I’m not sure if you know this, but if you don’t… City of Refuge is a local non-profit that works with people from all over the world. People from all over the world that now live in mid-Missouri. 40 countries. At least 23 different languages. And it is beautiful.
And while the future feels foggy – scary to some, hopeful to others – I can assure you, readers, that City of Refuge’s mission will be unchanging. Despite the unclear landscape of what will be, our commitment to serve and empower refugees will remain (if you missed the newsletter on who we serve, you can find it here). We strive to do this through care, education, and development – all within the context of deep and meaningful relationships. It’s our very heartbeat.
A few years ago, a friend reminded me of the game “Link Tag”- we used to play it at camp all of the time. One person is “it” and the rest of the kids try to run away. If you get tagged, instead of freezing, you link arms with the “it” person. Together, you work to tag more kids – linking arms with every conquest, becoming a longer and longer chain. Eventually, twenty kids are running around linked at the elbow, chasing one or two kids.
I loved the symbolism of the game, even if it was hard for me as an individual to accept. I couldn’t run as fast when I was linked to someone else. I couldn’t go my way. Instead, we had to work together to accomplish the goal; we had to work together to win. We went slower. We stumbled. Sometimes we even fell. But we were always together, picking each other back up again.
In most ways, I think we’re better together.
I like to imagine a world where I’m linked to my friend Daniel, from Burma… and he’s linked to Noe, from Democratic Republic of the Congo… and he’s linked to Star, from Afghanistan… and she’s linked to Candace, from St. Louis… and she’s linked to Sandy, from South Africa… and she’s linked to Mandana, from Iran… and she’s linked to the neighbor who donated items to help the Afghan family get settled in. The links make us strong, better, able to do more for others than we could ever do on our own.
We’re linked together by our sheer existence; by our humanity.
And when we realize the ripple effects we can have on our fellow brothers and sisters, big things begin to happen. Taking your friend dinner when they lost their grandma isn’t just taking your friend dinner anymore. Taking your friend dinner sparks something deep within your friend and now she’s taking dinner to others who are going through hard things… and now they’re taking their friends dinner.
Because we’re better together.
Yes, we may be faster on our own but being alone in our victory isn’t actually all that satisfying. Being linked forces us to slow down, look around, and hold on tight to those around us – ensuring that when one of us gets up, we all get up…together.
2025 is around the corner, and we’re going to need you, Columbia, to link arms with us. Maybe more than ever before. We’re going to need more money, more volunteers, more bridges to resources in our community for our refugee friends.
Will you do a few things for us in the coming weeks?
- Make a financial gift. Anything counts. Giving Tuesday is right around the corner on December 3. Our annual year-end campaign through CoMoGives launches on December 1. We’re looking to double our total amount raised.
- Come see us. At our Holiday Market on December 7 or anytime at City Boutique (or City Cuisine – follow our pop up events on our Facebook Page).
- Tell a friend. We need more people to link arms with us. We need more people like you supporting our cause, investing in our mission.
- Volunteer to Serve. We need more friends… more friends to help our new friends, our new neighbors. We have everything from one-time volunteer opportunities, to weekly commitments, to sporadic ways to invest throughout the year. With relationships at our core, we need more folks who are ready to link arms and catch those who may be in need of a helping hand.
Better together.
Truly.
Despite our differences, despite our similarities. When we come together, united in the way that we live and love…? We can do anything.
Debbie Beal
Executive Director
We’re Hiring!
We are looking for a detail-oriented, relational, and enthusiastic Part-Time Administrative Assistant to support our volunteer programs! If you’re passionate about organization, communication, and making a difference, this could be the perfect role for you. Click below to learn more.
Join in the holiday spirit by volunteering at our Holiday Market on Saturday, December 7th! We are looking for assistance with event prep, set up, supporting vendors and kids’ activities. Click the link below to learn more about the event and to volunteer.