No Better Place to Be

The role of a care coordinator cannot be quickly defined, though the heart is simple. 

It is a heart of friendship filled with care, service, love, and compassion for the refugees who are learning how to start and yet still continue their lives while being in America. 

The practicalities are endless. Though I am sure you can imagine what navigating the complexities of living in America may look like, I want to share more about the people I have come to know. 

The testimonies of what the refugees have experienced is unfathomable to me. The pain and suffering they have endured and still endure have turned many into the most tenderhearted, kind, faith-filled, hard-working, and understanding people I know. The level of courage to continue to provide for their families and take steps forward to grow in a new culture seems nearly impossible. They live to tell the stories. 

In such a special way, their lives and mine have become intertwined. I treasure their stories and journeys as some of the greatest blessings, answered prayers, and evidence of God’s provision. 

I’ll never forget two individuals from different countries, both born with the same defect, who finally received the care they so desperately needed.

One spent three weeks in a coma before waking up to two successful surgeries—one for his birth defect and a cancer he didn’t know he had. He went from partial blindness in a refugee camp to functional vision, now eats on his own, and has oxygen levels back to 99%. He’s working part-time job and enjoying life with his wife and three young daughters.

The other is now stable with proper medication after surgery and is thriving in first grade. He is making friends and living with the vitality of any other child his age.

There have been so many sweet and challenging moments: families celebrating legal name changes that honor their cultures, moms navigating the challenges of new and continued motherhood, and babies being born almost every month. The strength of these mothers from every culture amazes me.

Being welcomed into homes and called “family” is a gift. The hospitality our families show continually redefines my understanding of generosity. They pour themselves out for others, and still there is more even when they have little. It is their honor to honor others. 

These are just a few glimpses of what I’ve witnessed during my time here. Most days aren’t easy carrying the burdens of others with God’s strength, but over and over I’ve seen Him provide. His love is deep, and His care is constant. I am honored to be here and eager to invite others into the beauty of what He’s doing through these friendships. As I reflect on this first year, I truly couldn’t imagine a better place to be.

Gratefully, 

Emili Pezall 

Refugee Care Coordinator 

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