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Immigrant & Refugee Ministry
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The mission of the Immigrant and Refugee Ministry is to Develop Joyful Disciples, Grow in Christ, and Serve with Love through sponsorship of educational programs that give accurate historical and current information about immigration, occasions for advocacy, and opportunities for direct service to refugee families.
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circle of welcome updateOur ecumenical journey with First Lutheran Church of Richmond Beach and Richmond Beach Congregational Church continues, and our successes are rewarding. As our second Afghan family adjusts to our culture, each success adds to our understanding that God is working through us as well as through the families we are helping.
Since our last update, the oldest two children have graduated from high school, and now three family members are working, two full-time and one part-time.
The second oldest daughter, while still in high school, has learned to keep the family calendar and schedule all appointments. Father, while working full-time, is now driving the family to most of those appointments as well.
The younger children are all enrolled in the Edmonds School District—even the littlest ones, who attend the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), a state-funded, high-quality preschool program that serves qualifying 3- and 4-year-old children and their families. Here they are learning all they will need for a strong start in elementary school.
Assistance to our original two families is ongoing. They still require help with job search, tutoring, various required reviews, complex medical issues, and navigating various agencies. Additionally, we are assisting five families who are related to our second Afghan family and our Dari/Pashto interpreter. Thus, we now minister to over 50 Afghans.
To get a sense of what it takes to resettle a refugee family, see our “Milestones” below. Your prayers for our effort are greatly appreciated. If you feel called to participate in our ministry, please contact Julene Newland-Pyfer at (206) 949-1126.Circle of Welcome - One Family's Milestones
Our second family, part of the emergency evacuation from Afghanistan in August 2021, spent a few months on a military base before arriving in Seattle weary, but grateful, on February 7, 2022. As we are all aware, affordable housing for a family of ten is not easy to find in our area. After five weeks in two Air B&Bs, two months in the home of a generous St. Luke family, and six months in a transitional apartment in Mill Creek, the family was finally settled in their permanent apartment in Lynnwood the day before Thanksgiving. Much to be thankful for there!
Despite the frequent moves, our volunteers kept the wheels moving. Here are some highlights of the family’s journey:
Our Shopping Team managed to outfit the apartment with in-kind donations of furniture and supplies, using financial donations to fill in whatever was missing. This included seasonal clothing for a family who arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs. Many thanks to St. Luke’s St. Vincent de Paul ministry for donating beds.
Volunteers assisted the family through the costly and complex process of obtaining their green cards. A kind family from First Lutheran donated a car, and one of our parishioners prepared father and eldest son for their driver’s tests. Meanwhile our Budget and Banking Team helped the family to allocate their resources and ensured that they understand U.S. banking systems. A move like this requires countless conversations with various government agencies, and for that we thank our Social Services Team.
Our On-Call Driving Team and our Team Nurses began by accompanying all family members to health screenings, medical and dental appointments, and counseling sessions for depression and PTSD, but most driving is now being done by licensed family members.
Our Job Search Team has helped multiple family members achieve employment by helping them with paperwork, transportation, and interviews.
Our Education and Tutoring Team has been the backbone of the children’s success, devoting many hours to this important effort.
We thank our many volunteers for their dedication to each of the families we assist. The challenges facing immigrants and refugees are enormous, and our volunteers’ many skills and kindnesses bring great reassurance to those who need it most. -
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lease signing
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fun friday!
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afghan feast
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learning to sew
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at the beach
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ferry ride
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birthday celebrations
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teenage girls at the zoo
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Baking lesson at Susan Simpson’s house
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Baking lesson at Susan Simpson’s house
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Immigrant and Refugee Ministry Background History
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Immigrant and Refugee Ministry Background History
During 2019-2020 the focus of the I & R Ministry was to provide direct service by responding to Pope Francis’ call to Share the Journey with refugees and to walk with them in solidarity and love. To accomplish this goal, St. Luke Parish and First Lutheran Church of Richmond Beach became partners in Circle of Welcome: Sharing the Journey with a Refugee Family in which the churches jointly sponsored a refugee family for a period of one year. The leadership team chose the Lutheran Community Services Immigrant Resettlement agency’s Circle of Welcome program, which offers excellent organization, support, and assistance to resettlement teams.
Circle of Welcome: Sharing the Journey with a Refugee Family
In April 2019, I & R Ministry members began working to recruit volunteers and to put into place the framework needed to help successfully sponsor a family. Over 70 dedicated volunteers have served/continue to serve on one or more of the following Teams: Furniture Procurement and Household Supply Kit Procurement Teams which fully furnished and supplied the family’s apartment; Household Set Up Team which set up a warm and welcoming home for the family; Budget and Finance Support Team helped the family establish a budget, set up a bank account, and navigate financial expectations; Language Support Team assists with learning English and provided informal conversation groups; Cultural Enrichment Team assisted the family in getting to know the Puget Sound region and becoming familiar with US culture; Meal Support Team stocked the home with culturally appropriate foods and prepared a welcome dinner when the family arrived; Transportation and Support Team drove our refugee family to appointments, grocery stores, job interviews, and more, and continues to fill in as needed. A Team of General Volunteers, a Medical Advisor, and two Immediate Response Contacts are also in place.
The Long Welcome
The “Long Welcome,” which provides a year of sponsorship instead of the usual 90 days, greatly increases a refugee family’s success in adjustment to United States culture. Knowing this, the Circle of Welcome Team of St. Luke and First Lutheran committed to providing our assigned refugee family with emotional and concrete support throughout the year of accompaniment to help them achieve self-sufficiency, confidence, and comfort as new residents of the Pacific Northwest while maintaining their original culture and identity. They have much to learn. We are ready to help them.
We ask for prayers through the intercession of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the Patroness of Migrants and one-time resident of Seattle, for the safety and health of our refugee family, for their ease in making a new life in the Seattle area, and for the dedicated members of our Circle of Welcome Team. May we Share the Journey together in friendship, love, respect, and compassion.
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Contact Us
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Julene Newland-Pyferjeepmomaol.comI & R Ministry Chair
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Join the I & R Flocknote
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