Faith Lutheran has had the privilege of providing housewarming gifts to 4 (yes, that’s 4!) refugee families who have made their way to Minnesota from extremely difficult conditions in refugee camps.  One family from Iraq and three Karen (Kah-ren’) families from Burma arrived in August and now are settling into their permanent housing in St. Paul in mid-October. One of the families spent 19 years in a refugee camp in Thailand and another 21 years.  The four families have a total of 10 children between them. 

Faith member Karen Hoar and I went shopping and purchased:  pots and pans, cooking utensils, rice cookers, mixing bowls, storage sets, electric kettles, cookie sheets, sauté pans, oven mitts, kitchen towels, alarm clocks, toilet paper, paper towels, trash cans and liners, brooms and mops, and gift cards for personal items.  We also donated 5 Chrome books to LSS for educational purposes.

All the families are being reunited with family members here in Minnesota.  The following is a note that I received from our contact at Lutheran Social Services:

Thank you SO much for the donations yesterday. I’m so sorry to have missed you, but have seen pictures of the donations and am amazed.  Thank you for everything you do for the refugee families we serve. These gifts will help them get a good start in their new apartments. The computers will be invaluable for learning English and finding work. Thank you!!  Cate

This is an amazing outreach to these new neighbors in need, and Karen and I are overjoyed to be able to work alongside Lutheran Social Services in this ministry.  Thank you, Faith, for your support!