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Refugee Youth Need Your Help!
Samaritas is looking for people to rent a room to refugee youth transitioning to independence from foster care! Be a live-in mentor while supporting a young refugee as they develop independent living skills and adjust to their new culture and community. Families should be able to commit to a 1-2 year period, and many “host families” become a youth’s unofficial family long beyond the time they are in the program! Email Samaritas Refugee Youth Services at RFCinfo@samaritas.org to learn more.
Your Vote Will Save Lives!
I was born in Bhutan but due to political instability during late 1980’s, we moved to Nepal as refugees. After 18 years in a refugee camp, with the help of IOM (International Organization for Migration) my family and I were resettled in Lansing, MI. Immediately, I learned about RDC and ever since I have been part of RDC family. I learned how to drive on the driving simulator, and after I mastered that, I started helping other newcomers learn how to drive using the simulator. I started volunteering and then I worked as a translator and interpreter. I always wanted to serve in defense, and I got opportunity to serve this beautiful country in 2012. I signed a contract with US ARMY and served as a behavioral health specialist until 2018. I am very excited to be back at the RDC as a staff member helping the newest refugees in Lansing.”
Voting is one of the most important rights/duties of a citizen. Me and my family have lacked voting for almost all our life until we came to the United States and became citizens. We wanted to be the change by voting in our country, we were not allowed to vote in Bhutan. We became refugees because our parents tried to raise their voices for change through voting in Bhutan and in return we were evicted from the country. We then became refugees in Nepal for almost 20 years and then resettled in the United States. We learned what citizens’ roles are in this great country. Once we became citizens, we started casting out votes, even though we may not see the result right away, we will be part of the change this great country has been looking for. – G. Acharya
After escaping from terror in Africa, Balthazar says ‘Life is easy if you put it in God’s hands’
Children are at risk every day
· 8,800 unaccompanied children have been immediately expelled from the United States without legal proceedings or the right to formally claim asylum since March 20. Instead of giving asylum, the United States returned them directly to the danger they escaped. This is nearly every unaccompanied child that has come to our country seeking safety since Covid-19. Read more at Reuters.com
· Many children forced to leave their country, families, homes, and everything they knew due to gang violence and death threats have found safety and a new life in Michigan. They’ve become adults, college graduates, workers, entrepreneurs, moms, and dads, giving back to the communities they now call home. They’ve built, pursued, and achieved dreams. If they stayed in their country they may not have survived past childhood.
Check out the ways you can help refugees in our community during Covid-19
It’s World Refugee Awareness Time!
Check out these videos from our agency directors and supporters. Share them with your communities, congregations, and friends, and PLEASE donate here to keep refugees services alive in the Lansing area!
Who We Are
AFAR is an alliance of congregations working together to welcome refugees to the Greater Lansing area.
We are proud to support new members to our community!
Who is a Refugee?
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
Most likely, refugees cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries.
(C) AFAR, 2020
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