“We’ve always wanted to serve the Lord in whatever way he would have us serve, and we felt that this was something we could both do together,” Donald said.

They began volunteering in client transportation. When they weren’t delivering clothing, groceries, or food baskets to local refugee families, they would bring clients to medical appointments, sometimes travelling as far away as Rockford. But just as soon as the Haltermans found themselves completely dedicated, the pandemic hit. The new restrictions would derail many of their endeavors.

Yet their determination remained intact. When they were introduced to WRQC’s first-ever Cultural Partner Team (CPT) program in the summer of 2020, they were the first to volunteer. Their journey – their calling – wasn’t over. It was about to take on new meaning.

Donald and Joyce were paired with a family of four who had recently been resettled in the Quad Cities from the Democratic Republic of Congo: Alimasi Lumenge, his wife Faila Kamlete, and their sons Sadiki Alimasi and Kamlete Alimasi. The Haltermans would meet the Alimasi family on a weekly basis for the next six months to teach them about American culture and guide them toward self-sufficiency.

“The Alimasi family was very shy, but they were a very warm and close-knit family. We felt comfortable and received from the very beginning,” Donald recalled.

“When we saw them the first afternoon, we took a group picture and had that framed. They had no pictures of their walls of anything. When we gave them a colored picture and copies to share with their friends and family, they were so excited and so happy,” Joyce added.  

Each meeting brought a new lesson to the table for both parties. As the Alimasi family learned about bus transportation, paying bills, budgeting, and safety, Donald and Joyce learned about the Alimasis’ culture and became accustomed to new technologies like Zoom and What’s App. One specific incident at the DMV, however, impacted the Haltermans’ understanding of just how much the Alimasi family had to teach them in return.

“It was a three-and-a-half-hour process in which we were made to stay outside in the rain while we waited in a long line that moved very slowly. As we stood there waiting to get the husband and his oldest son ID cards, they seemed to be very unaffected by it,” Donald said.

Later, Alimasi Lumenge sent Donald a text describing his excitement. Donald couldn’t help but share in the enthusiasm.The Alimasis quickly grew comfortable with the Haltermans’ company and began to share their needs – one being bicycles. Both sons’ bicycles were broken. When Donald and Joyce discovered that one of the Alimasi sons had to walk 12 blocks uphill to get to school every day, they knew they had to act.

They were initially given a repair estimate of $200 per bicycle, but within just six hours, they found a listing for two “practically brand-new” 16-speed mountain bikes on Craigslist for a fraction of the repair cost. Much to their surprise, the seller’s parents had adopted a child through World Relief, resulting in a hefty discount for the pair of bikes. Donald and Joyce could purchase both for just $100.

They resolved to contact their Missions Director to see what their church could do, but their plan was disrupted by what can only be called a miracle. Imagine their astonishment when they learned that the seller’s family decided to donate their bikes to the Alimasi sons. The exhaustion of a lengthy trek to school each day was about to become a thing of the past.

The boys’ eyes were filled with light, a moment frozen in time by the photos taken that day.

“It was a Holy Spirit experience,” Donald said. “We recognize when the Spirit is leading us,” Joyce agreed.

Both parties had expected little more than a client-volunteer relationship. But through guidance, laughter, and prayer, a beautiful friendship blossomed. Now, the Haltermans and the Alimasis break bread often, pray, and talk with one another via phone and text.

“They needed a friendship the most to help them get through a lot of difficulties, and we became friends with them . . . we’re enlightened by them and the great smiles on their faces,” Donald said.

With Donald and Joyce’s kindness, not only are the Alimasis becoming self-sufficient, but are beginning to feel “at home.” They’ve made many other friends at their church and look forward to coming to church with the Haltermans when they know a little more English. And in February of 2021, they reunited with their eldest son Asukulu, whose immigration case had been delayed since 2020. Their family had been made whole again.

Despite pandemic restrictions, both families anticipate a future filled with palpable love and companionship.

“We envision a lifetime of friendship. We were told we would be their partners for six months, but we could never walk away from this family,” Joyce concluded.

The story of two families uniting to learn from one another and creating transformative change on both sides is an invigorating example of the power of togetherness. Whether quietly cultivated or sudden, God’s joy will always find a way through.

For more information about our CPT Program, contact Julie Hornbuckle at jhornbuckle@wr.org. Or, click on “Get Involved” to submit a volunteer application.

Meghan Arshad celebrated the end of her six-month commitment through World Relief’s Cultural Partnership Team (CPT) program on Saturday, March 13th.

With the help of her husband, father-in-law, and 2 year old daughter, she has been working with the Po Eh Doh family to help transition to life in the Quad Cities. Before arriving in the Quad Cities, Po and his wife, along with their three children, lived in a refugee camp in Burma for 15 years.

While there are many ways to volunteer with World Relief, Meghan enjoys working with families directly because she’s able to see an immediate impact. During the Christmas season, Meghan and her family brought over a Christmas tree, presents and a cake. Unknown to them, it was also the eldest daughter’s birthday. With the pandemic and other hurdles in mind, the three kids have struggled to adjust to American schools and make friends. 

Meghan is so touched that such a small gesture of kindness could impact an entire family so deeply.

After spending multiple days a week together for six months, Meghan and her family have developed a close and trusted friendship with the Po Eh Doh family. They plan on continuing to work with the family even beyond their six months together, and hope to be partnered with another family in the future.

Meghan’s advice to anyone seeking to volunteer with World Relief is to “volunteer on the basis that you can give.” She recommends everyone try a few volunteer opportunities until finding one that fits best. 

For more information about our CPT Program, contact Julie Hornbuckle at jhornbuckle@wr.org. Or, click on “Get Involved” to submit a volunteer application.

Written by Olivia Smith

Susan Llewellyn said one of the first things she learned while volunteering for World Relief was about rice.

She started at World Relief shopping as a volunteer and got to know immigrant and refugee families where rice is a staple. Through that experience, she’s learned many different recipes and uses for rice, as well as the importance of it as a staple in many cultures.

Susan has been a volunteer at World Relief Quad Cities for 2 and a half years. In addition to grocery shopping for families, Susan has also met new arrivals at the airport to welcome them to the United States. She enjoys helping with fundraising events at World Relief, and she found she loves getting to know the people she helps.

“I appreciate sharing culture, that really means a lot to me,” Susan said.

Currently, Susan is teaching a citizenship class that she says she enjoys most of all. She helps those that are seeking U.S citizenship by teaching material on the citizenship test and helping them study so that they’re ready for the exam. Constitution, geography, history and government are all areas covered, and it’s a 10-week class that meets once a week. But her favorite part is getting to know her students over the course of the 10 week class.

“Just working with them on a one-on-one basis, it helps me get to know them and understand their struggles,” Susan said.

Her students also provide her with a deeper understanding of issues that are happening in the rest of the world, something she said she really values. For example, two of her students are from Myanmar, a place currently in turmoil and experiencing a coup.

That mutually beneficial relationship between how she helps her students and how they give back to her is what Susan finds so enjoyable about volunteering for World Relief.

“It’s a feeling of satisfaction of helping someone and a knowledge that I get to understand more about the circumstances in the world,” Susan said.

Susan admires the bravery and strength immigrants and refugees have to leave their homes and families to start a new life in a new culture and is thankful World Relief is here to provide help.

“I’ve gained an understanding of the great value of an organization like World Relief,” Susan said. “I don’t know what some of these immigrants and refugees would do if they came here without some kind of support system to help them.”

Written by Olivia Doak

Quad City native Shirley Johnson enjoys going on hikes and bike rides outside, even stopping along her way to pick up litter and trash she sees scattered around the ground.

While she contributes to the community in small ways like that, she also gives back as an active volunteer at World Relief Quad Cities.

Shirley Johnson has been a volunteer at World Relief for a year. She found out about the organization through her church, and she enjoys helping out at the beginning of every month with the food pantry for World Relief.

The first Monday and Friday of each month Shirley comes in and helps unload and organize the food so it’s ready to give out. Typically, Shirley said they serve 70-80 families.

While her time commitment to World Relief is relatively low, Shirley said she loves the organization and helping in any way she can with the time commitment she gives.

“It’s fun meeting the other volunteers and staff members, they are all very upbeat and very enthusiastic about what they do and it’s a contagious feeling,” Shirley said. “It’s just a win-win for clients and the people who work there.”

Shirley said since she retired, she’s found her niche in food pantry volunteering. In addition to her work at World Relief, she also helps at Rocky high school and the River Bend food bank.

The time she gives is to help provide food for those that need it, especially at World Relief. “Food security is one of multiple challenges that people face when coming to this country,” Shirley said.

But at World Relief, Shirley said that she’s also gained something for herself, and that’s an appreciation for the challenges that families immigrating to this country face.

“I’m just impressed by all these families and how brave they are…to come to another country and not know the language with a completely different daily life,” Shirley said. “I’m just in awe of these families.”

Shirley, we are in awe of you. Thank you for all you do!

Written by Olivia Doak

Volunteer Autumn Gross does a little bit of everything.

Throughout her seven and a half years at World Relief Quad Cities, Autumn has done grocery shopping, transporting clients to appointments, teaching English, helping in the office, setting up appointments and translating, as she’s fluent in Spanish.

Right now, she helps coordinate their monthly food pantry.

“It’s just really rewarding to be able to be involved with so many cultures without leaving the QC,” Autumn said. “Just being able to meet so many new people and give them that support that they need.”

For the immigrants and refugees that are involved with World Relief, that support means everything.

Autumn said that the most memorable thing about her almost eight years at World Relief is watching people adapt to the culture and eventually gain citizenship. She loves getting to know them for years while they work up to it, and when they finally succeed, it’s a feeling of triumph.

One woman in particular Autumn had a relationship with, but she moved out of the Quad Cities. Despite the distance, Autumn said one day the same woman messaged her on Facebook, excited because she got her citizenship. Autumn said it made her so happy to hear her achieve her goal after everything she went through to be in this country, and she is thankful for how World Relief gives people the support they need.

“I just think World Relief is really cool because it’s a family,” Autumn said.

Written by Olivia Doak

Dr. Chris Strunk is a Professor of Geography at Augustana College, and this spring he decided to create a partnership with World Relief Quad Cities and his Geography of Human Issues course. Students in his class offer virtual tutoring help to World Relief families.

Chris’s students have expressed such positive remarks about this partnership. With Covid-safe limitations on in-person classes, the Geography class has adapted to function at half-capacity.

Students will alternate which days they attend lecture. On the days they are not attending, students log-in to provide homework help and play online games with many different kids connected to World Relief.

Chris has always been passionate to tackle barriers of social injustice. From an early age, he has been inspired by his mother in everything he does. As a kid, he saw her volunteer a majority of her time at a public library, as well as lend resources to local immigrant communities.

Because he was able to see the impact of his mothers actions for so long, he chooses to expose his students to programs, such as World Relief, which actively seek to provide resources to those in need.

The main mission of Chris’s partnership with World Relief is to introduce college students to the rich and diverse immigrant and refugee community in the Quad Cities. In doing so, he wishes to teach his students the same manners of compassion, consideration, and drive for social justice that his mother was able to teach him.

Written by Olivia Smith