Starting School In A New Country
It’s officially
Back-To-School season! Students enjoying their summer break can now roam
store aisles that are filled with notebooks, backpacks, pencils and other
colorful gadgets. Racks of the latest athletic style inspired jeans and
cargo pants wait to be snatched into a cart. However, some boys and girls
aren’t feeling the normal butterflies of excitement. New to the United
States, they are dreading the first day of school. Find out how OBI prepares
immigrant children living in Seattle!
Ruc, 16, is a refugee from Vietnam.
Last year, she had only been in the United States for two months before
beginning high school. There wasn’t time to gradually feel comfortable
speaking English or become familiar with the indescribably different culture.
Additionally, there was the issue of her nonexistent wardrobe. Ruc owned
one pair of pants and one t-shirt. Barely settled, her family couldn’t
afford to buy any clothes or school supplies yet.
After enduring a traumatic day of registering for school, Ruc came home
to a surprise. She was overjoyed to receive three new outfits, P.E. clothes
and school supplies! Operation Blessing’s partner World Relief Seattle
had become aware of her need and met it.
During our Back-To-School 2002, World Relief Seattle was able to share
the OBI grant with seventeen churches and ministries serving refugee and
immigrant children from Vietnam, Africa, Latin America and the former
Soviet Union now growing up in Western Washington. “Thank you so
much for touching the lives of so many children in this area,” commented
Cal Uomoto of World Relief. “May the Lord bless you for your generosity.”
Since 1820 more than 68 million brave children and their families have
come to America’s shores seeking freedom and a new life. Over 8.4
million have made the USA home in the last decade. Winning their freedom
from the cruelties of Ethiopia, the Teke family began their journey for
Seattle ten years ago. The family consisting of seven children lived in
Sudan for a while until being offered refugee status by the USA. They
marked this significant chapter in their lives by naming their seventh
child Natsanet (Freedom), who is now 10 years old.
The older Teke children are now in their early twenties. Still trying
to learn the language and work towards a good job, their parents continue
to need assistance in caring for the younger ones. Thanks to our last
year’s Back-To-School program and partner New Light Christian Center,
they were among the 2,276 children who received school shopping certificates
and supplies!
No matter if children living in low-income situations have recently come
from another country or were born here, shouldn’t we show them this
is still a land of opportunity? Help us provide them with the items they
need to learn during this school year. Your gift of $25 can do just that!
|
]