McKinley United Methodist Church
Winona MN 2002
We hosted Community Education’s Adult Literacy program in one church I served. The combination of being a college town, with International students and a place where many of the Hmong refugees were settling, kept the program busy.
One year, the church decided to be more intentional in interacting with the students. Teachers were on board, thinking it would be a good way to teach about the cultures their students were from. An older Hmong woman told us the story behind her quilt. Until then, I didn’t realize that these brightly embroidered quilts, captured the history of a family. She pointed to a place where two family members were lost at sea and another while crossing a river, as they fled Laos and the danger there.
I thought of all of this, when I watched Sunisa Lee at the Olympics, winning a Gold Medal in gymnastics. I thought of how hard the Hmong community has been hit by Covid. I thought of that first generation, trying to learn to read and write English, when their own language had only recently taken written form. Most in the Adult literacy program, were not skilled in it. I thought of Sunisa’s personal history, and the history of her parents and grandparents. I thought of the distance Suni Lee and her family have come and the gifts they bring as an immigrant community.
I was reminded again, how we are a nation of immigrants and stronger because of it. As we begin to bring in refugees from Afghanistan, may our hearts be open to those who need our welcome . . . Both to their needs and to their gifts.
“When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings.” Deuteronomy 24:20
A Pastor's Heart 
Helping a refugee family adjust to American life has been a blessing both ways. I’ve been adopted into their family. Their little girl calls me her grandmother. I got to celebrate their son’s 18th birthday with the family, and I’ve been treated to some exotic food from their country with extended family and friends. As I helped the mom study for her citizenship test, I learned things about our Constitution that I had never known before, and I’ve lived in this country nearly 7 decades!
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That sounds like a very special relationship that has grown for both you and the refugee family.
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It has. ❤
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It is difficult, yet crucial work as we welcome all of our neighbors… especially those who had to leave their homes because of American Imperialism and Arrogance
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Yes, Lots of challenges ahead for us as we try to settle people from Afghanistan.
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The local church in my community has been pretty active in helping refugees resettle in our community. I think it is amazing
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Yes, it is amazing and good when our faith communities come to together to help refugees get settled.
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I teach for the NH Humanities Council i ESOL programs and so have some Hmong friends (Lovely as it is, I wish people knew more than Fadiman’s “The Spirit Catches you and you Fall Down”) and many Afghan ones (who have been here just about 20 years). It has been a blessing in my life. We anticipate and pray that there will be new ones. Some learning English and some knowing it better than we do.
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What a beautiful gift of yourself you are giving those you serve.
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