March 14, 2024
Here’s a day in the life of our Director of Refugee Care. These are real stories in a real day… and why were are so thankful for the countless individuals who support what we do every single day.
An hour or so into the day… I helped a refugee lady emotionally process her recent car accident. Along with her car being totaled she will have insurance rates go up, have to find a car, and, worst of all, deal with the fact that someone misrepresented the facts as she saw them. It was emotional.
During the 2nd & 3rd hour…A woman walked into my office. She is a mom to 8 kids with a mentally challenged husband who lost life sustaining benefits because he can’t pass the citizenship test. She’s trying to raise kids and work to pay bills. She has a 15-year-old son causing severe difficulties at home and school. She began crying…
During the 4th hour… I went to a car dealership with a single mom who didn’t fully understand the process when she bought a car. The car payment was way too high, so we had to make changes at the dealership and at the bank. During our time together she told me about her job, caring for two kids with severe autism. When she first started working with them they demonstrated very difficult and extreme behaviors. Through patience and love, having been handed control of their diet, sleep habits, medicines…every aspect of their lives, she has greatly improved these kids’ lives. She showed me videos of the kids laughing and singing.
During the 5th & 6th hour…A new lady from Central America walked in, desperate for help in finding an attorney because of severe domestic issues going on in the family. She has videos that were heart-wrenching, and there were more tears.
In each case, we trust God for miracles!
City of Refuge is not just here to meet everyday needs of refugees. We are getting more and more opportunities to assist and comfort extremely vulnerable people, and we are happy to have the opportunity to be a friend in those situations.
Sincerely,
Barry Stoll
Director of Refugee Care
Preschool Preview
We launched City Preschool in January 2024 and our pilot class is having a blast learning and growing every day. We are so excited to be able to offer this Cross-Cultural Learning opportunity to our entire community. Stop by our Preview on Wednesday March 20th any time between 1:00-3:00PM to say hello and learn more about City Preschool!
You can find us at 2 E. Walnut.
Writing For A Cause
Do you enjoy writing and expressing yourself creatively? Join our 2024 Poem-a-thon throughout the month of April! Guided by a daily prompt, we invite you to set aside time to reflect, create and express through written word. In 2023 City of Refuge was able to raise $4,000 through our committed poets. Whether an experienced writer or a first time poet, you can make a difference with your words!
