Computers for Kids During COVID
/Nov 29, 2020
Fatima (Afghanistan)
“Pastor Stanish, can you please give me a laptop? I need it for my ESL class online, and I cannot come to the Center because of Coronavirus.” The request was from Fatima, a refugee resettled in St. Louis from Afghanistan.
COVID-19 has made it difficult for her to attend ESL classes at the Peace Center and for her two children to attend CFNA’s After-School Tutoring program. Since March, Fatima, like many other refugee friends, decided to stay home and not venture out. Her request was not new, as there were many more participants from CFNA’s tutoring program who badly need laptops but could not afford them.
Gaston (17), a refugee youth from the Congo, resettled with his 6 siblings in St. Louis late last year. He shared this request: “English is a big problem, and before school starts, I want to learn some English through the computer. Can you please help my family with one laptop?” Happily, the requests from Gaston, Fatima, and others were answered by the collective efforts of CFNA ministry supporters like you.
Grateful Recipients
For example, friends including Rev. Tom Benedum and Rev. Kyle Fittje responded with computers, while others found creative ways to help meet this need. Rev. Wuerffel wrote a Thrivent Action Team grant while also receiving support from a generous donor to bless 10 New Americans with refurbished laptops. Likewise, CFNA volunteer Rick Ruf used his extensive computer expertise to rebuild three more. As Rev. Wuerffel put it, “It is a joy to help meet a need among people during these COVID times. Hopefully, the recipients will put these computers to good use and will be blessed by them.”
To date, 18 computers have been distributed to thankful recipients from Eritrea, Liberia, Nepal, Congo, Afghanistan, Sudan, and India. Rachel (17), who recently came to us from a refugee camp in Rwanda, received a computer and offered her heartfelt “thank you” in broken English. Her simple and sincere expression of gratitude and happiness speaks for all 18 recipients.
During these days of virtual classrooms, CFNA continues to receive a steady stream of requests for laptops. If you have one you wish to contribute or know someone who does, let us know by contacting Laura Brink at lbrink@cfna-stl.org or 314-249-9219.
Pastor Stanish Stanley
Rev. Al Buckman
