Thank You LCEF!

lcef and cfna staff getting ready to unload

Editor’s Note: Recently, the Nurture Committee of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund collected over 6,000 household items for distribution among people in need. When asked why Christian Friends of New Americans was chosen as the recipient of this huge gift, President, and CEO, Rev. Bart Day replied:

“CFNA has been working tirelessly in St. Louis to help resettle refugees and connect them with congregations and the gospel of Jesus. LCEF wanted to be a part of that great work of resettlement. This is a small way to welcome these new Americans and assure them they have a place here with us.”

LCEF Senior Content Writer, Demian Farnworth, shares the following:

“On Dec. 5, 2017, employees from Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) unloaded thousands of essential household items from a 17-foot long moving truck.

some of the more than 6,000 household items

“These items—which included 3,772 rolls of toilet paper, 1,329 packages of toothbrushes and toothpaste, 540 bars of soap, 406 large laundry detergent bottles and scores of shampoo bottles, bundles of paper towels, blankets and more—were donated to the non-profit organization Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA).

“To collect the household items, the Nurture Committee, an LCEF group in charge of employee events, planned a Thanksgiving Holiday Drive. Ministry Support Coordinator, Allison Rose, organized the collection and delivery. The department that donated the most goods would win a lunch prepared by President and CEO, Rev. Bart Day.”

Please Note: Because of the sheer size of this gift, CFNA has organized a “Christmas Give-Away Event” to be held at the Peace Center on December 20 and 21. Numerous recently arrived refugee families will be invited to the Peace Center for the distribution. Please check the January issue for an update!

Rev. Teddy Workeneh Installation

installation service. l to r: dr. tim saleska, dr. stanish stanley, rev teddy workeneh, rev. bill wilson (officiant), dr. allan buckman, rev. bill geis

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Math. 9:37–38)

On Sunday, December 17, Rev. Theodros (Teddy) Workeneh was installed as an Evangelistic Missionary of Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) at Timothy Lutheran Church in St. Louis. Pastor Teddy graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 2017, and had been pastoring for more than 20 years previously in Ethiopia. In 2013, he came to the United States to serve for a year as an associate pastor in a Washington D. C. congregation of the Ethiopian Lutheran Church. Thereafter he was enrolled as a graduate student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

While a student, he served with CFNA part-time as a facilitator for work among Ethiopian and Eritrean people. This resulted in the establishment of the small, but continuously growing Ethiopian/Eritrean Bible Fellowship. Pastor Teddy and his wife Aynalem (Ayni) have two children, Kibur and Leyu, and are members of Timothy Lutheran Church.

rev. workeneh and family. l to r: anaylem, leyu, kibur, rev. workeneh

The installation was a milestone event for the Workeneh family, CFNA, Timothy Lutheran Church and the LCMS Missouri District; all of whom have joined together to support this very focused mission initiative among the people of this substantial ethnic community. Clearly, this commitment to dynamic mission outreach represents a step into the future. As immigrant believers become members of established churches, or form their own Bible Fellowship as satellites of established congregations, they bring with them their unique characteristics. These include a passion for relationship-based evangelism, multi-generational koinonia, servant-based fellowship and discipleship.

In Pastor Teddy’s words, “The installation service was a moving and inspiring event, for which I am utterly grateful. Moreover, the presence of representatives from CFNA and the LCMS Missouri District, along with numerous friends and families, including those from the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities, made it even more special. On behalf of my family and the members of the Ethiopian/Eritrean Fellowship, I offer my sincere thanks to CFNA and Timothy Lutheran Church for their friendship, fellowship, and generous hospitality.”

By: Rev. Teddy Workeneh, with Rev. Allan Buckman

Penny Drive!

riley with happy recipients shresti and sanjay

two very happy recipients

with a congolese family

The National Honor Society (NHS) at Lutheran South hosted a penny drive in which classes competed against one another to see which could donate the most. Together they raised more than $1,600 and decided to use the funds to provide Christmas gifts for six CFNA families. Eighty NHS members worked together to count pennies, shop, wrap presents, sort gifts and more! On Tuesday, December 12th, the NHS members visited the adopted families and delivered more than 80 Christmas presents.

"It was incredible to get to visit these recently arrived families from Nepal, Congo and elsewhere, and to be welcomed into their homes. It was so fun to see the kids open their gifts. “The service project was a lot of hard work, but it was all worth it in the end when we saw their smiling faces," says LHSS senior Hunter Hickerson. Senior Lauren Chong says, "I am so blessed we got to be God's messengers and were able to share His love this Christmas season."

The National Honor Society looks forward to continuing their work with CFNA in the years to come. God truly worked in a big way this year!

By Riley Schelp President, National Honor Society, LHSS Member, Concordia, Kirkwood

Christmas Party

“Pastor Stanish are you coming?… we are waiting,” said Charles Nshimiyamana as I picked up his phone call on the evening of Tuesday, December 12th. The occasion was the CFNA After- School Tutoring Christmas Party to be held that day at Epiphany Lutheran Church, Holly Hills.

The excitement was contagious as other New American kids also made sure they were picked up for the evening. By the end, over 30 American volunteers were joined by approximately 70 refugee kids from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Congo, Mexico, Nigeria, Nepal, Sudan, and Syria for the party, several of them of Muslim origin. Managed by CFNA volunteer tutor, Mrs. Jennifer Janssen, and the event registrar, Ms. Sandy Gerber, the kids enjoyed a special evening of games and art projects, as they celebrated the birthday of baby Jesus, complete with a beautiful birthday cake. Additionally, the meal graciously provided by the Trinity (Soulard) Women’s Bible Study group, facilitated engaging conversations between kids and their mentors gathered around numerous dining tables.

The meal and the games were followed by a dramatized version of the birth of Jesus provided by Pastor Michael Zeigler in the church sanctuary. After the close of the worship service, the students offered a loud and prolonged cheer of appreciation for their volunteer tutors. As the entire program drew to a close, the kids were invited to take Christmas gifts with them on their way home. In their own way, gifts serve as a reminder of God’s gift of His Son, Jesus.

participants

For these gifts, CFNA thanks partners: Village Lutheran Church, Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, New Beginnings Lutheran Church, and Lutheran High School South who collectively provided the more than 140 gifts that were distributed. (See “Penny Drive” for the distribution of the LHSS gifts!) Likewise, CFNA celebrates and greatly appreciates the committed service of its volunteer tutors and drivers. Fifteen-year-old Maureen Kayesu from the Congo observed, “all these American friends are helping us with our studies and now with gifts for our families... thank you for Christians and Christmas.”

CFNA offers its gratitude to all who helped make this party such a special event!

Prepared by Pastor Stanish Stanley 12.16.17

worship service

busy kitchen crew

Pastor Bob Coffey - Associate Of The Month

some very attentive students

CFNA Associate of the Month

The English as Second Language (ESL) ministry, one of the oldest CFNA outreach programs, continues to deliver great impact! When the previous ESL facilitator, Mrs. Christa Wilson Earl, moved to Connecticut with her husband Rev. Brian Earl and newborn baby, CFNA began a search for a replacement. Pastor Bob Coffey (popularly known as Teacher Bob!) quickly became the obvious choice.

A CFNA volunteer ESL teacher for the past six months, Pastor Bob was born in Amarillo, Texas. After retiring from the Illinois Department of Transportation, he became more involved with church ministry and teaching. Baptized at First Christian Church, Belleville, IL in 1977, he later served that congregation as elder, deacon and chairman of the board. Eight years ago, he graduated with a degree in Adult Ministry from St. Louis Christian College, and began serving as guest preacher in the United Church of Christ (UCC). Around this time, he also received a Masters in TESOL from Lincoln University, and started volunteering at the International Institute as an ESL teacher. He is married to ­­­Carolyn, a retired teacher, and has three daughters and three grandchildren.

bob coffey and class

Pastor Bob began service with CFNA after visiting its website and having a conversation with Mrs. Carol Buckman. He is presently teaching Adult ESL at Nahed Chapman Academy, and does ESL testing in the St. Louis Public Schools. Even though teaching English to refugees can be very challenging, he relishes interacting with people from different cultures and confides that “working with refugees in St. Louis gives me a wider vision of the world than what I had in the past.”

For this, Pastor Bob sees CFNA as a facilitator of Christian witness. “CFNA’s service matters because the Lord has brought all these people from various countries to our doorstep who normally would not hear the Gospel… and we don’t have to spend the money to travel to faraway places to share the message… we are provided with the opportunity to be part of our Lord’s mission to the world.”

We wish Pastor Bob the very best as he takes up this responsibility to teach and touch the lives of New Americans by teaching the language of their new home country.

Prepared by Rev. Stanish Stanley 11/13/17

Trunk or Treat!

gathering candy

puppets and candy

having a great time!

Trick or treating is a big part of American culture in the fall. The National Honor Society (NHS) at Lutheran High School South wanted to provide a safe area for the kids at CFNA to go trick or treating while sharing the love of Christ with them as well.

Approximately 65 CFNA kids, together with 20 or more volunteers, came to the Lutheran South parking lot on buses and spent the evening collecting candy, playing games, and forming relationships. More than 80 students of Lutheran High School South teamed together to decorate 27 trunks. Each trunk had a theme, costumes, and passed out different candy. There was also a campfire, s’mores, a movie, and a photo booth. The Affton Fire Department was also there, passing out candy, letting children climb in the fire truck, and sharing fire safety tips. At the end, the NHS lead a short devotion in which they compared the Christian faith to a Jack-o-Lantern.

To come together like this in Christian fellowship was a great experience for both the students of Lutheran South and the children of CFNA. “Trunk or Treat was so fun! We worked really hard to get it organized and I'm so glad it turned out so great. I'm grateful that I got to build a deeper relationship with so many great New American kids through something we could both enjoy,” said Avery Starnes, a Junior at Lutheran South and a member of the NHS executive board. “I think it was a great experience overall for everybody involved, and I can't wait to do it again next year.”

By Riley Schelp Concordia Lutheran Church, Kirkwood

Trivia Event 2017

Artist vesna delveska and friend

CFNA held its tenth annual Trivia Night on Saturday, November 11th, at The Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens with over 300 in attendance. They were welcomed by Pastor Joel Christensen and enjoyed a delicious chili dinner. Thanks to Rich and Charlie’s for the donation of salad and bread as well as to Frandeka Meat Market for the chili meat. Homemade cookies were provided by bakers from Peace, Christ Memorial and Concordia Lutheran Churches. Appreciation is expressed to Linda Marshall and her small group Bible study helpers from Webster Gardens for preparing and serving the food.

Following the meal, trivia competition and bingo games began. Joanie Harwell and Rev. Stanish Stanley, CFNA Executive Director, read this year’s trivia questions which were written by Dorothy Rodriguez. 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. Also included in the auction was a beautiful oil painting created by Vesna Delevska during the evening.

Many helping hands contributed to the success of the evening. Volunteers sought and picked up donations, prepared food, wrote trivia questions, organized registration, sorted auction items, set up tables and chairs, and served in countless other ways. New American Folk Dancers, under the direction of Diana Wolf, entertained attendees. Bingo players were also entertained by a balloon creation maker and a clown.

kitchen crew

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 our generous donors and sponsors for their gifts. Proceeds from the event assist CFNA in reaching out with the Gospel message to immigrants and refugees in our area. Thanks to Committee Chair, Carol Buckman and all the Committee members for their hard work, as well as to all who gave, came, and served!

By Bonnie Matzat Concordia Lutheran Church

more than 300 participants

New american family with balloon art

CFNA Loves GOLF

“Chip shot”

Grace – By God’s GRACE, we have a myriad of opportunities to share the Gospel of Christ Jesus. All levels of golfers, from novice to veteran, from high to low handicapper, from hacker to ringer showed up to play on October 10th at Norwood Hills on a cloudy day. No matter. The event drew more than 75 linksters. By God’s grace we all braved a brief shower and finished on time.

Outpouring – No, I am not referring to the precipitation that watered the verdant greens and fairways. Rather the OUTPOURING of generosity by the participants who supported the Christian Friends of New Americans ministry. A portion of the green fees, sponsorships, auction items, and outright donations was simply amazing. A total of more than $30,000 was raised to support this valuable ministry as CFNA seeks to assist legal immigrants and refugees in getting a fresh start.

(l to r) rev. A. buckman, aminata sesay, alimatu sesay

Love – There are many motivations for doing what we do. One of the most powerful is LOVE. As Christ’s followers, we are moved by His love to serve others, particularly those who suffer. Love was demonstrated at the CFNA Golf Tournament in so many ways; from those who sacrificed hours and energy to plan, organize, and implement each aspect of the tournament to the sponsorships and donations, to the actual “hands-on” ministry done at CFNA.

fellowship time

Fun – Without a doubt, the tournament and subsequent banquet were FUN. Our Lord desires that our lives are abundant with fellowship, friendships, and fun. Hard work and good planning resulted in a successful event. Aside from the fun aspect, there was great joy in knowing that CFNA makes a difference in the lives of people. A marvelous presentation by Alimatu and Aminata Sesay told the story of how CFNA changed the lives of their family in a dramatic way. We who know God’s Grace, respond with an Outpouring of Love while having Fun…GOLF. 

By Rev. Eric Erkkinen Concordia, Kirkwood

Thank You Christ Memorial!

Pastor momoh, jill harmon and lauren anderson paint the basement ceiling.

ann anderson and edie liebel wash floor mats.

On Saturday, October 7, a group of 10 people from Christ Memorial Lutheran Church and its Reliant community spent the day at CFNA. This group was part of a bigger event for Christ Memorial, the 4th annual Loved + Sent Servant Event where 415 individuals served at 35 sites across St. Louis. For the 4th year in a row, Christ Memorial chose to send a group to CFNA.

The major accomplishments of the day included tuck-pointing the south exterior wall, painting the ceiling in the basement dance room, removing paint and repainting a corner of the chapel, washing dance mats, and painting the north door framing. Thrivent Action Team dollars funded the supplies for the day, while Matt Barnes of Reliant provided expertise to train group members.

"We are a community loved deeply by God, and sent into the world to show that love to other people. Today we showed His love in tangible ways for the physical building. We know CFNA is consistent with their work to minister to the community, and we hope our improvements will uplift the people who use the building!"

By Dawn Martin Christ Memorial Lutheran Church

Life Throws Many Things At Us

2 Peter 3:14 – “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”

Someone once said, “Proper prior planning prevents poor performance.” Planning is absolutely vital these days. How do you prepare for the future? Of course, that depends on what events are pending. Life can throw so many things at us.

Years ago, I played Little League Baseball. One of my early coaches gathered all the players on our team together and told us the obvious. “Guys, every time you take the field, ask yourself one question… ‘what if the ball comes to me?’” That is a good question for many aspects of life. What will you do if the ball comes to you?

Peter writes in his second letter to the church, “make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace” with our Lord. Those three efforts are a wonderful pattern for our lives. So many things come at us in this life. Change is all around us, unexpected events occur, and crises can overwhelm us. How do we handle it?

With prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit, we make every effort to live as one who is a child of God and disciple of Christ, spotless and blameless. And because Christ suffered, died, and rose again victorious over sin, we live in total peace with our Lord. We cannot do this by our own efforts. Christ Jesus makes us spotless, blameless, and gives us peace. Now we can face the future fearlessly.

Rev. Eric J. Erkkinen Chaplain, U.S. Army (ret.)

May God Bless You Today

andrew bergantz, noah and ethan gjelvik add mulch to the playground

children enjoying the playground

installing a new window

Thank you, Dr. Bill Matzat and Concordia Lutheran Church Kirkwood! May God Bless You Today!

Dr. Bill Matzat and many Concordia, Kirkwood members together with Peace Center volunteers from around the world have helped make the Peace Center much more beautiful and functional. Bill’s painstaking grouting May God Bless You Today above the entrance welcomes everyone! The team has further enhanced the entrance with a wall of glass block windows and more decorative wood work that names the building and our purpose.

bill with eric Gjelvik, Dr. john lautenschlager, bob gill and others.

During the past eleven years the CFNA Peace Center at 4019 S. Grand Blvd., has been the beneficiary of no less that 11 (yes, 11!) renovation and/or enhancement projects provided by servant event teams from Concordia. These teams led by Rev. Bill Matzat have made the entire facility more efficient, eye-pleasing and safer.

The first project was the renovation of the kitchen and fellowship room. Tearing off outdated wall paper, adding coats of fresh paint and new tile flooring added much beauty and warmth. Notable improvements elsewhere in the building included glass block windows for the first floor Computer Room and basement areas, providing a feeling of space and light as well as adding security. More protection was added with wire mesh cages for our a/c and windows not visible from the street. The parking area was covered with a wooden deck and now is always dry for games. A playground was created with decking, seating areas, flowering trees, play equipment, and fencing. The most recent servant event, this past June, added a horizontal ladder (see photo).

Thank you Pastor Bill, Concordia servant event participants, and our New American friends for a job well done! May God bless you today!

Rev. Al & Carol Buckman Concordia, Kirkwood

A St. Louis Missionary

Rev. workeneh, wife ayni and family

Rev. Theodors (Teddy) Workeneh, together with his wife and family, arrived St. Louis on July 28, 2014 from Ethiopia to enroll as a graduate student at Concordia Seminary. The following month he began part time service with CFNA as a Facilitator. In addition to facilitating the enrollment of Ethiopian and Eritrean refugee children into LCMS schools, he was also responsible for maintaining relationships between the schools and the families of these students.

In July of this year, having graduated with a Masters degree in Sacred Theology, Teddy began service with CFNA as a full time missionary among the 5,000 Ethiopian and 1,500 Eritrean people in the St. Louis area. Though a large majority consider themselves to be part of the Christian community, less than 25 percent are active in any Christian denomination. A mission field to be sure!

rev. workeneh with leaders

As would any missionary, Rev. Workeneh began his ministry by building relationships. Not only has he been reaching out to numerous families through the distribution of welcome packages, home furnishings and more, he has also established relationships with the leaders of the local Ethiopian and Eritrean communities.

The needs of these communities are not only reflected in the afore-mentioned activities, but also in the After School Tutoring program Rev. Teddy recently established at the Peace Center. Additionally, a leadership training class has also been started, in which three young men from Ethiopia and Eritrea have been enrolled.

Indeed, challenges and opportunities abound for this ministry, and the approximately 30 people now meeting weekly for Bible Study at the Peace Center. Clearly, with God’s blessings, Rev. Workeneh is off to a great start. Moreover, his partners at CFNA, the LCMS Missouri District and Timothy Lutheran Church are fully prepared to be of further assistance. Let’s be sure to keep Rev. Teddy and his family in our prayers.

By Rev. Allan Buckman, with Rev. Teddy Workeneh

rev. workeneh and members

Jaylynn Bernhardt

Editors Note: Born in Romania and adopted at the age of four, Jaylynn is one of approximately a dozen Lutheran Young Adult Corps volunteers assisting congregations and mission societies of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod this year. Resembling the Peace Corps, this innovative LCMS program only recently became fully operational. Here Jaylynn tells her story.

I was raised in Portland, OR by my parents, Douglas and Karen Bernhardt, with six older siblings. After graduating from high school last year, I completed one year of studies at Southwestern College in Oregon majoring in childhood development and family studies.

Earlier this year I found out about the Lutheran Young Adult Corps. It gives young people from all around the country the opportunity to serve in different cities, doing various types of work with churches and organizations. For the next ten months I will be serving with CFNA and also with the Compass/Intersect program at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, both located in south St. Louis.

I very much look forward to working with all the volunteers and families affiliated with CFNA. Because I too, am from another country, I have a special place in my heart for working with people who are from other countries.

In my free time I enjoy swimming, dancing, listening to music, and being with my friends and family. I am very blessed to be able to be part of CFNA and see all of the wonderful works of service CFNA provides for people. A big thank you to everyone who has welcomed me into this program and for your love, teaching, and warm fellowship. It is great to see how awesome St. Louis, and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod really are!

By All Possible Means

By All Possible Means

The Apostle Paul writes: “I have become all things to all people that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Paul writes that although he is a totally free person, he chooses to make himself a servant, a “slave to everyone” so that he might bring the good news of Jesus to as many people as possible. It seems to me that the mission of Christian Friends of New Americans is like that. I have seen different ethnic refugee groups and families come to the Peace Center and participate in activities.

In that setting and in other churches, people of good will have reached out to welcome new refugees to our city and nation. For Christians, the goal is to share God’s love so that “by all possible means” we can connect them to Jesus and His body of followers, the church.

Helping at the Peace Center is hard work — always a degree of chaos, and lots of help needed with transportation, program support, volunteer recruitment, fund-raising, and facility upkeep But we see the CFNA vision bearing fruit as we continue to reach out to new families, to people young and old, over and over, so that “by all means” we might share with them the love of God in Jesus Christ, which is the “power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16).

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for the opportunity to reach out to New Americans. Help us to rejoice in the work of the Holy Spirit in the refugee community, and give us lasting joy as we share the love of Christ with people of “every tribe and nation” in as many ways as possible. Amen.

Chaplain Ted Wuerffel St. Louis, MO

LWML Mission Trip

shresti counting jars

making progress

The lwml team with some happy recipients

Our 2017 LWML short-term mission trip to Christian Friends of New Americans was truly a blessing. Five sisters in Christ from the North Wisconsin District, one from Minnesota, and two from St. Louis took part in this servant event among refugee women and children.

On Friday, July 28, 2017 we held a Vacation Bible School with 26 children registered. It began with music and an opening devotion. The children were then separated into groups and were guided from crafts to lessons, and then to various activities including snacks. We closed with a puppet skit as well as water games outdoors. The children were such a joy to work with. They all seemed very excited to be part of our Vacation Bible School. Later in the early evening we did some cleaning and painting around the Peace Center.

On Saturday, we took some of the refugee women to Eckert Farmers Market to purchase fresh peaches. We enjoyed lunch with the women, and later shared God’s Word. Then we taught them how to can freezer jam. To be sure, they were pleased to take freezer jam home to share with their families.

The photo at the top was taken during our canning demonstration. The mother in the foreground, together with her two children, also joined us for the Vacation Bible School. We were so blessed to be with the women and children, and what a great opportunity to share God’s Word and His love with all of them.

Serving the Lord with Gladness!

In Christ,

Mary Scharenbrock Second Vice President, North Wisconsin District LWML

Closing the Gap

Getting ready. Students and book bags

Every year, families with school-age kids spend hundreds of dollars on school supplies. For some parents, especially among New Americans, providing backpacks and basic school supplies for their children may constitute a genuine financial challenge.

This year members of Concordia Lutheran Church, Kirkwood stepped up with a substantial collection of back packs and school supplies for distribution among New Americans. Twenty-three recently arrived Ethiopian and Eritrean children were the beneficiaries, and it was a blessing to see how these gifts brightened the faces — and the hearts — of these children. As an LCMS pastor to the Eritrean and Ethiopian immigrant community, I gratefully acknowledge and thank the generous donors and the congregation, without whose timely support this much appreciated assistance for these families would not have been possible.

pastor workeneh with a happy recipient

Among Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrants, a significant gap exists between those who regularly gather around God’s Word and those who do not. Clearly, God uses the generosity of His servants to further establish His Kingdom, especially among these immigrant people. Those of us who lead this effort are very much enabled by your continued generosity, and we request your continued prayers and financial support. Questions? Please contact me at ayted94@gmail.com.

We praise God for His many blessings!

By Rev. Theodors (Teddy) Workeneh Evangelistic Missionary Ethiopian/Eritrean Bible Fellowship

CFNA’s YMCA Swim Program

having fun!

“Pastor Stanish… is there swim today? I want to come; please wait for me, okay?…”, was Abishek Gurung’s plea when he realized that he and his group of friends were a little late. The bus taking them to the Summer Swim Program at the O’Fallon Park YMCA was about to leave. He was among the 60 New American youngsters registered for an event that was designed not only to teach swimming skills, but also to strengthen relationships between CFNA and New Americans in the south St. Louis area.

With students from nine different birth nations (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Iraq, Nepal, Syria, and Congo), the program definitely provided a genuine cross-cultural experience for all involved. In addition to the students and a half dozen well-qualified, service-oriented YMCA staffers, 10 CFNA volunteers were also available to assist with logistics and provide valuable mentoring. Every swim class featured a devotion during gathering time at the Peace Center.

Three weeks later, the program concluded with a fun ice cream party, also at the Peace Center. Swimmer Gojam Tuka declared the entire program to be “really good” and asked, “Will we go next week too?” “Maybe next year” was my reply.

At the pool

A sincere thank you to the O’Fallon Park YMCA for the use of their facilities, to Carol Buckman for having made the arrangements, to Lutheran High School South for the use of their bus, and to Pam Fox (Ascension Lutheran Church) and Laura Jostes (Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens) for obtaining Thrivent grants to help cover the cost. Thanks also to the CFNA volunteers who took time out of their busy schedules to mentor and care for the young swimmers.

To God alone be the glory!

By:  Rev. Stanish Stanley Executive Director - CFNA

Life Skills

abby and some of the demonstration participants

What do you do with an over-abundance of tomatoes? How about a canning class at CFNA? Here Abby Wuerffel shares her experience:

On Tuesday, July 25, seven refugee ladies, along with three of their young girls, met with Nawal Orsan, Beena Stanish, Joanie Harwell, and me at the Peace Center to watch a canning demonstration. Using large kettles and a quart-jar grid insert, we canned 17 quarts of tomatoes. That was a pretty good accomplishment on the small residential stove at the Peace Center! With the help of Nawal to translate recipe directions into Arabic, and with the friendly spirit of Joanie to make the ladies feel comfortable, and with Beena's help at the stove, everything went well.

Each of the immigrant ladies took a part in the canning process — from heating the jars thoroughly in very hot water to waiting for the “pop!” when the jars sealed. And everyone was able to take home two jars of beautiful canned tomatoes. It was a rewarding and enjoyable experience. By myself, it would have been too much to pull together, but with the help of the other CFNA volunteers, it worked out wonderfully well. Everyone enjoyed the canning experience and the time together.

very much involved

Thanks to everyone who helped make the event a success, including the drivers who provided transportation. And special thanks to Mike Wuerffel for providing many delicious  tomatoes from his wonderful garden. Finally, we offer thanks to the Lord for His great favor toward us in ”establishing the work of our hands!”

By Abby Wuerffel Timothy Lutheran Church

Editor’s note: During a recent Asset Mapping Event the sharing of life skills emerged as a future ministry possibility. Our thanks to Abby for sharing her experience.

YES It Was the 1950s

It was the 1950s and the Korean War was raging. Small group Bible studies met in homes and many prayers were said for beloved soldiers. But this evening was different. The Moores arrived and began to share a letter from their son, Gibby. He said he did not want to tell them he had volunteered for a dangerous mission that had to be done. He knew that someone from his troop would be assigned. He shared that he had volunteered because he knew that if he were hit and killed, he would go to Heaven.

Yes, he was hit in the chest and it might have been a deadly wound but this was a young Christian man who boldly carried a Gideon New Testament in his breast pocket. The bullet lodged there. Some said, I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

The 1950s was not an easy time; there were no emails, no video conferencing, no long-distance phone calls but more prayers were said. As we remember those days, we must also remember to continue to pray for God’s protection for our service men and their families today who deal with the physical wounds seen and the emotional wounds unseen.

Carol Buckman St. Louis, MO   

Someone Special

aminata is presented to those gathered

For the first time a New American student is named Valedictorian of her graduating class. This happened during the 2017 graduation ceremonies at Word of Life Lutheran School. Aminata Sesay, who arrived in St. Louis with her grandmother as refugees from Liberia, West Africa approximately 10 years ago, was the recipient.

It was not easy, as the challenge of numerous cultural and linguistic differences had to be overcome. But Aminata, with help from her teachers, the encouragement of her grandmother Alimatu, and the support of the membership of Timothy Lutheran Church, overcame them all. During her eight years at Word of Life, Aminata was the recipient of scholarships provided by Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA).

aminata with classmates

On graduation night, she not only gave the Valedictorian address, but also received the school’s annual Christian Leadership Award. In excerpts from her speech on graduation, Aminata shared, “We’ve experienced many things, good and bad, during our time here at Word of Life… and we’ve learned many crucial lessons… and the most important lesson he [8th Grade teacher Travis Besel] taught us is to know our identity as a child of God.” She went on to say, “…I’m going to sound like a mom for saying this, but I am really proud of every single one of you for coming this far. I hope you excel further in life.”

Alimatu Sesay, Aminata’s grandmother, shared some of her granddaughter’s extraordinary story in an address to the Timothy congregation. “I want to thank Aminata for her hard work and good behavior. Since she has started attending this school I have not received any negative report from her teachers or from the school on your behavior.” She went on to thank pastors, principals, teachers, drivers, and the church for giving a good education to her granddaughters.  “I want you all to know that since I came to the United States of America, Timothy Lutheran Church has been there for me, as the only family I have in this country. They have provided me with all the assistance I needed both material and spiritual, including educating my grandchildren.”

aminata

As a Timothy Lutheran staff member, I have observed Aminata in Sunday school, confirmation, Christmas programs, VBS, volunteering, sports, service projects, and youth events. She consistently approaches the challenges of life with faith, hard work, dedication, thoughtfulness, perseverance, gratefulness, friendship and love.

Aminata is a genuine inspiration who encourages us all. She told her 8th grade class and everyone gathered at graduation on May 25, 2017, “In a world like ours we’re taught to do what makes us feel good. But God says otherwise. Romans 12:2 says, ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ And sometimes what the world says and what God says can put us at a crossroads.”

By holding on to her identity in the Triune God and following His will to pursue excellence and provide servant leadership, Aminata serves an excellent example for all of us.

By Mark Thompson Timothy Lutheran Church