It has been such a long time since I've written about what's been going on at For the Nations since classes started back up at the beginning of September! But so much HAS been happening here, and I'll try to summarize some of the highlights:
1) Back-to-school event - Just before school started back up in August, my mom and sister joined me, along with some youth from our church, for this event for kids and their parents. We had games, crafts, a Bible story, and passed out backpacks with school supplies to refugee children at their apartment complex.
2) ESL classes - Last spring, I spent one day a week at For the Nations, but this year I'm thankful that my schedule allows me to be there for all four afternoons each week of English classes so I can assist Htwa Meh (my deaf friend whom I wrote about in a
previous post) and others more consistently. In addition to serving as the TA for Level 2, I've also enjoyed getting teaching experience with a variety of levels as a substitute teacher for other classes.
3) Kids Club - Kids Club continues to be my favorite weekly activity! On Tuesday evenings at an apartment complex with refugees mostly from Burma, I get to supervise the cute little kindergarteners and first-graders as they work on their spelling lists, math, and reading. All the kids, including the older ones, really get excited about the Bible story time. I remember one time when the Bible teacher said something about all of us needing Jesus to take care of our sin problem, one little girl exclaimed, "Yeah! We don't just want Jesus, we really REALLY need Him, a LOT!" Praise God for these young ones voicing the truth. :)
Our
Thursday evening Kids Club has grown to almost twice as many kids as last year, which is exciting! And it's been so fun to have two former refugee Kids-Clubbers, who are now believers full of joy and energy, come back as volunteer tutors to invest in the children! Thank God for these dear young ladies. Please continue to pray for many of the kids to understand that Jesus isn't just for America, or for cultural Christians, but also for all the tribes and cultures of Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ethiopia, and Congo (I'm sure I've forgotten someone's country haha! But you get the point. :)
4) The Legacy Project - We have grown so much that the church buildings we rent as classrooms are simply not big enough to accommodate the number of refugees that want to enroll in English & citizenship classes. While it is exciting to see God bringing so many to a place where they will encounter the Gospel, I wish we didn't have to turn people away. But Lord willing, in about a year For the Nations will have completed construction on a refugee community center, which will give us a physical presence in the community and allow for twice the number of refugees we currently serve. I'll include some photos of the recent Groundbreaking ceremony in another post. For more info about the Legacy Project, check out this
link.
Finally, one of the most exciting developments this fall (at least for me personally!), is that I have been asked to join For the Nations as a full-time staff member! Lord willing, I will begin as Assistant Director of Child & Youth Services this coming January. I really appreciate your prayers as I seek God's wisdom and raise a financial/prayer support team. But more about that in an upcoming post. ;)
Last Thursday while I was substitute teaching for the Level 3 English class, we talked about the story of the first Thanksgiving. They surprised me with their excellent comprehension, though I'm sure it resonated as many of them, like the Pilgrims, also fled religious (and ethnic) persecution in Burma and China. It occurred to me how appropriate it is to celebrate this holiday with people who are experiencing firsthand the blessings of God's protection and provision as they settle in this great nation. May America always be used of God as a land of safety, bounty, and opportunity for the oppressed.
