COVID-19 Intervention
/Oct 25, 2020
(l to r) Rev. Stanish Stanley & Chantal
Oct 25, 2020
Editor’s Note: Previous issues of E-News have featured accounts of New American families who have been the beneficiaries of assistance provided by those who support the ministries of CFNA. Here is another.
Fifty-year-old Chantal arrived in St. Louis on March 4, 2020, having lived for 22 years in refugee camps in Rwanda, East Africa. She was accompanied by her husband and four children ages 6 to 17. Her emotions, still tough to manage, vary between, “anxieties from managing disruption” to “gratefully accepting tangible expressions of support in the midst of many challenges.”
Born and raised in the Congo (DRC), Chantal fled the country with her family when war broke out. They made it to a refugee camp where there was safety but still, there were many difficulties. “Life was hard, and I don’t even want to think about it. We lived on the financial stipend given by the Government there, which was seldom enough. We mostly ate one meal a day and sometimes we slept on empty stomachs.”
Compared to what Chantal remembers of her life in Africa, America is radically different. “Here it is so different. The International Institute brought us to St. Louis and now we have an apartment, my children can study on a computer, and my husband has found work.” Importantly, the big difference for Chantal is the people whom she meets. “There are so many nice people here. They help me when I am in need including many people at the Institute, as well as many American church people. I met CFNA people when they brought us meals for our children four days a week from April through July. They became friends with my children and their help was such a big encouragement to us during that virus time when we did not know what to do and could not go anywhere.”
Chantal, who takes medication for a bone disorder, was recently the beneficiary of financial assistance from CFNA. “Your help means a lot to me. Only my husband is working, and we have to take care of our four children. In addition to my medical condition, there are always bills for rent, utilities, and more. By helping my family with these, we are better able to purchase the food, clothing, and other essentials we need”, she confides.
Chantal is grateful for the financial support, as well as for the After School Tutoring assistance her children receive at the Peace Center. She is even more grateful for the encouragement the family has received through their relationship with CFNA. All this has been made possible because of your commitment to serve those who need His love and support in trying times. CFNA remains grateful to each and every one of you.
By Dr. Stanish Stanley with Charles Nshimiyimana
