Sala

It is always so exciting to see progress in one of our clients/friends. They become family to us. This story that I am going to share with you is about Sala.

When Sala was hired for her new job, she first had to give two weeks notice to her current job. If she didn't pass the test than she was without a job. The pressure was on. Sala was sent home with a booklet to study and that was about it. She had to study all about security for the airport to become an employer for housekeeping.

You can't imagine all that she needed to learn. The hardest thing for Sala was not only learning about the new English words but to say them, understand their meaning and the consequences of someone breaching the security of the airport security. Sala and I studied hard for two weeks. We even did a field trip out to the airport so that she could visually understand what she was studying. We made note cards, practiced over and over again. Her whole family got involved with helping her to study as they began to understand a new way of what it meant to study. New words of security, restricted, sensitive, identification, administration: these were big words for a person to comprehend, to say with confidence and understanding.

When the big day came for Sala came to take the test she missed the test by one point. She was devastated! The next day, one of our board members and her befriender cleared his schedule ~ Pastor Monte Slaver and took her back out to the airport and again Sala missed the test by one point! Monte went over with Sala the importance of understanding the English language and how sometimes in a True and False statement some things are true and some things are false and you have to decide what parts are true and what parts are false. Sala knew the material but she was getting confused with the T/F questions, with this new information on how to understand the English language and how to decipher the question Sala was ready to go back on her own and tackle the test one more time.

This time she got all the questions correct!! That is why befrienders are so important to the refugee! To help guide, assist, advocate, encourage, pray and be there to help them along the way. Someone just to say "You will make it"!!

So many times Sala would say, "I just don't know if I can do it" and then we would stop right then and pray and ask the Lord to help her understand the material. The Lord is so good for providing for her and for friends like Monte! We are so thankful for her new job and that Sala has progressed in working so hard in learning more English! Way to go Sala! Thank you to her family for encouraging her in the process! We are extremely grateful for her new job!

New Tutoring

On Wednesday of the week, Feb 17, Dallas Christian School volunteer students began tututoring the middle school refugee children at Shiloh. I love when our American students reach out and give beyond themselves to those that have not been blessed with the everyday things that our students just have and "get!" This teaches "our" students to look beyond themselves from an early age to build better communities right around them, and that it doesn't take very much effort on their part but to give back to different communities and how blessed we are in America. I also love this program because it teaches reconciliation between these communities, building better relationships, helping the volunteers learn to teach and the refugee children to learn to ask for help. Whether it be trying to understand English at a different level, science or math skills, the Dallas Christian School students find that they are capable of teaching their new found refugee friends wherever the road may lead. Bridges are built, relationships are formed and better families and communities are formed all around. The students are able to go home and share about who is a refugee and how they are our very own backyard neighbors and these students are able to assist them. The refugee students are open to learning because they want to be better students and make progress at school and help their families become sustainable here in America.

Thank you Dallas Christian School for being willing to partner with RRI on a once per week basis! These students lives and futures will certainly be blessed!!!

The Olympics

Well, I will share something that not too many people know..I used to be a pretty good athlete. I dove springboard and platform and was qualified for the 1980 Olympic trials. I had to quit diving because of an injury. Why I am sharing this is because..

What are we all watching right now? The 2010 Edmonton Winter Olympic Games! Our hearts start singing and we want our favorite athlete to win! What I want to present to you is that each of us in our own hearts is special and a great winner!

WE just have to keep challenging each other and encouraging each other!

I must share with you, that some of the stories and tragedies that these families have come through that I work with truly humble me..my life has been so blessed!

I have not had to flee my home country due to persecution, or fearing my life, or losing loved ones along the way..

I think we see heroes all around us everyday! Sometimes we just want to see the obvious and I do applaud all the hard years of work and dedication of the Olympic athlete! I have dear friends that have made the Olympics!!!

I was one of those that fought, lived for the dream and to make the Olympics is truly the Ultimate!

Yet, we have everyday people all around us..fighting to just make it one day at a time and we at Refugee Resources, Inc. walk with them to adjust to their new life here in America..and this counts too.

So each one has a perspective and they each count. So just a few words for both sides of the coin..

I love them both!!

Yes, The Olympics are Glorious!

and I love my work with Refugee Resources, Inc.

Each has a perspective, each one takes so much work, agony, adjustment, determination

and struggle..but in the end..the prize for all is great joy!

Visiting Families at Vickery Creek

Today I went with my friend Samer to visit some of the families at the Vickery Creek Apartments. I always love to see the various families and to catch up with them. I was introducing them to my friend Samer. Samer will be bringing a youth group from Community Creek in Allen in two weeks to clean the apartments, building relationships with the families and then playing with the kids! Yes, these kids love to play!! It was especially delightful today as one of our girls since moving from Shiloh had really moved into a shell and was not speaking at school. I had received a message asking if she could talk! Of course she can talk I shared! But the trauma of moving had set her back.. Today, as I went to see her..the counselors had been working with this precious one and out came the words and she said hi and goodbye! Yeah for progress! Yeah for teamwork!

It's Snowing Here in Dallas

February 12. 2010
It is snowing here in Dallas with over 5" of snow. The schools are closed and of course the kids are thrilled! I am most thankful to all of our partners that donated coats and shoes this past Christmas and fall to our refugee families! Otherwise these dear ones would have nothing to keep them warm! So I am going to take a moment to list them all here because without our partners we would be nothing!~

Irving Bible Youth Group: High School and Middle School
Irving Bible Christmas Angel Tree
Forest Villa Elementary School Fourth Grade Classes - Flower Mound
Bent Tree Bible High School Ministry
Fine Arts Day Camp, Bent Tree Bible Church
Norma Lentz - ongoing ministry

The children are warm, they are playing in the snow and we are thankful for our many friends! Snow in TEXAS!! What fun!!!

Catching Up

So much has happened since I last blogged! Summer Camp at Hidden Acres! Thanksgiving! Christmas! Christmas Conference with the Crusade Students! We have amazing friends all around! We couldn't make it as a non profit with out all of our volunteers and friends!

So since I can't write it all in one night I will begin a little at a time. The blessings of so many friends spill over and over so I am going to work on trying to remember because each one is so important. First it began with the Children's Ministry at Bent Tree Bible Church and their Hope Project. The children began saving their quarters by doing odd jobs around the house and earning quarters to help send the refugee children to camp at Hidden Acres. These children love to attend camp so much, that is the refugee children they talk about and truly look forward to all year long! The children at Bent Tree Bible Church saved enough quarters, $2000 worth that went towards scholarships for these children to attend summer camp! You can look for the links at www.refugeeresources.org www.hiddenacres.org or Yeah for kids all around!!!