We tried something new last December – maybe you remember it. We hosted our first ever Holiday Market, featuring a variety of refugee and local artisan vendors. Our parking lot was lined with makers’ tents, the air was brisk, and there were thousands of individuals filled with holiday cheer. The live music, the coffee, the
I love food. I bet you do, too. I’m learning to love trying new food, too (although historically that hasn’t always been the case). But, perhaps ashamedly, I must admit that there have been times, over the years, while traveling overseas and experiencing other cuisines that, after a while, I just really craved an American cheeseburger. Or hot dog. Or pizza.
Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the vast array of broken things in this world. Even outside my own experiences, my eyes witness conflict, greed, loss- all close-up encounters via a glowing screen held in my hand. And then I scroll on, the overwhelm quickly lost to a baby announcement, or some van-lifer’s vlog. Phones give
Sometimes it’s helpful to look back and remember what was, so you can appreciate how far you’ve come. Sometimes it’s helpful to do that as an organization. Check out what Operations Director, Kellye Dubinski, has to say about City of Refuge’s journey. I began my journey with City of Refuge back in October of 2015.
My pad of paper was blank. Pen in hand, ready to write… but no words to put down. I was listening to problems I had no solutions for. Listening to challenges I could not fix. I sat there, eager to jot down a million notes and ways that we could step into the mix and
I was in my happy place as I stopped to look around the Artisan Center one Thursday night. The room was full of teenagers from Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Myanmar; MU students and CPS teachers who came to mentor and provide homework assistance at Youth Impact Night also crowded downstairs. Many of our City of Refuge teens
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.
13 of us sat in the circle, discussing the ways that this time together could truly be most beneficial. We represented Burma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Eritrea, a Thailand refugee camp, South Africa, America. Our Refugee Advisory Council was gathered again – a group of identified leaders within tribes and communities that now
There are few things better in this world than little-kid giggles. You know the kind. They range from quiet chuckles to full on belly laughs.They’re so funny and infectious. Spend a few minutes inside City Preschool, and you’ll hear all the sounds of childhood, in about five different languages. When I started as City of
I’ve joked with our staff lately about our “Great Transition”. It’s been a whirlwind month of navigating weather, school closings, staff changes (including some new hires!), funding requirements, a preschool launching, and new families arriving all.the.time. Suffice it to say: we haven’t been bored. But as we look ahead to what 2024 holds, we eagerly
