Helping Refugees in Houston
“Houston is the most welcoming city to refugees.” This quote is by Ali Al Sudani, a refugee from Iraq now on staff at Interfaith Ministries. He goes on to mention that if Houston were a country, it would rank fourth in refugee resettlement.
Houston has a big heart. You can see it as Vietnamese boat people were welcomed in the 1970’s. You can see in 2001 when Houston opened its doors to thousands of refugees from Hurricane Katrina. And now you can see it as Houston opens its heart to receive refugees from over forty countries as they flee from persecution, war, or violence.
The Experience
Refugees arrive in Houston with two suitcases each—if they bring that much. That is all the personal belongings they are allowed to bring into the country. Many arrive tired from international travel to a place where they have no friends or family and do not speak the language. It brings feelings of grief and relief. Many misguided Americans will say to refugees, “It has to be so great to be in America!”
True, the refugees are glad to be here. A recurring theme as they share about America is how grateful they are because they are safe. They are grateful for the opportunities for jobs and for education for their children. Many refugees talk about being able to worship freely. But what we don’t realize is the grief that they experience in the loss of their country, their language, their customs, their families, and their support systems.
Life is hard for a first-generation refugee. Most refugees are resettled through the United Nations Refugee Agency in cooperation with local nonprofit organizations. They are thoroughly screened by the receiving country—a process that could take several years. For most of this time, the refugees are living in refugee camps.
Upon arrival the family is placed in a “furnished” apartment by the receiving organization. I put “furnished” in quotation marks because the furnishings are sparse. One refugee even mentioned that the family is given one fork, one spoon, one knife, one plate—you get the idea—for each family member.
The families receive financial support, including rent and Lone Star cards for groceries, for six months. After that, the financial support stops, and all adults are expected to have jobs and be able to support their families. They are also required to reimburse the United Nations Refugee Agency for their airline tickets and other travel expenses.
In recent years, refugees have come from over forty countries including Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Nepal, Congo, Burma, and Sudan. Even though the current policy has a freeze on refugee immigration, some families and individuals are still being accepted in the United States, usually on an emergency basis. Houston Welcomes Refugees, working with the YMCA, has ministered to Afghan families and individuals from Iran and Iraq since the first of the year.
So, what can we do?
There are five agencies that assist refugees coming to Houston, and they are all asking for volunteers.
Houston Welcome Refugees is a nonprofit organization that partners with the YMCA. This organization is an easy first step to helping refugees as they first arrive. They collect household items that will turn that sparsely furnished apartment into a home. You can see the list of the eight Welcome Kits needed on their website.
Filling a kit would be a great project for a family or small group. You can also serve on a team that sets up the apartment on the day of the arrival. Using eight specific welcome kits beds are made, dishes are in the cabinet, towels are set out in the bathroom, and groceries are in the refrigerator. A group willing to commit several months can greet the family at the airport, drive them to their new home, and check up on the refugees for a while to build a friendship. Check the website for more information about these opportunities.
Prestige Learning Institute is a school teaching English as a Second Language to refugees. Volunteers are needed as ESL teachers, child care workers, and folks to mentor and befriend the students. You can check out their volunteer opportunities at www.prestigeinstitute.org.
I asked Pastor Nsengiuymva Makebo, a refugee from the Congo, what he liked about America. He said, “God lives here. There is peace here. Where there is peace, there is God.”
26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. - Acts 18:26-27
Paul shared this in his sermon at Athens. God is bringing refugees to Houston so they can seek Him, perhaps reach out for Him, and find Him. How can we welcome them with love and be available to help them on their journey to seeking Him?
Sally Hinzie is a Church Consultant who has worked at UBA for many years. Her primary areas of ministry focus include church planting, bible storying training, organic church, and ministry implementation.
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