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The Hands and Feet of Christ: Venezuelans Find Hope in Colombia

aheckman — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 05:08:01 +0000

The Hands and Feet of Christ: Venezuelans Find Hope in Colombia aheckman Fri, 09/01/2023 - 05:08

The Hands and Feet of Christ: Venezuelans Find Hope in Colombia

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023 – SANDRA MILENA PEÑA, NCM COLOMBIA

There are many Venezuelan families arriving week after week to Colombia in search of refuge, help, and the hope of starting a new life. Many flee from the violent situations and inequality at home, but above all, they flee from hunger. If they have the financial means, families arrive by bus. But those who have enough are few. In reality, the majority come by foot—with a backpack, their newborn babies, wives, husbands, uncles, grandparents, and anyone who can get out. They carry only what they need to survive, hoping to find help along the way. Tulio, who left Venezuela with his family, shared that it was not an easy decision to leave home.

“We left everything in Caracas, in Maracaibo, in Valencia,” he says. “Many of us leave even our souls: wives, husbands, children, parents, siblings, friends, our homes. The homeland.” The journey begins at the Simón Bolívar International Bridge, the most symbolic border point between Colombia and Venezuela. According to figures from Colombia Migration, some 70,000 Venezuelans cross the bridge on foot each day. Of these, five percent do not return to their country. After the bridge comes three days of walking before reaching the Picacho—part of a paramo, or an alpine ecosystem above the tree line, that spans more than 550 square miles. This is the place most feared by Venezuelan migrants, who come from coastal regions and do not know this beautiful and dramatic landscape. On the paramo, they suffer intense cold and very strong winds.

Across Colombia, Nazarene churches are responding to those who have made the journey. From providing support in hospitals to partnering with organizations who provide immigration aid, they are working together with those who have come in the name of Christ.

A significant percentage of the Venezuelan population works in the informal sector where they face unsafe conditions and have little protection. The pandemic further complicated the situation, restricting work possibilities, which increased the needs considerably. All these facts led us to question the church’s role while facing such a complex time and so much need. The Hechos 29 (Acts 29) Nazarene church took action thanks to a statement on Facebook and the diligence of the pastor regarding a great need of the Venezuelan migrant population in the village of Fagua. In this small village alone, there are more than 50 families in a state of vulnerability and extreme poverty. After understanding the needs, members of the church contributed to the purchase of items such as diapers, clothes, shoes, blankets, and more. The church was able to deliver items required to meet the basic needs of those who were living there, bringing a moment of hope in the midst of the pandemic. When the church visited the community again, the group gathered details about those who were living there, returning regularly and establishing further connections as well as sharing the Word of God.

When people move away from their countries, needs arise that make their stay a little more complex. Many of the Venezuelans who arrive in our area do not have documents, nor legal permits, which are important to be able to access a formal job, health services, and schools for children, among other things. And we as a church wondered: How can the church help at this point? We understood that we were not going to make it on our own, that we needed help to further reach the population, and that together we could create a solution to the bigger problem rather than just supplying primary needs.

Partnership was key. While NCM provided experience, training, and support, many other organizations were also engaged in the work. So, the local Nazarene church took action to contact local mayors in the area, governmental organizations, and foundations. These organizations have been the essential units in finding the solution to this situation thanks to their management and availability. They have been great allies and help for the immigrant population. As a result of this support, more than 200 families have been legalized. Now, they have the necessary documents and permits to work, with access to school for their children, access to free health care, programs for pregnant mothers, and government aid programs for mothers who are heads of households. Many have decided to stay in Colombia; others have decided to return to their country. As they go, they take with them spiritual tools to continue the journey with Christ.

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From the Magazine

A Ministry of Presence at the Border

aheckman — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:57:10 +0000

A Ministry of Presence at the Border aheckman Wed, 03/08/2023 - 15:57

A Ministry of Presence at the Border

MARCH 8, 2023 · BY NMI STAFF

In Przemyśl, Poland, the global Church of the Nazarene has been responding since the onset of war in Ukraine.

When the war broke out, the first Nazarene responder at the Polish-Ukrainian border was a Syrian pastor, seeking ways to serve. Soon after, a team formed, putting out the call for volunteers to come and physically provide resources to the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their homes.

In Arizona, USA, Ukrainian Ira Petersen immediately knew that she needed to go.

“The help ‘path’ was kind of obvious,” Ira says. “Get as close as possible to Ukraine and Ukrainians. I couldn’t just sit and watch from the distance when I could actually do something.” Through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries’ presence at the border train station in Przemyśl, Poland, Ira says, “God showed the direction and opened the door.”

Since then, a steady stream of Nazarenes from Ireland, France, Bulgaria, England, the United States, South Africa, and beyond have flowed from their homes toward the tiny train station flooded with people in crisis. Students, families, professors, nurses, farmers, and pastors have all found a place to serve those fleeing the danger of war. Some haul suitcases up and down hundreds of flights of stairs, providing a moment of relief from a heavy burden. Some brew pot after pot of steaming tea, offering warmth within bitterly cold outdoor lines to passport control. Some sit and color with the littlest travelers, giving weary moms the chance to recharge a phone or repack a bag or simply rest in a chair.

Whatever their role, these Nazarene believers are answering the call to provide the ministry of presence in a moment of pain.

“This group of people had their safety and humanity taken from them,” says Caleb Sandlin, who lives in Missouri, USA. “I chose to volunteer on the border because I believe that’s what Christ would have done. I chose to volunteer on the border because I am a servant of Christ, and I refuse to not share the love of Christ with those in need.”

Matteo Ricciardi, of Italy, knew the call for volunteers was meant for his own ears. “I was moved by God to help,” Matteo says. “When we pray that God gives us ways to serve him and opportunities like these come to our attention, the response can only be to commit one’s strength, invest one’s time, and share grace.”

“Here at the border,” Ira says, smiling, “We have people that speak English with many accents, Ukrainian, Russian, and a lot of different languages. But,” she continues, “the language of love, language of care—anybody who cares and loves, they know that language and they could show it, they could share it.”

Shared from NMI Central. Subscribe to this weekly update here.

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Worship on the Move

aheckman — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 17:25:42 +0000

Worship on the Move aheckman Thu, 08/25/2022 - 17:25

Worship on the Move

AUGUST 25, 2022 · CHET BUSH

Though the biblical narrative often depicts the community of God as a people on the move, believers living within the reality of displacement face challenges as worshipers when forced to leave their homes and communities. For the District Superintendent of Ukraine, Volodymyr Masyuk, and his partner in life and ministry, Sylvia Cortez Masyuk, displacement in the midst of war presents obstacles for gathering with the community of faith and brings them to contemplate the hope of Christian worship: Resurrection.

In the early days of the conflict, displaced church members connected with one another through video calls from bomb shelters. “We collectively had this sense that we have to gather and pray together,” says Sylvia. They met daily until the moment when a significant number of members were forced to evacuate the city. Distance from their home, their country, and their church evoked feelings of exile. “This war threatens to separate us,” says Sylvia. “We believe that worship is a time to collectively seek the Lord and to be re-membered to God and to one another.”

“Worship—in terms of gathering regularly, singing, listening to a sermon—all of that has changed and in many ways isn’t happening [the way it once did],” says Volodymyr. “But the ways we are learning to connect and give and receive from one another is really a beautiful thing and a new way of being re-membered to one another that will forever change us.”

For Easter, the ministry couple returned to Kyiv where they met with Ukrainian believers for a sunrise service in a public park. The annual gathering marked a thirty-year tradition. This year, however, the couple noted how differently they experienced the service. Venturing into public space before daylight a mere hour after the lifting of the morning curfew felt like a courageous, if not defiant, act of faith in the face of imperialism. This year, the Ukrainian Superintendent preached resurrection from Luke 24, noting more poignantly than ever that the risen Christ bore the wounds of violence when he presented himself to the disciples.

A compelling reminder of the audacity Christian hope holds for the church came for Volodymyr in a news story featuring Ukrainian farmers who persisted in sowing seed in their fields during a season of war. They may not have a home to return to, he recounts, but they sow believing that the future holds promise for new creation. “It moved me to tears,” says Volodymyr as he confirms a central tenet of the gospel: “Death and destruction and war are not the end.”

“In many ways, …Christ is still revealing himself to us, especially so now,” affirms the couple. “Our prayer is that we will recognize him in the weight of this darkness, and find hope in the resurrected, wounded Christ.”

The United Nations Refugee Agency estimates that the number of forcibly displaced people around the world exceeds 84 million. To learn more about ways Nazarenes are responding to the crisis of displacement, visit ncm.org/refugeeimmigrantsupport. To learn more about compassionate ministry in response to the crisis in eastern Europe, visit ncm.org/Ukraine-Crisis.

This article originally printed in Holiness Today, and is shared with permission.

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The Christmas Project: Shahpur's Story

aheckman — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 21:06:26 +0000

The Christmas Project: Shahpur's Story aheckman Thu, 12/16/2021 - 21:06

The Christmas Project: Shahpur's Story

DECEMBER 16, 2021 · NCM STAFF

Today, read about a boy and his father who connected with caring Nazarene volunteers while living in a refugee camp in Serbia. The Courage for the Journey project cares for adults and children living as refugees across several European countries.

All over the world, children are caught in economic crises, famines, conflict, and more. More than 80 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes as a result of persecution, conflict, and violence. Of those who are displaced, more than a third are children.

This year’s Christmas Project will provide spiritual, educational, physical, and emotional care to children who are caught up in crises in Bangladesh, Venezuela, Jordan, Lebanon, and across Europe.

~~~

Shahpur*, 8, has lived in refugee camps for most of his life. Forced to leave their home in Afghanistan six years ago, Shahpur and his father, mother, and older brother began their journey through multiple countries to seek asylum in a safe place. The family has walked for much of their journey from Afghanistan to Greece, stopping along the way for Shahpur’s father, Mansor*, to work temporary jobs.

After living in a refugee camp in Greece for about a year, Shahpur’s mother and older brother travelled ahead to Germany. There, Shahpur’s mother acquired a five-year visa and is working to establish a home for the family.

Shortly after his mother and brother left for Germany, Shahpur was struck by a motorcycle. Mansor rushed Shahpur to the nearest hospital, but was refused treatment due to Mansor’s status as a refugee and lack of insurance. When a different hospital agreed to treat Shahpur, he remained there fifty days while healing from his injuries.

Once Shahpur became strong, he and his father resumed their journey. They crossed through North Macedonia and stopped at a refugee camp in Serbia. There they met a group of Nazarenes who minister to children living as refugees by offering tutoring services, teaching them to play musical instruments, and providing essential items such as food and clothing. The group also shares the gospel.

Moved by the message of Jesus, Shahpur’s father, Mansor, accepted Christ into his life and was baptized by ministers at the refugee camp. Soon after, Mansor and Shahpur moved within the camp to live in the building where the center operates. Now, they live right next door to the room where the group worships and holds bible studies, often lending a hand to prepare the space for services.

Life has not been easy for Shahpur since his father became a Christian. Some men from the refugee camp became angry with Mansor for his conversion and attacked him while he and Shahpur were in the city. Shahpur watched helplessly as men pulled his father off the city bus, beat him, and stole his wallet containing money and his asylum-seeker identification card. The attack, knowledge of the political climate in their home country, and the separation of the family have distressed Shahpur and Mansor.

Shahpur and Mansor have lived in Serbia for about a year, now. Nazarenes serving at the refugee camp hope to see the two reunite with Shahpur’s mother and brother in Germany, but with the absence of a passport, travel has become more difficult.

Like many children, Shahpur loves to play games on his dad’s phone and drink sodas. Much of his childhood, however, has been unsettled by transition and crisis. Connecting with the ministry center at the refugee camp in Serbia has offered Shahpur and Mansor a sense of community and hope.

*Names are changed for protection.

Learn more about and give to support the Christmas Project here.

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So You Want To Know About Global Migration: Part Three

aheckman — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 15:15:31 +0000

So You Want To Know About Global Migration: Part Three aheckman Wed, 11/10/2021 - 15:15

So You Want To Know About Global Migration: Part Three

Missed the first two parts of this series? Read it now here and here.

How can people of faith show compassion to refugees and immigrants?

In Poland, a group of Nazarene volunteers are answering this very question. The refugee-response team has made a practice of visiting two of the ten reception centers housing asylum seekers in Poland. The group regularly visits centers near Warsaw and the border with Belarus. During their visits, the team provides encouragement to the residents, builds relationship, and distributes food and supplies. Asylum seekers in these centers come from places like Iraq, the Chechen Republic, and various African nations. More recently, evacuees from Afghanistan have arrived to the centers.

Polish refugee reception center

“Why do you help us? We are Muslim and you are Christian,” asked one asylum seeker. Majid*, a man from Iraq, fled his homeland to seek safety in Europe. His question opened the door for volunteers to explain what motivates them. “Jesus loves us and we love people,” they replied. “No matter who they are.” Over time, Majid came to trust the volunteers and even attended some church services with them. The entire team mourned when he passed away unexpectedly soon after, a reminder of how precious these relationships are to the volunteers.

At the end of August, the team distributed backpacks and school supplies to 16 children in the center near Warsaw. When evacuees from Afghanistan arrived to the centers in recent weeks, the team was grateful to find a translator who could communicate with the evacuees while they distributed much-needed food. One volunteer described their message: “Through [the] translator, we were able to tell them that it is God's love to them and we are praying for them,” she shared.

Volunteers distributing school supplies

According to the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, the reception sites in Poland are located in difficult-to-access areas, often requiring long walks for those living there to reach public transportation or available jobs. Their remote locations combined with restrictions on the numbers of allowed outside visitors can make integration into a new culture more difficult for reception center residents. By regularly visiting the centers with aid and offering friendship, this group of Nazarene volunteers is closing the gap between people who come from very different backgrounds.

Residents at the reception center

RESOURCES FOR CHURCHES

With hundreds of millions of people around the world who have left their countries to establish new homes in new cultures, the opportunity is great for churches to extend welcome and support in Jesus’ name.

In the United States, advocacy groups like We Welcome have sprung up to encourage Christians to live out scripture’s call to care for outsiders and “the stranger” (Matthew 25:31-45).
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has prepared a document to help guide faith communities as they respond to the immigrants in their local area. This document provides practical ideas for responses and guiding principles for churches to consider as they choose to engage. This resource and others can be found on our website.
Authors Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang from World Relief, a Christian refugee resettlement agency, have authored a book for Christians looking to learn more about immigration from a biblical perspective. “Welcoming the Stranger” can also be used as a group study.
The Evangelical Immigration Table provides discipleship resources for churches on the topic of immigration and advocates for just immigration policies consistent with biblical values.
The United States is in the process of welcoming thousands of evacuees from Afghanistan, and this recent blog from Nazarene Compassionate Ministries provides ideas for how churches can work to meet the needs of evacuees and resettlement organizations.

SHARE YOUR STORY

Is your church standing with refugees, migrants, or other types of immigrants in your community? We’d love to hear how you are extending welcome and hospitality to your new neighbors. Drop us a note to share your story.

*Name is changed for protection.

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Prayers for World Refugee Day

Grace Tia — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:09:32 +0000

Prayers for World Refugee Day Grace Tia Fri, 06/19/2020 - 10:09

Prayers for World Refugee Day

Every minute, 20 people leave their homes to escape war, persecution, extreme poverty, or terror. There are currently 70.8 million displaced people around the world, and 10 million of these fled in the last year alone. Those who flee often end up living in poverty, with insufficient food, clothing, and shelter. On top of physical needs, they are also coping with grief and trauma.

As the church, we are called to care for the vulnerable and welcome the “stranger” (Matthew 25:35-40).

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries partners with local churches around the world to support refugees and immigrants through education for children, assistance for persecuted Christians, emergency relief for families in crisis, and support for families who have been resettled. In the United States, NCM also works with compassionate ministry centers that are providing legal assistance for people seeking a path to citizenship.

This Saturday, June 20, is World Refugee Day, a time to pray for those who are searching for a new, safe place to call home. Below are prayers you can use in your personal devotional time as you remember refugees, or share with your church family.

Learn more about the church’s response to the global refugee crisis here.

Prayers for Refugees

A Prayer from Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

Lord God, as you called your Son back home from his early childhood exile in Egypt, gather from the four corners of the world all refugees who long for a home. Grant peace to those who can return to the homes they left behind, that they might rebuild their lives. Grant courage to those who must move on to new homes, that they might re-root their lives. And grant hope to those who continue to wait without a home, that they might revive their lives. We pray this in the name of your son, our Hiding Place and our Deliverer. Amen.

A Prayer for the People of Syria from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops

Almighty eternal God, source of all compassion, the promise of your mercy and saving help fills our hearts with hope. Hear the cries of the people of Syria; bring healing to those suffering from the violence, and comfort to those mourning the dead. Empower and encourage Syria’s neighbors in their care and welcome for refugees. Convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms, and strengthen the resolve of those committed to peace.

O God of hope and Father of mercy, your Holy Spirit inspires us to look beyond ourselves and our own needs. Inspire leaders to choose peace over violence and to seek reconciliation with enemies. Inspire the Church around the world with compassion for the people of Syria, and fill us with hope for a future of peace built on justice for all.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace and Light of the World, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

A Prayer for Uprooted People from World Council of Churches,

“In Solidarity with Uprooted Peoples”

God of the widow and the stranger you are made known in our Savior Jesus Christ. Born as a migrant, exiled as a refugee, he knew the pain of homelessness but taught his friends the meaning and challenge of love. Lead us as we build communities rooted in hospitality and justice. Amen.

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Transformational Love for Syrian Children

Grace Tia — Tue, 12 May 2020 04:30:09 +0000

Transformational Love for Syrian Children Grace Tia Tue, 05/12/2020 - 04:30

Transformational Love for Syrian Children

Sahir*, 10, fled Syria with his two sisters and parents after enduring seemingly endless violence and attacks. Though they now live in relative safety in a neighboring country, the family struggles to make ends meet, and the young children were left traumatized by the violence and fear they’d experienced.

In the middle east, one Nazarene ministry helps Syrian refugee children who have missed months or years of schooling. Like Sahir, many of those children are also coping with trauma. The Nazarene Syrian Transitional Education Program, or STEP, helps fill in the gaps to bring children up to grade level, but they also provide emotional support to children who have experienced terrible things.

When they first arrived, Sahir was 5 years old and joined an official school as a kindergarten student. His progress was slow, though; his parents were unable to help him with his schoolwork, and he was not receiving enough individualized support. When his mother enrolled him in STEP’s morning program, Sahir began to thrive. After just three months of receiving educational support at STEP, Sahir’s mother noticed huge progress in his academics. He participates well in class and shows enthusiasm. He enjoys mathematics and he is learning English quickly. The program director says she expects that he will cover two grades’ worth of schooling in one year. Sahir attends STEP in the mornings and goes to the official school in the afternoons.

STEP helps children study English, Arabic, math, and science as well as providing school supplies, textbooks, and hot meals. The staff is also equipped to provide referrals to other organizations for specialized needs the children or their families might have, including trauma-related services. A child is able to graduate from the program when they have caught up to grade level and are able to pass the English entrance exam for public schools in their new home country. For these children, who have been exposed to conflict, poverty, and forced displacement, STEP provides a nurturing environment to learn and grow.

Most importantly, though, Sahir has been healing from the trauma and displacement he has experienced. He is happier and more confident now. Both of Sahir’s parents work hard to make ends meet and are eager to provide education to their children. His mother has also asked about enrolling her two daughters in STEP now. She would like them to experience the same kind of progress that Sahir has experienced.

Sahir’s mother shared with the program director that Sahir “wakes up very early in the morning, even before I wake up, and prepares himself to come to your educational program. He really enjoys it.”

*Name is changed for protection.

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The Labor of Reconciliation

Grace Tia — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 06:33:16 +0000

The Labor of Reconciliation Grace Tia Thu, 01/16/2020 - 06:33

The Labor of Reconciliation

In 1996, a 26-year-old man named Luc Ntahobari fled from his home country of Burundi. For three years, civil war had been raging across the country, pitting ethnic Hutus and Tutsis against each other. Set off by the first multi-party elections since independence, the war lasted 12 years. Children were widely recruited as soldiers, and it is estimated that over 300,000 people died. As Luc describes it: “It was terrible the killing that started. My prayer for myself was that I would be killed so that I would not have to kill someone.”

My prayer for myself was that I would be killed so that I would not have to kill someone.”

During his time in exile, Luc started attending a Church of the Nazarene. In it, he felt the call to pastor. He lived in Malawi and Tanzania and studied for ministry, teaching at a Nazarene secondary school and pastoring a small church. In 2005, the civil war came to a close, and the French Field leader in Africa proposed starting the Church of the Nazarene in Burundi. Luc was invited back to help start the church, and when Burundi was organized as a district a year later, Luc was asked to take the role.

In 2015, a contested presidential election again caused massive protests and civil unrest. In the end, 400 people were killed, and hundreds of thousands of people fled Burundi. Mistrust escalated among those who remained, raising fears of more ethnic violence.

This time, however, the Church of the Nazarene was ready to be a source of peace and reconciliation.

THE WITNESS OF THE CHURCH

When the Apostle Paul wrote his letters to the Corinthian church, he did so out of a holy concern for the wellbeing of the church members as well as for the purpose of encouraging them to address and heal divisions that were increasing in the congregation. The church was wrestling with a variety of divisive issues, and Paul wanted to nurture the idea that part of God’s work in the world is to be reconciled to God and to each other.

And so Paul wrote, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

While Paul and the Corinthian church were not dealing with the intensity and scale of the violence that Burundi has faced, it is clear the message is universal: we carry with us the ministry of reconciliation. If the witness of the church is to be a place where you can be reconciled with your enemies, how are we doing?

Does the world know that when we are in conflict, we can come to the church to be reconciled?

In Burundi, the Church of the Nazarene has taken this question seriously. Over the last year, the district has been running a peacebuilding project that encourages youth from different ethnic and political groups to engage with each other. These activities are meant both to nurture better relationships in the midst of great tension and to incubate small businesses.

The purpose of the project is not only to reconcile combating groups but also to create peace and stability through the economic development of the country and the employment of youth. The process of building peace can’t include improving relationships only; it must also include the flourishing of the population and a vision for a better future.

And so this is where the church in Burundi has focused its efforts.

YOUNG PEOPLE FORMING TRUST

Claude Nduwimana has been leading these efforts. Claude is a soft-spoken man with a kind smile, and he often takes long pauses as he considers a statement or question. It’s clear that his demeanor and personality have opened doors for this project. He has worked with villages all over the country to show that the Church of the Nazarene can contribute not only to the reduction of tension and violence between historic enemies but also to the economic development of the communities through the youth.

Over the last year, Claude and NCM Burundi ran programs that brought together youth, ages 14 to 35, to engage with issues of division and historical trauma while creating businesses that will benefit the community. The assumption is that if youth can start building trust among themselves, then the businesses they develop can last longer and will be accepted widely in the community.

Since the beginning of the project, hundreds of youth have participated in peacebuilding activities: drama programs, sports, cultural exchanges, and conversations designed to address historical grievances. Many of these have culminated in public events with thousands of community members in attendance who had the chance to see the youth commit to each other and a future of peace and prosperity.

These hundreds of youth then organized themselves into teams to create businesses they thought would be viable. This effort may seem like an obvious and inconsequential step, but for those in situations of conflict, the hope for a better and different future is neither easy nor small. It is a step of faith. It is an assertion that there is hope for a future different than our current reality. It is a belief that God is at work in the world and that He is making all things new. We are called to participate in that work, the work of “building peace,” or building shalom.

Taken from the latest issue of NCM Magazine. Read the rest of the article here.

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Stitch and Gather: Providing Community for Those Living as Refugees

Grace Tia — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 06:53:38 +0000

Stitch and Gather: Providing Community for Those Living as Refugees Grace Tia Thu, 01/09/2020 - 06:53

Stitch and Gather: Providing Community for Those Living as Refugees

On an early spring morning in Kent, Washington, a group of women are gathered around a tall cutting table, watching Sandy Appl demonstrate how to use a rotary cutter. The device, which looks a lot like a tiny pizza cutter, makes cutting strips of fabric as easy as drawing a line.

Photo: World Relief Seattle

The four tables spanning the room are brightly illuminated by a wall of windows, making it easy to see small stitches. On the side opposite the windows, ironing boards stand ready to use; above them are posters with helpful English words and phrases. When one of the instructors isn’t teaching, the room is filled with chatting and laughter. Each of the eight sewing stations has a machine, a nameplate, and a small plastic crate of supplies and half-finished projects. Over the course of six weeks, the women will make a pillowcase, an oven mitt, a baby quilt, a tote bag, and a zippered pouch.

The women are part of Sewing With Purpose, a ministry of Kent Hillside Church—an International Church of the Nazarene, in partnership with World Relief Seattle. They are also all refugees who are resettled in Washington. Three times a week, they come to the church for two-hour classes and complete projects of increasing difficulty at their individual sewing stations.

Photo: Callie Stevens

CREATING COMMUNITY

Mursal Alemi had been in the United States for a little less than a month when her caseworker at World Relief Seattle told her about the class. She was a young mother with toddler-age twins, and she and her husband came from Afghanistan without any other family. Being here on their own was extremely lonely, she says; for a while, she cried every day.

Mursal with a blanket she made in the class.
Photo: Callie Stevens

So when she learned about a place where she could practice English and build community, she joined the sewing class for the very first cohort. Alemi is still friends with the women she met there. They regularly have gatherings at each other’s houses.

“Not the first time I’m coming, but after that ... I’m friends with a lot of people,” Alemi says. “Now I’m friends with a lot of people in the class.”

Sewing With Purpose was started in 2017 after World Relief Seattle conducted a focus group with some of the Afghan families who were being settled in Kent, though not all of the women who attend are from Afghanistan. Many, including Alemi, come on a special immigrant visa, or SIV, usually awarded to families in which the men worked as translators or other specialists with theUnited States military. So while their husbands had the opportunity to learn English, many of the women haven’t even had the opportunity to learn to read and write in their own languages.

Like Alemi, the women end up being isolated at home, unable to speak the language in a new country or develop any sort of community. They craved community and the ability to learn English without worrying about mixed-gender classes, which would be viewed as culturally inappropriate.

Photo: World Relief Seattle

With roles at both entities, Tahmina Martelly helps bridge the gap between World Relief Seattle and Kent Hillside. Martelly herself was an asylum seeker; she came to the United States from Bangladesh. For years, she has worked with those living as refugees or asylum seekers and knew there are challenges unique to women. She started wondering what could be done to help women with stories like Alemi’s. Martelly called around, but no one was offering a sewing class—certainly, there were none nearby with an ESL component. “[We were] basically figuring out, ‘Well, how could we do this?’” Martelly says. “And of course, I knew I could leverage our church.”

TRANSFORMING THE CHURCH

Kent Hillside had the space that World Relief Seattle didn’t; there were several classrooms in the building that were mostly being used as storage. But they still didn’t have supplies for the classes. They needed sewing machines, a curriculum that taught sewing and English, cutting tables, volunteers, childcare—the list seemed nearly insurmountable. Then, as the idea for a class was forming, a woman approached Martelly to offer her 10 sewing machines she had stored away. The woman, Jeanine Boyle, was an instructor for Singer Sewing Machine Company, and she knew how to write sewing tutorials. The class was starting to seem possible, after all.

Boyle and Martelly developed a curriculum that incorporated outcomes for learning English. Then Appl, the current main instructor, helped modify it.

“We’ve tried to make it as complete as possible and build well from the beginning to the end,” she says. “What they make in six weeks with just three mornings is mind-boggling.”

A few of the men in the church built the cutting tables, reducing the cost to $150 each instead of $2,000. Volunteers came to clean out the classrooms, transforming them into craft space, childcare space, and the sewing room. What used to be storing old choir robes and decorations became a place of life and stories.

—

The first cohort of classes started in January 2017. Martelly says they are always tweaking things in their curriculum, trying to get better each time. Initially, the ESL component was a little bit hard to pull off in addition to the large amount of sewing in each session. No one was really trained, and there wasn’t a specific time set aside. Now, an AmeriCorps service member is usually connected with the class through World Relief Seattle. In each session, the volunteer leads the students in 20 to 30 minutes of directed ESL exercises.

—

The church also hosts another non-traditional ESL class: Four days a week, the church hosts a Family Literacy Class run through World Relief Seattle for mothers and their children, from infants to 5 years old. The mothers and children engage in age-appropriate English classes before coming together to practice and learn activities that can be replicated at home. Women have the opportunity, then, to learn both English and ways to engage with their children. “So then they really learn together,” Martelly explains.

Photo: World Relief Seattle

Taken from the latest issue of NCM Magazine. Click here to read the article in its entirety.

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