Mugisha’s Day

November 21 is a holiday for my family. It is the day Mugisha arrived in the United States. I wrote about how this came to be and his early days in this country here and here.

It was amazing to hear from all of the people who read those newsletters. I expected the people I knew from City of Refuge to read them, but to my surprise, I heard from people I barely knew. My wife had co-workers, and my kids had teachers, who read the newsletters and wanted to talk to us about them. It seemed all of Columbia was interested. So I thought it would be nice, with his permission, to share Mugisha’s one-year update.

It’s hard not to just make this a list of some of Mugisha’s accomplishments, which are astonishing. And I will start with that, but a list cannot capture what this past year has meant for him, for my family, and for the communities he has already positively impacted here in Columbia.

When that last newsletter came out, Mugisha was in the first few weeks of his CNA training and was also taking coursework to start the path toward being a nurse. He has since finished his CNA training and gotten his state license. He got a full-time job, then a raise, and now helps teach trainees the skills he has learned. He was also admitted to an LPN program and is nearing halfway through it with excellent grades. 

Mugisha got his driver’s license and a car. He learned about insurance, banking, and property taxes, along with so many other facets of how to manage life here. 

There has been fun too:

We went to a baseball game in St Louis, visited the botanical gardens and explored the zoo. 

We’ve visited parks and celebrated birthday parties, and discovered the pumpkin spice latte.

He became a youth leader at his church and in the Congolese community here in Columbia. 

With his growing expertise in living here, he has been able to help his neighbors as they navigate life in a new culture, and he has inspired others to consider careers in healthcare. It’s true that he has had a lot of help from City of Refuge, his uncle, and my family, but he also has worked tirelessly, brilliantly, with optimism and courage, and his success has been remarkable.

I have reflected a lot on the idea of the American Dream lately – the belief that there is still an opportunity to “make it” here through hard work, and that the ceiling for what success could mean is incredibly high.  I see it through my eyes but also get some idea of what that looks like to someone who came here as a refugee, actively seeking the opportunity to work hard toward that dream. Mugisha is but one example of many that I see pursuing it at City of Refuge.

But I also see that for the American Dream to work, we ALL have to believe in it. My belief that he truly has the opportunity to accomplish everything he has so far — and everything he will in the future — is part of what has given me the drive to help him however I can.

Even with Mugisha’s extraordinary work ethic and vision, he continues to face many challenges that become far more manageable to navigate with a little help. I’ve seen others in Columbia happy to offer this help, making it all possible: 

The insurance agent who took an extra half hour to make sure Mugisha understood how everything works. 

The banking manager who took extra time explaining things as Mugisha set up his account. 

The wonderful nursing staff at his hospital who have offered advice, guidance, and respect. The counselors and teachers at his LPN program who have helped him learn how to navigate his coursework. 

People here have been generous, patient, and kind. So even with all the challenges Mugisha has faced, there’s also been a steady tailwind created by helpful people around him — making each step forward just a little easier.

And that’s ultimately what we try to provide at City of Refuge. Support when our friends need it, so that they have the resources and feel empowered to accomplish great things for themselves, their futures, and their family’s futures. 

Mugisha and I talk a lot about how things have gone for him, and every time he thanks me, I remind him that we are a team together, and he’s the one doing the hard work. I’m just helping out when I can, filling in the gaps of what he hasn’t yet learned about life here. I am honored to be on his team and that of everyone we serve at City of Refuge. 

As Thanksgiving approaches, I reflect on how much gratitude I have for my time at City of Refuge and all that it has brought me. Being a member of Mugisha’s team has been one of the great gifts of my life. And if you’re involved with us as a volunteer or a donor, I hope that you feel you’re on our team too.

Thank you.

Aaron Finkel
Community Partner Coordinator

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