Journey Home Community News

Transcription

1 Journey Home Community News Serving Refugee Claimant Families in Metro Vancouver. A Refugee Family Welcomes Canadians VOLUME 5, ISSUE By Charlie Buhler A month ago, I had the privilege of digging up some dirt for a family connected with Journey Home. When I was asked to help build a raised bed garden in their backyard, I knew very little about them: they were a single mother and her children, they had an agricultural background in the country they fled from, and they lived 3 blocks away from me. I didn t know where they came from, how long they had been here, nor what their current status was. But, I did know that a garden might make them feel more at home. I love home, and I love fresh food, and I was glad to help. While digging up half the lawn, I learned more about the family. I learned where they came from and where their kids now go to school. I learned about the difficult circumstances and multiple barriers the family faced when they arrived in Canada. I learned how to play a new schoolyard game that the kids invented in the field across the road. Mainly though, I learned about welcome. I went in the hopes of making this family feel more welcome in MY neighbourhood. Instead, they made me feel welcome in theirs. Although I did help a bit, I was very quickly labeled by the children, and some of their community friends, as an object of play, rather than a hired shovel. They didn t view me as someone who wanted to help them they viewed me as a guest. And when guests come to your home, you play with them. Very quickly, I was faced with my own prejudice about refugees, about immigrants, about newcomers. I thought they were displaced, homeless, and in need of as much help as possible and of course, in some ways, that is all true. More than that, however, I met a reunited family in a new home, excited to share their new life with me. Being welcomed by them was humbling and wonderful. VISIT OUR JOURNEYHOMECOMMUNITY.CA Please consider supporting us by making a donation online

2 Olivet Welcome Houses to be ready this Summer! By Jen Galicinski, Housing Coordinator One of our goals at Journey Home is to support newly arrived refugee families through the process of finding stable, affordable housing. Often families arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a few small bags. Without knowing the city, the language, or the culture, it is next to impossible for them to navigate the housing matrix, especially with limited access to financial resources and with no personal contacts in Canada. families to move into immediately, there has typically been a delay of one or more weeks before we are able to find any sort housing for them and they are left in that vulnerable state. The Olivet Welcome Houses will enable us to address this need by providing supported emergency housing immediately upon the arrival of a family. Up until now, Journey Home has been accompanying refugee families through the process of finding transitional and permanent housing. However, a glaring gap in our housing program has been that of the emergency housing piece. Typically, when we meet a new family they are homeless and feeling quite frightened and unsure about their surroundings. Often we encounter the family staying in some sort of shelter, hotel, or in some cases, sleeping outside. It is in this very vulnerable state that they are most in need of support. Up until now, as we haven t had a space for our The houses will each be hosted by a live-in Canadian couple (or two singles) that will be part of the wider Journey Home family. They will be a welcoming and supportive presence in the houses. They will seek to create a warm, safe, and hospitable space that will foster community building with the families. We are excited about the potential for these houses, and for the opportunity to extend the radical hospitality of Jesus in an immediate and practical way! Do you want to join us in this project? See page 4 for ideas about how you can be involved! The two houses (on the left) are owned by Olivet Baptist Church (on the right) in New Westminister and are being made available to Journey Home for emergency and short-term transitional housing for newly arrived homeless refugee families.

3 Journey Home Thrift Report 7337 Edmonds Street Burnaby, BC V3N 1A7 Call: Online: Things are humming along at Journey Home Thrift! We re all busy making the shop a unique thrifting experience. We continue to receive many compliments on the store. Please come in to say hello to our volunteers and to see our awesome shop! People like to know that 100% of our profits will be used to support refugee families (through Journey Home Community) and that we offer a place for refugees to gain volunteer Canadian work experience. In May, we received the remaining goods from several community garage sale fundraisers. Salmon s Transfer donated free hauling of a moving truck full of furniture and housewares after the Royal Lepage fundraising garage sale. The Zimbabwe Gecko Society in White Rock and Hillside Community Church in Coquitlam allowed us to pick-up goods after their successful fundraisers as well. Thanks! to everyone who helped with the hauling and sorting of all the loot! The Journey Home Thrift store has many volunteer opportunities. Please contact us if you would like to work with us in the thrift store. As we look forward to the eventual warm summer weather, we invite your support. This month we are featuring Outdoor fun. We have lots of sports equipment and camping supplies in the store for sale. In July we re having an Around the World feature. Please bring in décor items, souvenirs, maps, globes and other unique items from your world travel (we ve had some incredible masks and beer steins donated already).

4 Also, please remember that the Journey Home Thrift store has an on-going need for good quality housewares and furniture. We request these items because they sell well (they are necessary for creating a comfortable and functional home) and because we use donated housewares to prepare start-up kits for newly arrived refugee families basic household needs. We gratefully accept pots and pans, sets of dishes and small kitchen appliances (toasters, slow cookers, kettles and coffee makers are in high demand). Thank-you! We have had some recent attention from the media. The Burnaby News Leader printed an article about thrift store profits and featured a great photo of our store on the front cover! A few months later The Burnaby News Leader printed a lovely photo of Carla (JHT) and Mario (BMO) standing inside the store vault. The photo was taken when BMO representatives were in the thrift store presenting Journey Home Thrift with a corporate donation. Little known fact: the store was the original BMO Edmonds Branch. It seems fitting that the old money vault is now a word vault (our book section). Olivet Welcome Houses - Join Us! Ways to get involved in this project: apply for the core host positions, join a work team that will help with renovations, cleaning, and ongoing support, donate home furnishings, artwork and supplies. For information please Jen at jen@journeyhomecommunity.ca. TEAM JULY AUGUST PERMANENT TEAMS Woodworking/Carpentry Painting (exterior/interior) Electrical Clean-up Plumbing Lawn / Garden / Landscaping 3 people 4-6 people 3 people 4-7 people 2-3 people 2-3 people 2-3 people 2-3 people NA 2 people 2-4 people 2-4 people Permanent teams will need to be assembled for clean-up and lawn/garden/landscaping needs. Please indicate if you would like to help out on a regular basis.

5 Paying it Forward Stories from Journey Home Families By Laura Mansfield, Support Worker Mark fled the human rights abuses in his home country and arrived in Canada in 2010 in search of safety. He was connected with Journey Home and began receiving housing and resettlement support. Shortly after, Mark enter the Refugee Transition Program operated jointly by JHC and BC Housing. This program enables him to access stable housing for up to 18 months. His placement in BC Housing allows Mark and his 7-year old son to be close to schools, friendly neighbours, and community resources. He has been thankful for this gift and demonstrates this by paying it forward to other families in the complex. Mark helps other newcomers move furniture, hang pictures on the wall, and find local resources. He is quick to offer friendship and other practical supports. When Mark was asked why he helps others, he responds, It s just my natural instinct. It is the right thing to do to help others. The BC Housing Refugee Transition program acknowledged Mark s vulnerability and optimized his strengths. The stability in housing has allowed Mark to concentrate on learning English and finding work. He recently acquired a job doing truck and trailer repair in Surrey. Journey Home celebrates these successes with Mark, and we acknowledge the support that BC Housing has given to many of our refugee families. God s Provision for my Family Stories from Journey Home Families By Tracy*, refugee claimant (*name has been changed) My children and I arrived in Canada from Africa. We sought protection because my life was in danger from a relationship that had gone bad. We have had so many needs, but each time God has provided for us. First, the Red Cross housed us at New Hope in Vancouver and after two months there we met Journey Home Community. JHC settled us in our own apartment and has been a great support to us. God has also healed me of insomnia. My first days in Canada were characterized by long sleepless nights. When I caught a little sleep then I would have nightmares. I did not want to take medication, so I trusted God for healing, and today I sleep like a baby and I no longer have those dreadful dreams. We thank God for His provision - in both big and small ways. One day we were dressed to go to church but realized that we didn t have bus fare. Then the phone rang and a friend asked us if she could pick us up for church! We were so amazed by God s goodness and great love to us. We always write down our needs on paper and then we pray. Before we know it the whole list is ticked off without us mentioning anything to anyone. Finally, we thank God that we no longer feel like strangers. Canada is slowly becoming home to us. VISIT OUR JOURNEYHOMECOMMUNITY.CA Please consider supporting us by making a donation online

6 The BUZZ Join us for the JHC Summer Picnic and BBQ WHEN: Saturday, June 30th / 2012 TIME: 12:00 PM WHERE: Moody Park, New Westminster Staffing Updates On April 1, 2012, Laura Mansfield moved into the role of Support Worker. Her contact information remains the same: laura@journeyhomecommunity.ca / We will meet in the park near the corner of 6th Ave and 10th Street In case of rain (Pray for sunny weather!), the picnic will be re-scheduled one week later, Saturday July 7th, On May 8, 2012, Journey Home Community was pleased to welcome Jen Galicinski to the position of Housing Coordinator. Jen can be reached by and phone at: jen@journeyhomecommunity.ca / For info, please call the JHC office at Ride For Refuge - October 13, 2012 Mark your calendars and save the date! Journey Home is excited to announce its participation in the 2012 Ride for Refuge. This is our once-a-year opportunity to join together as a community to raise awareness and funds for our refugee ministry. Consider riding, volunteering, and contributing financially toward this year s ride. rideforrefuge.org is active and ready to take your registration. Every RIDER who registers before the end of June will have their names entered to win 1 of 20 extra-soft-and-super-comfy RIDE HOODIES with the new RIDE look. Second, every TEAM CAPTAIN who registers their team will have their names registered into a separate draw to win 1 of 20 of the very same awesome cotton hoodies. Register today! Opportunities for participation in JHC Become a Volunteer Please Consider a Financial Donation Refugee Family Support Office Help, Event Planning Three Ways to Give: 1) online through our website Get Involved in the 2012 RIDE for REFUGE 2) by cheque sent to our new address Join the Prayer Team 3) please consider making a monthly donation Volunteer at Journey Home Thrift Donate quality items to Journey Home Thrift To Subscribe, or unsubscribe to JHC News: Journey Home Community s program is funded in part by the Government of Canada s Homelessness Partnering Strategy. HPS funds for the Metro Vancouver designated community are managed by Metro Vancouver in partnership with the Vancity Community Foundation and the Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness. THANK YOU for your support! Registered Charity: RR0001 Journey Home Community 7175 Royal Oak Avenue, Burnaby BC, V5J 4J3 Phone: info@journeyhomecommunity.ca The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.