Our time in Minnesota has been all about supporting those who do this work here at home, where our international office is headquartered. It’s our time to be Changemakers in our own backyards.
The Refugee Team at Macalester Plymouth United Church are doing the doable every single day. Not only has this group and their church supported ARC for over 10 years, they sponsor a newly arrived refugee family, too. Since the family’s very first day in town, they’ve dedicated countless hours to making sure they feel at home, that they get what they need to build a future in Minnesota.
So for day 59, we decided to help them spread the love a little further – by giving the volunteer group $500 worth of support to help the new arrivals get back on their feet again.
Chantal, Semucyo and their five children are originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They spent many years living in a refugee camp in Rwanda, so transitioning to life in Minnesota has had its challenges. But the Refugee Team at Plymouth United has done everything they can to make that transition a little easier. From gathering to meet the family upon their arrival at the airport, to furnishing their new apartment, to welcoming them into their church community, Chantal and Semucyo had dozens of caring and supportive friends as soon as their plane touched ground.
“We are here to guide and support them,” said Don Christensen, one of the co-leaders of the group.
This past Sunday, ARC team member Leah Jaslow met the whole volunteer team at their weekly meeting. They had a lot of ideas for how to use the $500 gift! They may buy new clothes for one of the kids – Eric – who has outgrown the items he already has, and save the rest for when the other kids need something. Or, they may use the support to help the family in their upcoming move to a new apartment. Another option is to invest in job training or online English learning programs.
We believe in being a platform for the goodwill of everyday people. And we’ve found no better example of that than the Refugee Team at Plymouth United, whose boundless empathy has made such an impact on their new neighbors. We’re only helping them make that impact just a little bigger.
