Our local region of Fresno/Clovis has had the honor of welcoming over 150 Ukrainian refugees. Many are grateful for the support they’ve received and the opportunity to live in safety, though they miss their homes and native country. It’s difficult for most people to imagine the challenge of starting over in a foreign country with no resources: having to learn a new language, adjusting to a new culture, and abiding by different laws, all while healing from the trauma of war and worrying about those left behind. Knowing about this unique set of barriers, we immediately began working with our brothers and sisters, guided by the principle of Leviticus 19:33-34: “when a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, you shall love him as yourself, for you were once strangers in the land.” We take that passage to heart.
Our initial objectives included finding immediate shelter, providing food and clothing, and ensuring the basic needs of each family and individual was met. We then began to immediately partner with our local organizations to address the legal needs, access to state and local resources, and finding employment. Throughout this work, we also wanted to ensure we met their emotional and spiritual needs through community gatherings, study groups, and outings to strengthen the connections amongst the group. It has been 6 months of hard work, all of which has required sacrifices of the part of volunteers, and all of which has been incredibly rewarding as we have witnessed the assimilation of these refugees into our community.
Our local team of volunteers who have been working tirelessly since the arrival of refugees in our county, each assigned to different roles according to their unique capabilities and skill set.
Many community members have donated clothing, hygiene products, kitchen utensils, and so much more. As the donations accumulated, we used our trailer for the organization, storage, and central picking up point for the Ukrainians.
Of course, before we can furnish and stock a new home, we must find suitable and affordable housing for the Ukrainians. This is a huge challenge, but God always provides in His perfect timing. As we found housing for the families, we then faced the need of furnishing the empty homes with beds, tables, and other basic furniture. Arrangements were made to pick up the donated furniture from all over Fresno and deliver it to the homes.
The next need to address is transportation. To meet this need, we gathered both affordable and donated vehicles, all of which required repair work. The work ranged from basic maintenance of oil, brake changes, detailed cleaning, paint jobs and all the way up to full engine swamps due to blown motors
Throughout all of the more intensive work, we know that the simple act of inviting them to break bread together, socialize, and commune together provides opportunities to build and strengthen relational ties. Food is a simple but powerful tool to unite people who used to be strangers.
One of the most essential tools for success in a new country is learning the language. We are grateful to our wonderful former ESL teachers, Barbara and Jeannie, who volunteered their time to teach this group English.
Our group of refugees are eager to learn English to overcome the barrier of communication, attending hours of evening classes.
To lighten the load of continuous paperwork, legal and English classes, and other daily challenges, we arranged trips to Millerton Lake and Yosemite so families could enjoy our central region.
We also wanted to ensure refugees had the opportunities to give back to our community and help others so we participated in Beautify Fresno and cleaned portions of downtown Fresno.
We are grateful for the support and prayers of our community and partners as we have welcomed these 150 refugees into our area. Significant progress and work has been accomplished in these last 6 months but our work is not finished. Please continue to support us as we continue to take steps forward to ensure our families and children are successful in our city.