The Greatest of These is Love
/
On April 20, 2024 CFNA had the joy of partnering with the Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens, Affinia Healthcare, New American families, and Christ Community Lutheran School to host a dental health education event for New American families in St. Louis. Eighteen families, encompassing 96 individuals, attended between 9am and 1pm. The joined efforts of staff and volunteers from these partners exemplified the body of Christ Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Over a one-hour program, participants learned about dental health practices from CFNA staff and volunteers, how nutrition impacts dental hygiene from WIC (Women’s, Infants, Children) staff, and what local resources are available to improve dental health for their families from Affinia representatives. Several New American families assisted as well, to translate presentations into Pashto and Persian. Further, Persian and Pashto translators were in-person to ensure language was not a barrier for families attending the event.
Additionally, we were blessed by CFNA volunteers who drove five families to and from the event. CNFA, Webster Gardens, and New American volunteers provided childcare to kids who came to the event and allowed their parents to easily attend the program. Finally, participants were able to take home dental hygiene kits put together by students and teachers in a service project at Christ Community Lutheran School.
A personal reflection: “Dental health is often lost in the avalanche of things New Americans must learn as they acclimate to life in the US. Staff and volunteers at CFNA, the Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens, Christ Community Lutheran School, and Affinia Healthcare were overjoyed to be able to provide education and practical support for dental wellness for refugee families who attended the event.”
So many gifts and kinds of service were represented at this event, but all these point to a God who fiercely loves and wants to meet the needs of New American families. In fact, as Paul later writes at the end of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, And yet I will show you the most excellent way…And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. In all these ways of serving, the deep love of God was shared with New American families. Praise God!
By Paige Bernau, RN
CFNA Health & Wellness Coordinator
