The Power of Belonging

As we recognize World Refugee Day, I want to open my heart and share my journey not only as a staff member at City of Refuge, but as someone who once stood in the shoes of those we serve every day.

I came to this country as a refugee, carrying more questions than answers. I remember the uncertainty that clouded my early days, the language I struggled to understand, the systems I didn’t yet know, and the dreams that felt paused, waiting to be reawakened in a land that was new, unfamiliar, and overwhelming.

Yet even in those early moments, something powerful happened: I was seen.

People from City of Refuge looked me in the eye, spoke gently, and walked beside me. They didn’t just offer help, they offered belonging. That word belonging has become a cornerstone of my life. It is a gift I received and now work to give back every single day.

Seven months ago, I stepped into a new role at City of Refuge as a Career Empowerment Specialist. In many ways, this role is a continuation of the healing that began when I first arrived in Columbia. Every day, I have the honor of supporting other people with stories like mine, who have left everything behind in search of safety, dignity, and a chance to start over.

Before this, I worked in healthcare, and I used to think that the word CARE belonged only in that world: in hospitals, clinics, and medical charts. But I was wrong. I have come to learn that CARE is so much broader and so much more beautiful than I ever realized.

Care is someone waiting at the airport to greet a refugee family with open arms.
Care is a staff member staying late to help fill out a job application.
Care is a volunteer learning just enough Swahili or Dari to say, “Welcome.”
Care is the way we show up for each other, every single day, without needing to be asked.

At City of Refuge, CARE lives in every corner of our work. It lives in the volunteers who show up week after week. It lives in the interns who bring fresh energy and empathy. It lives in the staff whose compassion is matched only by their determination. And it lives in every member of this incredible Columbia community who believes in the dignity and value of our refugee neighbors.

To my fellow refugees, those still finding their footing, those still healing, those still dreaming…I see you. I am you. I know the weight you carry, the courage you summon, and the resilience that often goes unnoticed. But please know: you are not alone. Your story matters. Your future is bright.

To the Columbia community: Thank you. Thank you for being a place of refuge, not just in name but in action. You have not only welcomed people like me, you have walked alongside us. You have taught me that home is not always where you were born, but where you are embraced, believed in, and loved. Columbia has become my home because of people like you.

And to my colleagues at City of Refuge – staff, volunteers, interns, and supporters – thank you for the sacred work you do. You are the bridge between heartbreak and hope. Every resume you help build, every diaper you hand out, every ride you give, and every conversation you share matters more than you know. You are changing lives one refugee, one family, one moment at a time.

World Refugee Day is not just a day of reflection. It is a call to action. It is a celebration of resilience, a tribute to the power of welcome, and a reminder that when we care for one another, we all rise.

Let us continue this good work not just today, but every day. Let us keep believing in each other. Let us keep opening doors and hearts. Let us keep building a community where everyone belongs, and no one is left behind.

With deep gratitude and an overflowing heart,

Eraste Bishazi

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