What does it mean to “welcome the stranger”? (Matthew 25:35). The Mission Committee and FPCD’s Session believe that it means helping to sponsor a refugee family resettle and make a new home in Chicago. Our church has an opportunity to partner with RefugeeOne, Edgewater Presbyterian Church, and Lakeview Presbyterian church to address the growing global refugee crisis and make a huge difference in the lives of one family.
In the coming year, RefugeeOne expects to welcome more than 500 refugees to the Chicagoland area, including about 100 refugee families from Afghanistan. The Chicago Presbytery has vetted and encouraged Chicago Presbyterian Churches to work in conjunction with Refugee One to support the increased number of refugees coming to Chicago. Sponsors are carefully matched with a family and are given 6-8 months to prepare for their arrival.
The money to sponsor a family is already in place at FPCD as a faithful tithe of the PPP money that came into our church during the first round of COVID support funding. This money covers the cost of housing and basic needs to support a family of five for the first six months the family is in the States as they navigate their new surroundings and find employment.
Besides covering the basic cost of living, our additional support would include setting up and stocking the family’s apartment before their arrival. Culturally appropriate food supplies and clothing needs would also be provided. What else would a family need to start fresh in a new community? Together we will explore what it takes to make a new home in a new country.
Most importantly, we would “welcome the stranger” simply by being friends. RefugeeOne asks for a 6-month commitment to be in weekly contact: welcome them at the airport, provide consistent social/emotional support, visit and check in weekly, help acclimate to schools, etc. A small team from FPCD will work with both Edgewater Presbyterian Church and Lakeview Presbyterian Church to provide this important weekly support. We are excited about working with these churches since they are located close to where the refugee families will be settled and therefore have more immediate knowledge of the community.
There are so many questions you may have about this venture: How is the Holy Spirit leading us as we step into this new call? How has our church responded to the need to support refugee families in the past? How are the refugee families vetted? Where do refugee families come from? How do refugees find employment? How do we know that sponsors financial contributions are used appropriately? Some of these questions are answered here: https://www.refugeeone.org/uploads/1/2/8/1/12814267/refugeeone_co-sponsor_info_packet__link_.pdf and here: www.refugeeone.org.
One of the first actions we need to take is to establish a support team of 6 to10 people. This team will provide consistent social and emotional support as the family adjusts to their new surroundings. If being part of the mentor team interests you, contact Mary Boote (chgoboote@gmail.com) or Ryan Siegel (ryandsiegel@gmail.com) for more information.
We look forward to seeing where God is leading us as we respond to the gospel call to “welcome the stranger.”
