Jestina Brewah - Student Of The Month

Student of the Month

Jestina Brewah came to St. Louis in July 2014 with her mother to visit her uncle Gerald Brewah and his family. While Ebola was already affecting some of the provinces in her home country of Sierra Leone, it was not perceived as a major threat. Unfortunately during their visit, the Ebola virus began spreading rapidly with devastating effects in Sierra Leone. All schools and colleges in the country were closed and Jestina and her mother were granted temporary protected status in the United States. Returning to Sierra Leone during the height of the epidemic would have been dangerous.

Jestina had been attending an all-girls school and studying English in Sierra Leone. She started school as a junior at University City High School in the Fall Semester and then transferred to Lutheran South with a CFNA scholarship for the Spring Semester. She found the Lutheran South students and teachers to be both warm and welcoming, and she's grateful that her education in Sierra Leone prepared her to be successful at academically rigorous Lutheran South.

Jestina and her Mom will remain in the United States, staying with Gerald Brewah until she finishes her senior year at Lutheran South. She is also considering the possibility of attending an American college when she graduates.

By: Judith Meyer

Kitebridge

Engaging New Americans in Service

New American Teens Succeed in Lutheran High Schools After Committing to Serve

James Gayeyou, Marchello Kaka and Henry Manu have upgraded the value of their education by making a commitment to serve. Their willingness to serve has opened up new opportunities as they are now making progress in their new Christian Lutheran college-prep high school.

All three of these hard working guys were attending public high schools when we found out about the Kitebridge program. The students and their families were not happy with the education, opportunities and environment at their high school. Unfortunately they could not afford a private school even with support from church and CFNA. That changed when they agreed to serve other newcomers to the United States and St. Louis. The program, called Kitebridge, recruits international students who live in St. Louis during the school year to attend Lutheran High School North (LHSN) & South (LHSS). They benefit from domestic students helping acculturate them and support their English language growth. Dorm Mentors like James, Marchello and Henry benefit from the tuition assistance that allows them to attend LHSN or LHSS.

Henry is a sophomore at LHSS and plays on the basketball team. He is a great athlete who will be helping the Lancers for the next two seasons! James is a sophomore at LHSN where he has been so impressive in wrestling that he was selected for the state qualifying tournament. Marchello, former Word of Life Lutheran School athlete, is a sophomore at LHSN and has been playing soccer and basketball. All three students benefit not only from our great Lutheran High Schools, but they also receive tutoring assistance and college planning services from Kitebridge.

It’s not just James, Henry and Marchello who are excited to have this opportunity. Their families are also thrilled. I went with James’ mother, Elizabeth, to see James wrestle and check out his new school. She was so proud after seeing his school and meeting the teachers and coaches who spoke highly of James. She also toured the new apartment complex that serves as their dorms and school support facility. There she met the on-site Kitebridge staff, as well as his Chinese roommate. Elizabeth was overwhelmed with these new opportunities for her son.

As CFNA, with its partners, continues to strengthen the Kitebridge link, it is anticipated additional New American students will become the beneficiaries of this effort.

Mark Thompson, DCE Timothy Lutheran Church - dce@timothystl.org

Katuwal Family

Tal and Maya Katuwal Family

Maya, govin, trenika, and tal with gagan gurung

Among some of the most recent newcomers to St. Louis are the Tal and Maya Katuwal family, having arrived January 27.

Both had been expelled from Bhutan while they were children, along with thousands of others. For more than 20 years they have lived in a refugee camp in Nepal. That is where they met, where they were married, and that is where daughter Trenika and son Govin were born.

Though they have been St. Louis residents for less than a month, Tal has already stepped up to assist the CFNA Home Furnishings Team with moving furniture, and Trenika and Govin have begun attending the After School Tutoring program at the Peace Center. The family is also considering the possibility of participating in the New Life Fellowship which meets regularly Sunday mornings at the Peace Center for worship.

Pictured in the photo is Nepali Ministry Facilitator, Gagan Gurung (right), delivering a welcome package to the Katuwal family. Included are blankets (large package – compliments of Lutherans in the St. Louis area), as well as personal items, cookies and candy in the smaller package.

Please join us in welcoming the Tal and Maya Katuwal family.

From information provided by Gagan Gurung

What Does This Mean?

By Pastor Matt Clark

Pastor clark and evangelist gurung with the class. note the nepali copies of luther’s small catechism.

What does this mean? Perhaps many of us became familiar with this question during our confirmation instruction. In Luther’s Small Catechism, this question is asked again and again as Martin Luther unpacks the meaning of the chief teachings of the Christian faith; such as the Ten Commandments, The Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, Confession and Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. Since 1529, this book, and its Bible-based answers to “What does this mean?” has helped make, and strengthen, disciples of Jesus Christ.

What does this mean? This question is currently being asked, and answered, on a weekly basis at the Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) Peace Center. Every Saturday afternoon, a group of about ten Nepali youth and adults eagerly gather to learn the key teachings of the faith in both English and Nepali. An extension of Ascension Lutheran Church in St. Louis, this bi-lingual class is taught by Pastor Matt Clark and translated into Nepali by Ascension’s Nepali Evangelist, Gagan Gurung.

Would Luther have ever imagined that his Small Catechism would be translated into Nepali and be used to instruct refugees who now call St. Louis home? Probably not, and yet, the Lord is working through CFNA and area Lutheran congregations to do just that. This Saturday afternoon confirmation class is just one of many examples of God working through perhaps formerly unimaginable partnerships. Partnerships that help new Americans answer a simple, yet vital, question when it comes to their relationship with their Savior, specifically, “What does this mean?”

New CFNA Secretary

A New CFNA Secretary

Rev. Michael Okine

Christian Friends of New Americans is pleased to introduce Rev. Michael Okine as its new Secretary, a position filled for several years by Dr. Al Senske. Presently, Rev. Okine serves as Pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in urban St. Louis.

Born on June 5, 1959 in Accra, Ghana (West Africa) to Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Comfort Okine, Mike is one of nine children; five sons and four daughters. Rev. Okine’s father was a high school teacher, who later became the Principal of the school in which he had taught. With nine children, his mother was a busy housewife.

Having attended primary and secondary schools in Accra, Rev. Okine received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Ghana in 1982, and subsequently taught high school level math in Accra for three years. In 1985 he was recruited by the highly respected West African Examinations Council to serve as its Registrar. In 1994 he left that position to work as Audience Relations Secretary for The Lutheran Media Ministry; the Ghana branch of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Three years later Rev. Okine enrolled at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to begin work on an M.Div. degree, and after graduating was accepted at the University of Houston where he began work on a Masters degree in Communications. He completed this degree in 2003 and in 2006 accepted the call to serve as the Pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church.

Rev. Okine married his beautiful wife, Joan, in Accra on December 19, 1992. Their marriage has been blessed with three children: Eve, a Lutheran High School South graduate and now a student (psychology major) at the University of Missouri; John, a junior at LHSS; and Jude, presently an elementary school student in St. Louis.

Please join us in welcoming Rev. Okine as the Secretary for CFNA.

From information received from Rev. Okine

Caring Ministries - Partner Of The Month

PARTNER OF THE MONTH

Caring Ministries, Inc.

Cyril Loum hands CFNA chairman, Allan buckman a donation from caring ministries

For Caring Ministries, providing for the care of God’s people – especially New Americans – is a top priority. They therefore partner with like minded ministries to make this become a reality, and among these is Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA). Both entities are committed to cross cultural ministry among New Americans and for both, this partnership has served as a “mission multiplier”.

The joint effort strongly features two primary services; employment assistance for New American adults and scholarship assistance for their children. CFNA now links with well over 200 New Americans per year, many of whom are seeking jobs. For these New Americans, Caring Ministries provides much needed employment training with a focus on enhancing job search and job interview skills.While CFNA has provided scholarship assistance for the annual enrollment of between 25 - 30 New American students in Lutheran schools during the past several years, Caring Ministries has been pleased to provide some of the donor funds required to secure matching funds from the Lutheran Foundation.

The Lord has truly blessed this joint effort in that a growing number of New Americans have been assisted in their job search. Additionally, there have been no school drop outs among the scholarship students, and over 70% of the New American families with children in Lutheran schools have become members of Lutheran congregations.

Please join Caring Ministries and CFNA in praising our Lord for His many blessings on this effort.

From information provided by Cyril Loum

Building Community

What happens when hundreds of volunteers from 26 St. Louis-area Lutheran congregations come together to serve immigrants and refugees new to the community? Friendships are formed. Lives are transformed. Community is built.

Project "Winter Warm Up for Refugees"

Thrivent Action Team and CFNA

In addition to Thrivent’s support, CFNA asked for donations of blankets and heaters from Concordia, Kirkwood and the Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens. About 50 blankets and 2 heaters were generously donated, plus money to buy blankets. A $250 Visa card provided by Thrivent was used to buy heaters from Amazon.com and 6 blankets at Walmart, Kirkwood.

To left, Adult English as a Second Language teacher, Jane Hewitt explains to the class how to use the heater safely. Blankets and quilts were given at our Health & Wellness screening, worship services, and home visits.

To right, Happy refugees and immigrants at the Peace Center headquarters of Christian Friends of New Americans are carrying out their much needed “Winter Warm Up” supplies. Prayerfully consider volunteering to share Christ’s love with refugees from Iran, Jordan, Sudan, Nepal, Afghanistan and around the world. Questions: Call Carol (314) 517-8513.

Nepali Christmas Service

On Christmas Day, New Life Fellowship, a satellite of Ascension Lutheran Church, celebrated a great Christmas worship event at the Peace Center. The special service included many unique features, such as a multitude of decorations (two lighted Christmas trees in the altar area, plus balloons, banners, and ribbons inside the building and out), special songs, Christian dances and of course, a sermon provided by the Evangelist and Nepali Ministry Facilitator, Gagan Gurung.

The entire worship event was conducted in the Nepali language, and with more than 75 people in attendance, it was the largest service of New Life Fellowship’s eight-month existence. Interestingly, most of the participants were recent St. Louis arrivals, many from within the past six to eight months, and some from within just the past few weeks.

In addition to prayers and hymns, the service also featured multiple dances - a common worship feature in Nepal, as well as in many Lutheran congregations in India. Commitment to this part of the service can be gauged from the fact that many of the dancers practiced for two months in advance of the service!

The fellowship time immediately following the worship event featured cake and punch.

May our Lord continue to richly bless the good efforts of Evangelist Gurung and the members of New Life Fellowship.

From information and photos provided by Gagan Gurung.

More Recent Arrivals

BUDDHI & CHAMPA MONGAR & FAMILY

gagan, buddhi, yuba, abinash and champa

Please join us in welcoming Buddhi and Champa Mongar and family. Thursday, December 11, 2014 was their St. Louis arrival date, and the CFNA welcome package shown in the photo was delivered to them shortly thereafter.

Parents Buddhi and Champa were born in Bhutan and along with thousands of others, fled that country during the time of the forced Nepali exodus approximately 20 years ago. Children Yuba and Abinash were born while the family lived in a Nepali refugee camp.

The Mongars are a Christian family, and since their arrival have been attending an evangelical church in the St. Louis area, along with other members of their extended family. Pictured with them is Gagan Gurung, the CFNA Nepali Ministry Facilitator.

Recent Arrivals

TIL & MON GURUNG & FAMILY

gagan, til, mon, gurab, bhumika and surab

Among recent arrivals in St. Louis from the refugee camps in Nepal are Til and Mon Gurung, together with their three children Gurab, Bhumika and Surab. Within two weeks of their arrival CFNA was pleased to offer them a warm welcome. In addition to the collection of personal items shown in the photo, they were provided with warm blankets.

Shown in the photo with the family is Gagan Gurung, who serves with CFNA as the Nepali Ministry Facilitator. Til and Mon, together with their children, are baptized Christians and now attend New Life Fellowship which is led by Gagan. The Fellowship meets regularly at the Peace Center.

Please join us in welcoming this Gurung family to St. Louis and to the Lutheran community. We ask that you keep them in your prayers - especially Mon who struggles with hearing and speech disabilities.

New Americans of the Month

Back row: Princess, melvin, evelyn manu (godmother) Front row: ernest, christian, zahney, melvina

In 1990, with civil war spreading throughout much of Liberia, Melvin Jhloa and Princess Pyne were forced to flee, together with many others, to the neighboring country of Ivory Coast. At the time they had been living in separate communities and were unacquainted with one another.

For each it was a two day trek and in both cases the ordeal was made more difficult by the fact that no one offered them food, water or even shelter. Melvin found shelter in a refugee camp and Princess eventually found a place to live in the border town of Doublee. Here she became the fortunate recipient of food assistance provided by the UN.

Princess remained in Doublee until 1995 when the civil war in Liberia spilled over into Ivory Coast. She, together with hundreds more refugees - including Melvin - were forced to flee, and both were fortunate to find a place in the UN managed refugee camp located in a part of the country that remained unaffected by the war. It was here that Princess was baptized and it was here that she met Melvin.

Designated for resettlement in 2004, Melvin and Princess, together with daughter Melvina and son Ernest, were soon on their way to the USA with St. Louis as their final destination. Princess now works at Missouri Baptist Hospital and Melvin works at the St. Louis Psychiatric Center. Since their arrival, they have been blessed with two additional children, Christian and Zhaney.

Some months ago the Jhloa family became acquainted with Tim Schrader, a member of Timothy Lutheran Church. He invited them to visit the church and they now attend on a regular basis. On Sunday, December 21 all four Jhloa children were baptized.

From information provided by Tim Schrader

Nepali Christmas Pageant

Nepali fellowship members

The Nepali Fellowship at Messiah Lutheran Church, 2846 Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63118, conducted a Christmas worship service and provided a Christmas Pageant at the church on 13th December, 2014 from 10 am to 12 noon. More than 50 people attended, the majority of them recent Nepali believers. Pastor Michael Okine gave the Christmas message and Dr. Allan Buckman (Chairman, CFNA) and Dr. Victor Raj (Concordia Seminary, St. Louis) were special guests for the occasion.

manger scene

Along with other programs, the main attraction was a Nativity play and a special choreographed candle light dance performed by our Nepali friends. The pageant was truly beautiful, made even more so by the fact that many of the participants had only recently accepted Christ. Having never previously seen a Christmas pageant, these new believe were committed to providing one, and they were successful. The service and program were followed by a well received Nepali Christmas lunch.

Less than a year old, the Nepali community at Messiah meets every first Saturday of the month at 9:30 am for worship. This monthly fellowship provides a perfect opportunity for Nepali friends to worship in their own language, encourage each other, develop their spiritual gift and bring new friends to the church.

By Rev. Sam Thompson (Ph.D. Candidate, Concordia Seminary) Messiah Lutheran Church

CFNA Executive Director

rev. stanish stanley and wife beena with daughters catherine and riona. daughter alina not shown.

After a two month search, the CFNA Search Committee determined to offer the position of Executive Director to Rev. Stanish Stanley. The offer was accepted.

Rev. Stanley was ordained into ministry July, 2011 by the India Evangelical Lutheran Church, a Partner Church of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Presently Rev. Stanley is a graduate student at Concordia Seminary where he is in the final phase of his Ph.D. program. He anticipates completing his dissertation within the next few months.

For the past year and a half Rev. Stanley has served with CFNA as the Coordinator of the After School Tutoring program. During this time he has also led several workshops for those entering service as volunteer tutors. Additionally, he and his wife Beena have been involved in several mission interpretation events on behalf of CFNA in the St. Louis are and beyond.

A fluent speaker of English, Rev. Stanley is equally fluent in four Asian languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Marathi. While in India he served as the Pastor of a Lutheran congregation in Mumbai (Bombay), and also provided leadership for the far flung education ministry of the India Evangelical Lutheran Church. Clearly, Rev. Stanley brings considerable leadership experience in cross cultural ministry to his new position.

Rev. Stanley has been a frequent guest on KFUO where he has provided morning devotions, led Bible studies, and spoke about various topics concerning Hinduism and Christianity.

Please join us in welcoming Rev. Stanish Stanley as Executive Director of Christian Friends of New Americans!

CFNA 2014 Christmas Party

Party game

Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) concluded its After School Tutoring (AST) program for the year 2014 with a CFNA Christmas party at Epiphany Lutheran Church on Tuesday, December 16, 2014. A total of 45 students and 22 tutors, as well as the Pastor and Epiphany members, together with other CFNA friends participated in this Christmas celebration.Pastor Michael Ziegler’s message of, ‘The Father welcoming everyone into God’s house through the incarnated Baby Jesus,’ was significant in light of the diversity of children attending the party. Participants from birth nations including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nepal, Bhutan, and India alongside volunteer American tutors demonstrated the ‘community of Christ’ by transcending boundaries and coming together to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. In many ways, this celebration gave us a glimpse of the vision portrayed by St. John in Revelation:

“…behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,… and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Rev. 7: 9-10).

students and tutors

Undoubtedly, the CFNA Christmas party was able to actualize this Biblical vision only because of the commitment and efforts of all our volunteer tutors, drivers, supporters and prayer partners. Our ‘thanks’ goes to them with gratefulness, and likewise also to Village Lutheran Church for providing 45 Christmas gifts. Furthermore, we extend our thanks to Mrs. Mary Marth and the ladies from Historic Trinity for preparing macaroni and cheese for the evening. Our thanks also, to the ladies of Concordia, Kirkwood for their many home-made cookies.

CFNA cherishes the partnership and celebrates this show of Christian love and sharing. It is only because of such commitment from volunteers belonging to LCMS congregations and other Christian friends in St. Louis that CFNA is able to manifest the love of Jesus and share the ‘all embracing’ vision of Christ with our needy New American neighbors.

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year 2015!

Rev. Stanish Stanley (CFNA After School Tutoring Co-ordinator)

Word of Life’s After-School Tutoring Program

Janey menner and primary student

For the last several years, teachers at Word of Life Lutheran School have been providing a tutoring program for New American children several afternoons a week. The program is supported with funds from the Lutheran Foundation and serves students who are receiving scholarships from CFNA and also from the Today and Tomorrow Scholarship program. More than 30 students participate in the program.

Mindy Hanke, the first grade teacher, oversees the whole program. Mindy is assisted regularly by Janey Menner, a special education teacher, and by Laurie Jones, who knows all the older children well since she teaches 5th through 8th grade history. All of Word of Life’s teachers assist these teachers by communicating directly about students’ academic needs. This communication makes a real difference in the effectiveness of this program. The tutors know the background of the students and the challenges they face at home, including responsibility for younger siblings.

An example of the value of that communication among the teachers is the work that everyone engaged in last spring to help two fourth grade boys who were having lots of behavioral issues. Everyone worked together to develop stronger personal relationships with them so that the boys would see Word of Life as a safe place for them. This year the boys are thriving academically and are also participating actively at Timothy, where they are regular acolytes.

The children want to learn and do well in school, but they continue to face challenges. Many of them do not speak English at home—in fact, some speak more than one language at home. Their parents, although supportive of their educational efforts, often cannot help with homework, because they have limited English capability. In addition, many of the parents work night shift jobs, so they are not home to help with assignments.

The students are very supportive of each other—the older children often volunteer to help younger children during the tutoring sessions. And the teachers really care about these students and their futures, which is why they work together and communicate with each other about each student, giving of their time and God-given gift of teaching.

By Judith Meyer Timothy Lutheran Church

Trivia Night

Trivia players

CFNA held its seventh annual Trivia Night on Saturday, November 15th, at the Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens. Pastor Joel Christensen welcomed the attendees who enjoyed a delicious moscacioli dinner. Salad and bread was provided by Rich and Charlie’s. Homemade cookies were baked by members of a women’s Bible study group from Concordia Lutheran Church.

bingo players

Following the meal and fellowship, trivia competition and bingo games began. Joanie Harwell and Stanish Stanley read this year’s trivia questions. Jerry and Joyce Birk served as bingo callers. Throughout the evening, a silent auction offering baskets, gift certificates, and a wonderful assortment of other items was held.

Many helping hands contributed to the success of the evening. Volunteers sought and picked up donations, prepared food, organized registration, sorted auction items, set up tables and chairs, and served in countless other ways. Six New American scholarship students from Lutheran High School South were on hand to welcome attendees, direct people to their places, help with gathering Trivia answers and passing out door prizes.CFNA is especially grateful to the Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens for the use of their facilities and for their helpful support. Appreciation is also expressed to several Thrivent chapters, Christ for Youth Charity Foundation (matching funds), and to other generous donors for their support. With 312 recorded guests, it was the biggest Trivia Event to date!

Thanks to all who gave, all who came, and all who served!

Napali singers

By: Bonnie Matzat (Concordia, Kirkwood) // Photos provided by Ron Virus

Thanks Bill Matzat Servant Team!

John lautenschlager, eric gjelvik, bill matzat, bob gill, pete joyce

During the early part of October Rev. Bill Matzat and team members mostly from Concordia, Kirkwood, completed yet another Servant Event at the Peace Center – their eighth during the past few years.

Their most recent effort gave the Peace Center entrance a new look. Enhancing what had been a rather bland and not entirely inviting appearance, they installed wooden seating and attractive signage that clearly informs all who pass by, who we are and what we do.

Previous projects included the installation of glass block windows in the front, basement and rear of the building, and the construction of a student friendly play area as well as a nicely enhanced parking pad at the rear of the building. Their first project was the almost complete renovation of the fellowship area on the upper level of the building.

Our sincere thanks to Rev. Matzat and all the servants from Concordia and elsewhere, who assisted in these projects!

John Lautenschlager - Volunteer Of The Month

Dr John Lautenschlager

Volunteer of the Month

Born in Idaho, John grew up in California. A near neighbor and the missionary she married became role models and by age 11, John knew he wanted to become a missionary. This commitment stayed with him through high school, college and eventual enrollment at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

During his first year at the seminary John, acting on a desire to serve as a medical missionary, applied for admission to the St. Louis University School of Medicine, and was accepted. Following four years of medical studies and two years of supervised post graduate general practice, John and wife, Bobbie – they had been married four years earlier – accepted a call to serve as medical missionaries in Nigeria with LCMS World Mission. They, together with two year old son David and one year old daughter Katrina, arrived in 1970.

Medical mission service included 15 years in Nigeria as part of an evangelistic missionary team working among the Ukele people, plus an additional four years in Sierra Leone serving with yet another missionary team among the Kono people. After returning to the USA, Dr. Lautenschlager served for 20 years as an outpatient primary care doctor for the St. Louis County Department of Health. For most of these years he also served as a volunteer physician at Concordia Seminary.

During the past five years John has served with CFNA as a volunteer medical consultant for the Health and Wellness Screening program – a service very much appreciated by the volunteers, including several nurses, who staff this ministry. As a nurse, Bobbie also served as a medical missionary in her own right, during their 19 years in West Africa. Her service as a volunteer nurse with CFNA also continued for an extended period of time until, having battled cancer for several months, she was called home to be with her Lord in August, 2012.

In addition to being a gifted physician, John is also a gifted craftsman, having provided many repairs and “fixes” to the Peace Center over the years.

We take this opportunity to honor as our volunteer of the Month, Dr. John Lautenschlager, as well as the memory of his beloved Bobbie.

From information provided by Dr. John Lautenschlager.  

Welcome Ministry

Santosh, tika, aaiti, sandip and mani gurung

Having flown directly from Nepal via Europe, Mani and Aaiti Gurung together with sons Santosh and Sandip as well as daughter Tika, arrived at Lambert International Airport at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 3, 2014. They were met by four carloads of near relatives together with an International Institute worker who transported them to elder brother Harka Gurung’s home on Montana St. in south St. Louis. Here they were to stay for almost four weeks, thereby increasing the number of residents in Harka’s two-bedroom apartment to 12.

Mani and Aaiti both confessed to mixed emotions as their plane approached St. Louis. They were joyful at the prospect of being reunited with long separated family members, and at the same time fearful about living in a country where, among other things, they didn’t know the language. As they approached the baggage claim area, they were met by family members with what can only be described as total jubilation. Aside from family reunification, consideration for their children’s future sustained them through their uncertain journey. Both Mani and Aaiti knew their children would have far better opportunities in this country than in Nepal.

Aaiti has many family members in St. Louis including three brothers, four sisters-in-law, eight nephews, four nieces, and one grandniece. Upon arrival, their greatest immediate need was a place to stay. Pre-arrival attempts by family members to find a suitable apartment had been unsuccessful, hence the need to say with Harka’s family. Four weeks later they relocated to another relative’s flat. Less than a week thereafter they moved to their current residence, the first of their very own.

Mani and Aaiti will be quick to tell you that worship at Ascension Lutheran Church, primarily through New Life Fellowship which meets both at Ascension and the Peace Center, definitely counts as part of their family reunification experience. These have been joyful moments for the entire extended Gurung family, most of whom have become, or are in the process of becoming, members of Ascension.

When asked, they will also be quick to tell you that the church (Ascension Lutheran) and the International Institute have been the most helpful to them. Their greatest need at the moment is to learn English and “to get a simple job.” Since their arrival, CFNA has provided them with a welcome gift, aided them with their Health and Wellness screening and enrolled their children in the After School Tutoring Program at the Peace Center.

Should anyone know of a job opportunity, please be in touch with Gagan Gurung at 314-708-9554 or Richard Leigh at 314-315-7084.

By: Gagan Gurung with Richard Leigh