CFNA Scholarships Make a Difference

Patricia Massalay

David Mulat

Secondo Kaka

In its thirteenth year, the CFNA Scholarship Program continues its support of New American students as they attend Lutheran schools in the St. Louis region. This year, 3 students graduated from the Lutheran High Schools, and two from Word of Life.

Secondo Kaka, who was born in Eritrea, has been supported since he was in fourth grade at Word of Life and graduated from Lutheran North in May. He plans to attend the University of Missouri St. Louis, majoring in biology. Patricia Massalay, who arrived in St. Louis from Sierra Leone just three years ago, graduated from Lutheran South and will probably attend the Florissant Valley campus of St. Louis Community College since her family moved to Florissant right after she graduated. David Mulat, born in Ethiopia, has been supported since fifth grade at Word of Life. He graduated from Lutheran South, where he earned the Social Science Department scholarship. He will be attending Lindenwood University with a substantial scholarship; he will study international relations and participate in track and cross country.

Kibur Bezabin, whose family is from Ethiopia, and Ezekiel Samking, who was born in Sierra Leone, both graduated from Word of Life. Kibur is moving to Atlanta with his family; his father took a pastoral call there. Ezekiel is going to Lutheran South.

In 2018–19, the CFNA scholarship program supported 12 elementary students at 4 Lutheran schools: Word of Life, Immanuel Olivette, Grace Chapel, and Christ Community. In addition, the program supported 13 high school students at Lutheran South and Lutheran North.

Funds for all these scholarships came from generous individual donors, congregations, a parochial school in St. Charles County, and the National Ministries program of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. All of those gifts were matched by a generous grant from the Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis, which has supported this program from its inception.

By Judith Meyer

Eagle Scout Benefits CFNA

Ready to Play!

Caleb Hutchison and Pastor Stanish Stanley

Growing up with Christian Friends of New Americans has made a great impact on my life. Through the Family-to-Family ministry, I had the privilege of connecting with an amazing family from Nepal at an early age, gaining experiences that would change my life and the way I viewed the world forever. Much more recently, however, I had a unique opportunity to give something back to this incredible community through my Eagle Scout Project. While this construction project certainly taught me much about leadership and responsibility, it also led me to be a part of something much larger than myself. Ultimately, it allowed my troop and I to equip CFNA with one more platform from which they can impact lives in St. Louis.

My Eagle project journey began one year ago during Spring Break from 8th grade when I met with Pastor Stanish Stanley to discuss a possible Eagle Scout Project at the Peace Center. After reviewing many possibilities, we finally settled on doing something to improve the lower-level art space. Pastor Stanley requested two new chess tables for the room so he could begin a chess club for refugee children. He also asked me to build a small drawer to store the chess pieces… which turned out to be much more challenging than I had originally thought! After hours of planning and design, my Scout Troop joined me for a workday this spring to build the tables from scratch. Many additional hours were spent meticulously painting the chess boards before I had the privilege of delivering the final product to the Peace Center. The chess tables turned out beautifully and will be a great addition for the future CFNA Chess Club!

The process of organizing and leading my Troop to construct the tables was a fantastic experience and taught me much about planning and problem-solving. Teamwork also played an extremely important role in the completion of the tables, as I could not have done any of this on my own! My prayer is for God to use these new chess tables as an instrument through which people can connect over a game of chess, bringing the entire community together. I hope that relationships are formed and strengthened around these two handmade tables and that God will continue to be glorified through the awesome ministry of CFNA.

By Caleb Hutchison

Persistence

Flora and Eric with the Ford Focus

Buying and registering a vehicle in America can be tough to navigate, regardless of where you come from. But when you are from a foreign country and don’t even speak the language, tough can quickly become nearly impossible.

Fortunately, volunteers like Pastor Ted Wuerffel are available to help, making the process a little smoother—and opening up a new world of possibility—for the New Americans CFNA serves.

When Andy and Betsy Sell decided to sell their 2009 Ford Focus a couple of months ago, they told Pastor Stanish Stanley they wanted to open up the sale to CFNA families in need of a vehicle. Around the same time, Eric Mukindi and Flora Muvara, a married couple from the Congo, came to the Peace Center with the hope of buying a car—a necessity, they felt, for securing new job and educational opportunities for them and their three children.

Pastor Stanish connected the family with Pastor Wuerffel, who helps with pre-exam driver’s testing at the Peace Center and had assisted another South City family with their car registration. Pastor Wuerffel spent a day walking Eric and Flora through the Missouri Department of Transportation forms for the sale and registration of the vehicle.

But the whole process, like many legalities, turned into more of an ordeal than the pastor had anticipated. After waiting in the Maplewood DMV License Office, the trio discovered that because Eric and Flora rent their home, own no other vehicle, and legally own no property in general, they could not provide proof of paying city property tax. They needed a waiver, so they and Pastor Wuerffel headed to City Hall to get one.

Ted Wuerffel

This, too, took several hours to play out because Flora does not yet have a driver’s license, Eric is legally blind, and the two have different surnames—in the Congolese culture, a woman does not take the last name of her husband when she marries.

These unusual circumstances initially prevented the two from registering joint ownership of the vehicle. But with Pastor Wuerffel’s help—and persistence!—the couple was able to arrange a somewhat convoluted but valid way to ensure that they both had legal rights on their car’s paperwork.

Once the registration was finalized, Pastor Wuerffel spent even more of his time teaching Flora about the basics of car ownership and handling.For Pastor Wuerffel, the most rewarding part of the experience was “to know that [Flora’s] ability to drive and helping [the couple] get into that good used car opens up many doors for them… It’s almost an essential thing in America to have personal transportation.”

If you have a car to donate or sell at low cost, or if you are interested in helping CFNA families navigate the legal system or learn to drive, please contact CFNA at mail@cfna-stl.org.

By Samantha Hoyt Lutheran Young Adult Corps

Baptisms and Confirmations

Ready for membership

Fellowship

The class with Pastor Tanney

On Sunday, June 9, 2 Nepali people were baptized and 27 confirmed at St. Johns Lutheran Church in urban St. Louis. This was one of their largest confirmation classes in the past 70 years.

Five years ago, members of the small but growing Anugrah (Grace) House Church approached Rev. Michael Tanney to request space at St. Johns for their weekly fellowship. It should be noted that Anugrah members were made up entirely of recently arrived refugees from Nepal. What began as little more than a commercial transaction developed into a relationship as a bond with Rev. Tanney began to grow.

When asked, “Why does St. Johns matter to you?” Anugrah leader Nabin Samal will tell you that “the members of St. Johns want us to be there, and they have kind hearts. Not only did they provide us with worship space, they also hosted picnics which always turned into warn fellowship events. Moreover, Rev. Tanney always provided messages of hope and joy whenever we invited him to preach at our worship gatherings.

”In July, 2017, Anugrah Church leaders, Nabin Samal and Bhim Mongar, began a careful study of Luther’s Small Catechism under the guidance of Rev. Tanney. Seven months later, they were accepted as members of St. Johns. In June, 2018, a class for all 35 members of the Anugrah Fellowship was started. The class continued meeting weekly with Rev. Tanney until shortly before their confirmation on June 9.

When asked about the future, Nabin will be pleased to tell you about his plans to work with others to reach out to the more than 1,000 unbelieving Nepali people in the St. Louis area. Additionally, he also hopes to start another missionary effort among Nepali people living in Ohio.

Nabin, Bhim, and six others now meet weekly at the Peace Center in a Leadership Formation class sponsored by Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA). Upon completing this class later this year, they hope to be enrolled in Concordia Seminary’s Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT). In addition to Pastor Tanney and the members of St. Johns, please pray for Nabin, Bhim and all of the recently confirmed Nepali members as they continue their spiritual journey in the multiethnic environment of urban St. Louis.

By Rev. Al Buckman with Rev. Michael Tanney and Nabin Samal

My Journey: Charles Nshimiyimana

The soccer player

Charles, now 18, was born and raised in the Nyakivale Refugee Camp in western Uganda. His parents had fled there to escape a brutal civil war raging in Congo. When he was 15, Charles, together with his mother and three brothers, were selected for resettlement in the United States. His father had left the family some years earlier, and a married sister remained in Uganda.

In addition to seven years of primary school, memories of those years were of herding goats for his mother at age 6. At age 11, he began herding cows; 30 of them. They provided their only source of income, which was badly needed to supplement the monthly allotment of corn flour provided by the Uganda government.

Resettlement took them directly from the Nyakivale Refugee Camp to Atlanta, Georgia. A year later, the family moved to St. Louis, and upon arrival, Charles enrolled as a freshman at Roosevelt High School. His previous education had been the primary school in Uganda. In May, Charles graduated first in his class of 98 students, having completed the four-year program in just two years. He had also been selected as Roosevelt’s Post-Dispatch scholar/athlete of the year. See the following link for details.

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/high-school/scholar-athletes/roosevelt-charles-nshimiyimana/article_2fc41906-721c-11e9-b39c-13fe9939379e.html

The graduate

Charles notes that he arrived St. Louis with minimal English skills, as instruction at the school in Uganda was in Swahili. Shortly thereafter, he became aware of CFNA and its After  School Tutoring program through a friend who was active at the Peace Center. Charles credits this program, along with the mentoring provided by Mr. Gary (Gary Krekow), with providing him with the language skills he required for his successful graduation from Roosevelt.

As Charles put it, “(CFNA) helped me with what I needed most—better English skills. This enabled me to complete high school in just two years. It not only encouraged me to do well but also to help others.”

Charles’ favorite subjects are math and science, and his dream is to become an engineer, or perhaps a nurse or medical doctor. He is presently enrolled in Forest Park Community College, where he plans to study for two years before enrolling in the Missouri University School of Science and Technology at Rolla, provided scholarships are forthcoming. Another possibility could be Concordia University, Nebraska.Charles is an active member of Timothy Lutheran Church. In addition to spiritual nurture, he very much appreciates the fellowship and warm welcome he receives there. We wish Charles the very best and our Lord’s richest blessings as he continues his journey.

By Rev. Al Buckman, CFNA

Reflections

Samantha

When I applied to join the Lutheran Young Adult Corps in December of 2017, I had no idea what I was getting into. I thought I was going to be doing ten months of rebuilding and urban renewal, using my time and power tool skills to serve the people of New Orleans. I was taken aback when I received my placement last April. Not only was I not going to Louisiana, but I also was being asked to do an entirely different kind of ministry from anything I had ever experienced before. I was both excited and apprehensive. It takes a lot to push me out of my comfort zone, but the idea of working with immigrants and refugees (and even children) definitely managed to do that. So it was with a combination of nervousness and excitement that I started working with my first English class on August 11, 2018.

One of the first lessons I learned through working at CFNA was the beauty of relinquishing control. I spent my first several weeks on the job anxiously trying to force things to go according to plan and schedule before I realized that God does so much more through us than we could have ever imagined. Driving people to job interviews was seldom as simple as I expected it to be. But in taking time to share meals and coffee with people in their homes, I was able to show them that I (and God, through me) cared about them personally.

Even more than that, I was astonished by how much people were willing to give in return. Most of the refugees I met are some of the kindest, most giving people I have ever encountered. I came down with pneumonia in October, and during the time I was sick, I was overwhelmed with gifts of tea, shawarma, falafel, soup, and other foods (that I never have been able to identify) from CFNA’s Arabic Muslim community. It was beyond humbling to see how people who have lost everything are so eager to give from whatever they do have.

Serving with the After-School Tutoring program and working with several of the families outside of normal programs was an incredible opportunity that I didn’t know I needed. Dealing with kids has never been my strong suit, but all of those bright and smiling (and sometimes screaming and crying) faces taught me patience, the importance of loosening up, and just what an honor it is to be able to pour into someone else’s life. Seeing the kids improve academically and open up emotionally made every frustrating minute worth it and reminded me that God gives us what we actually need, not what we think we need. We just have to be open to the journey.

Working with refugees and immigrants has taught me more than I ever hoped to learn about kindness, strength, hope, and resilience. Hearing people’s stories of the traumas they have experienced and seeing how they stay so positive both opened my eyes to how much suffering there actually is in the world and reassured me that God is still working in the midst of it. I was expecting to be placed here to serve others, but what I gave could never measure up to what I have received through the experience.

CFNA is a wonderful ministry, and I have seen firsthand how it changes lives. It has been an honor to be a part of that in some small way. As I move on to the next stage of my life, I don’t know exactly what I will be doing, but I pray that God will use the lessons I have learned and the person I have become as a result of my time here to continue to further His kingdom for the rest of my life.

By Samantha Hoyt  Lutheran Young Adult Corps

Emerging Church Leader (Part 2)

Nabin Samal

Nabin Samal

Editor’s Note: In the April issue we introduced Nabin and the “Nepali Anugrah (Grace) Church” to our readers. In this issue, Nabin shares more about his refugee experience.

After moving to St. Louis, Nabin and his family quickly learned one set of challenges had been replaced by another. Work, though available, was not easy for a refugee to find. Bus routes could be complicated and punctuality at any work site was expected. Accustomed to walking three, five, eight miles or more to shop or attend school, they had never imagined a vehicle could be regarded as a necessity. That quickly changed however, and the search was on. It took four months to find a vintage, high mileage, entry level vehicle they could afford.

And there were cultural challenges as well. For example, in the shame/honor society in which Nabin grew up, to make direct eye contact during a conversation was regarded as a sign of disrespect. In American culture however, anything less than direct eye contact could make a conversation awkward, or worse. Ditto for questions having to do with identity. Here Nabin learned that identity is determined pretty much by what you do. In Nepal on the other hand, you had no identity expect insofar as you were a member of a group.

Anugrah House Church

Shortly after arriving in St. Louis, Nabin began leading a small Nepali house church, which rather quickly began to grow. In need of more space, they reached out to St. Johns Lutheran Church located nearby, where they began meeting as members of the Nepali Anugrah Church. What began as little more than a commercial transaction, however, developed into a relationship, even as a bond with the pastor of St. Johns (Rev. Michael Tanney) began to grow.

The story of what became of the relationship between the Nepali Anugrah Church and St. Johns Lutheran Church will appear in the next issue of CFNA E-News.

TO BE CONTINUED…

By Rev. Al Buckman with Rev. Michael Tanney

Missouri Botanical Gardens

On the pathway

The opportunity to expand a student’s horizon is one of the great joys of working with the After-School Tutoring program. This year, we have been blown away by the many opportunities we have been given to introduce our kids to new activities and places. The most recent of these was an invitation to the Missouri Botanical Garden Family Night, thanks to Jennifer Hartley, Epiphany Lutheran Church member and manager of the Garden’s schools program.

On Thursday, May 9, 21 Peace Center students were accompanied to the event by 15 volunteers. They enjoyed dinner, educational opportunities, and free access to the grounds, including the popular Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden. Several of the volunteers were from Faith Young Adults, a group based out of Faith Lutheran Church.

“The Botanical Garden always makes for a great time, but it was the kids that really made this trip memorable,” observed Ben Lange, one of the group’s leaders. “They were so fun and excited. We could’ve visited just the Schnuck’s exhibit, and it would have been just as enjoyable because of the sheer joy and energy inside of them!”

On the log

The students were similarly thrilled with the trip. After an evening of climbing ropes and rocks and excitedly running through the gorgeous scenery, 11-year-old Jonathan Muhire summed up the sentiment expressed by everyone there: “When are we coming back?”

By Samantha Hoyt Lutheran Young Adult Corps

Freedom Run

Friends

Fun walk

Young runners get started

One of the greatest things about our Christian faith is the community that comes with it. God did not design humans to exist on our own—we all depend on one another for support and strength. It is the same with ministries.

At Christian Friends of New Americans, we make an effort to partner with other people and organizations to showcase what we do and provide opportunities for others to get involved. One of our steadfast partners is Concordia Seminary, who generously allows the use their campus for our annual 5K Freedom Run.

“The 5K was a great opportunity for Christian fellowship between the Seminary and Christian Friends of New Americans,” commented first-year seminary student Peter Deberny. Peter has been faithfully volunteering with our After-School Tutoring program since January and also served on the event’s planning committee. “It was a fun and exciting experience.

”The Freedom Run, held on Sunday, May 5, was a friend raiser and a fundraiser for CFNA. It also provided a chance for people of the seminary community to get a sense of our purpose and to interact with some of the people we serve. Eighteen competitive runners vied for prizes while 54 others, including a group of New American children, enjoyed the beautiful weather while either running for fun, walking, or volunteering. Adding to the festivities were walking tacos, served in conjunction with Restore St. Louis, and a performance by our New American Folk Dancers. In addition to being an enjoyable experience for everyone involved, the occasion raised over $3,000 to support various CFNA ministries. Our thanks go to Dr. Ben Haupt for his words of welcome on behalf of Concordia Seminary. We thank God for partners like this, as well as for everyone who made the day possible. 

By Samantha Hoyt Lutheran Young Adult Corps Photos by Ron Virus

The winners. Brian M (l. 1st) and Charles N. (r. 2nd)

They are off!

Emerging Church Leader

Nabin Samal

Nabin Samal

The “Nepali Anugrah (Grace) Church”, consisting of almost 50 members, has been worshipping at St. Johns Lutheran Church in urban St. Louis, for almost five years. It is led by Nabin Samal, and here is his story.

Nabin was born in the Bhutanese village of Kafley Tar in 1986. A few years later, at the age of five, Nabin and his family, together with 150,000 other Nepali ethnic Bhutanese, were forced to leave the country over personal freedom issues. They fled to Nepal where they were placed into seven refugee camps. Nabin and his family were sent to Beldangi 3 (Camp 3), where they remained for the next 18 years.

Though safety was no longer an issue, life in the camp was difficult. The refugees could not be employed outside the camp, so money was scarce as was food, along with all the basic necessities of life. Though there were only a few schools, education was free through grade 10, which is as much as any of the refugees could ever hope to receive.

Approximately a year after their arrival, Nabin’s mother became very ill, and the local shaman informed the family she would probably not live more than a week.  As the family was grieving over this a pastor happened to stop by and inquired why they were crying. Immediately he began to pray, explaining God could heal her, and invited them to church. God listened to their prayers and Nabin’s mother lived. Believing this to be a miracle, Nabin’s entire extended family (approximately 35 people) accepted Jesus as the Son of God and their Savior, and were baptized.

Though the refugees were Nepali by ethnicity, they were never well received in Nepal. During the early part of this century the Nepali government became actively engaged in the resettlement of these refugees to other countries. Nabin and his family arrived in St. Louis on October 12, 2009. The story of their acculturation to life in St. Louis, as well as their association with St. Johns Lutheran Church, will appear in the May issue of CFNA E-News.

TO BE CONTINUED…

By Rev. Al Buckman with Rev. Michael Tanney.

Partnership

Nepalese Lenten Service Participants

Birthday Party for 6 Year Old Rian

Blessing a Young Couple’s New Clothing Business

Confirmation Class in a Nepali Home

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Philippian 1:3–5

Partnership was the word Paul used with the church at Philippi. With prayer and thanksgiving he could say with joy, his work is not done alone but in partnership.

St. Johns Lutheran Church has had that vision as it has partnered with many organizations, schools, and worshiping communities while reaching out to those the Lord has placed in our midst. Partnership is in our vision statement. At first, it was with CFNA (Christian Friends of New Americans), later with Eagle College Prep Charter School, and now with Grace Nepali Church. Partnership began with renting the school cafeteria on Sundays for a Nepali worship service. Then two of their pastors wanted to become members, which began confirmation. Now, they worship in our sanctuary while we have Bible Study in the Fellowship Hall.

Because of God’s favor and the relationship that has been built up in the last few years, the Nepali church has asked that the whole congregation be confirmed. So, Saturday mornings with a translator and the Small Catechism in Nepalese, I stand before twenty people in a crowded living room and teach. At the same time, their pastors have been taking pre-seminary training with me on Sunday afternoons (doctrine, Old Testament, and New Testament). We have now partnered with CFNA, and they are continuing their studies with other Nepalese leaders.

One of the interesting moments of partnership is participating together. It begins with worship: our closing song and their opening song are sung together. We have also invited them to our Wednesday Advent and Lenten Services, which include Nepali prayers and readings. We have also invited their community to St. Johns for a member’s funeral. We have International Sunday School, rotating Nepalese teachers with our teachers. We have had many opportunities: preaching at their services, invitations to Nepali birthday parties, eating Nepali food, and blessing businesses. We will have our first joint service on April 7.

Rev. Michael Tanney Pastor, St. Johns Lutheran Church

Encouragement

Samantha Hoyt

Having a car is something many people born in America take for granted. But for a New American, a car can open a world of opportunities. It can mean access to better paying jobs, housing in safer neighborhoods, and more choice in education for their children. In the last several months, generous donors made all of these things possible for two CFNA women by making gifts of their old cars.

Hilai has not seen her home country of Afghanistan in 19 years. She spent most of her adult life in refugee camps before finally settling in St. Louis. As a single woman who does not speak English fluently, travelling to and from her job at night could be difficult or even dangerous. Receiving a car from Dawn Martin (a member of Reliant Church) offered her a measure of safety because she doesn’t have to navigate the bus system or walk alone.

Fayza, a married mother of three from Syria, went through the harrowing experience of having her car stolen last fall. Not only did this make it difficult for her to run everyday errands, such as shopping for groceries, but it also closed doors for her to attend English classes and job interviews, which could help improve her quality of life. But this winter, Fayza was blessed by an Ascension Lutheran member who wishes to remain anonymous. This is especially helpful because the family recently moved to a better neighborhood in South County, where stores and services are more spread out. Having a car gives her access to everything her family needs without being a burden on friends and neighbors.

We thank God so much for these donors and the impact of their gifts!

By Samantha Hoyt Lutheran Young Adult Corps, Intern

Sharon Agne - Volunteer Of The Month

Sharon AGne

Volunteer of the Month

Sharon has served as a volunteer with the CFNA health and wellness screenings ministry for the past ten years. Born and raised in St. Louis, she holds both RN and BSN degrees and has worked in hospital settings, including administration, as well as home health and hospice care for more than thirty years.

Her CFNA experience began with an invitation to the Lutheran Prayer Breakfast, where she met Carol Buckman, who encouraged her to get involved with the CFNA health and wellness screenings. Within a week, Sharon attended her first health screening and has been a mainstay ever since. Additionally, she recruited fellow Ascension Lutheran Church member and nurse Barb Hartung to participate in these screenings, which are held on Saturday mornings, ten times a year, at the Peace Center.

Sharon noted that while serving others, the practitioners are blessed to experience the cultures and personalities of those they serve. Additionally, she observed, “we are blessed with volunteers who are not only willing to identify the medical needs of each New American client but to befriend them as well. Those we serve are welcomed with a smile and are introduced to each volunteer. These introductions, however, are often met with smiles and apprehensions, which are relieved as we talk with them about their health issues. As the clients leave, they frequently offer a smile as well as a sincere thank you.”

For Sharon, the most challenging part of volunteering at the health and wellness screenings has to do with the many language barriers.  So she is thankful for the interpreters, who “play a very important part in the communication process.” These challenges, however, do not prevent her from visiting some of the clients in their homes for follow-up blood pressure readings. She also assists in driving refugees to their medical appointments.

Working with other volunteer nurses and practitioners has been one of her most enjoyable volunteer experiences. She also appreciates the opening devotions, as it reminds the volunteers they are making connections with people with whom they can share Jesus.

CFNA is blessed to have the faithful servant participation of volunteers such as Sharon!

By Laura Brink Ascension Lutheran Church

Making a Difference

The Irwin Girls

Naomi & Selumn

Naomi & Sara

Abby, Anna & Naomi

People who say you have to be an adult to make a difference have never met the Irwin girls. Anna (13), Naomi (12), and Abby (11) have been in ministry most of their lives. Growing up in Dutchtown, they have had plenty of opportunities to reach out to the underserved in their community. They volunteer at Kids Klub, a program run by their parents that reaches out to South City kids. Anna also worked at Rise Together Resale, which focuses on getting jobs for homeless people and other individuals who have a hard time finding employment. When they walked by the Peace Center two and a half years ago, they decided to check it out. There, they met the Janssen family. They have been an integral part of the After School Tutoring program ever since.

All three of the girls agree that the hardest part of tutoring is trying to figure out how best to help the kids. The challenges include having to reteach material so that the students can do their homework, trying to keep them engaged while still expanding their horizons, and working to understand the way that they think, especially since they have such different backgrounds. But the friendships the girls have formed and the growth they have seen in the students they tutor make everything worth it.

Anna and Naomi say that CFNA matters to them because they have fun ministering to the kids and they can see the impact it has on them. “All the kids that come need Jesus,” Abby adds. “So, if by going to CFNA I am helping the boys I tutor or anyone else come to Jesus, then I would do it every day.”

By Samantha Hoyt Lutheran Young Adult Corps - Intern

Equipping Leaders in Ethnic Communities

rev. clark and class with cfna associate richard leigh

If you come to the Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) Peace Center on a Saturday morning, you will find a group of seven Nepali men who are eager to become better equipped to lead and teach in their community. The students are members of one of three Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregations in St. Louis City: Ascension, Messiah, or St. Johns Lutheran. Already leaders among Nepali Christians, these students, who are refugees, are participating in a “Leadership Class” to gain a better understanding of the Old Testament, New Testament, and Christian Lutheran Doctrine.

Another goal of the Leadership Class is to become a “pre-seminary” class for those who have the desire to continue their formal education through Concordia Seminary’s Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT). The EIIT is a specialized program for those who aspire to serve immigrant and refugee communities as Lutheran pastors.

The materials utilized for this class include Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation—2017 Visual Edition. It presents the catechism in an easy-to-navigate format with engaging illustrations. This valuable resource was generously made possible by Concordia Publishing House’s Concordia Gospel Outreach (CGO). Christian Friends of New Americans is grateful for this partnership with CGO in connecting ethnic leaders with the Gospel.

Speaking of partnerships, the instruction for this Leadership Class would not be possible without the partnership of four LCMS pastors working together. These pastors include Al Buckman of CFNA, Stanish Stanley of CFNA, Matt Clark of Ascension, and Michael Tanney of St. Johns. Please pray that the Lord would continue to equip current and future leaders in ethnic communities through the work of CFNA!

By Rev. Matt Clark Ascension Lutheran Church

Valentine’s Day Party

good times

friends

beauticians

water colors

This Valentine’s Day, the National Honor Society (NHS) students at Lutheran High School South (LHSS) decided, after much discussion, to host a party for the children of CFNA. The event consisted of four fun activity stations, a devotion, songs, and snack. The four stations included water coloring, heart-shaped cookie decorating, making Valentine’s Day cards, and a bingo station complete with candy hearts for game pieces. Our devotion for the tutors and the New American students was about how God gives us all valentines every day in many different ways.

The night was a blast with smiles and laughter everywhere, whether from the LHSS students or the New American kids. The decorated cookies and homemade valentines were fun to make and were enjoyed by everyone. We, at LHSS, would love to thank the Thursday night tutors and volunteers for helping make our night run smoothly and for helping out at each of the activity stations.

We love coming to CFNA multiple times every year and seeing new and familiar faces. Visiting and forming relationships with all the volunteer staff people and especially the New American kids is something special for all of us.

In the words of LHSS student Abby Mitchell, “It was the best party of my life! I'll never forget the excitement on all the kids’ faces.” We love coming to the Peace Center and being with these kids.

LHSS student Sophie Vandeloecht put it this way, “Volunteering at CFNA is a lot of fun and a great experience. Personally, I helped the kids make Valentine’s Day cards, and they were really fun to be around. I loved volunteering and helping out at CFNA, and I would definitely do so again.”

Everyone came together at the end of the evening to sing songs old and new. Indeed, we enjoyed coming to the Peace Center, and again thank all of the volunteers and tutors who helped make this event possible.

By Avery Starnes President, National Honor Society - LHSS Member, Concordia Lutheran Church - Kirkwood

Blessing Others

Have you experienced trouble, a time of need or a challenge that seemed beyond your ability to solve or overcome? Have you received a blessing of deliverance through a stranger who was willing to take the time to help?

I enjoy reflecting on life’s greatest challenges and circumstances. In retrospect, I often laugh out loud as I see how God, time and time again, provided a safe passage through my troubles, difficulties, or sadness. He is a God that delivers His people and provides safe passage (Exodus 14). At the time of crisis, things seem beyond my ability to overcome. I have often received God’s rescuing grace and mercy through others who lent a helping hand.

We live in a fallen world that has been broken by sin. The Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and that the wages of sin is death and eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). We are unable to save ourselves from the wrath of God. We desperately need the love of Jesus. Praise be to God, even though we are sinners, in Christ we have the free gift of a safe passage home to heaven, redeemed and reconciled to God (Romans 5:6-8).

Charles Caciano St. Louis, MO

Maryville University Connects with CFNA!

Maryville Grad students and new americans

For the past several months, the Maryville University occupational therapy program has partnered with CFNA to offer graduate students the opportunity to interview CFNA clients and design a short program for these New Americans. Occupational therapists evaluate clients or groups of clients for occupational deficits, considering activities and skills they need or want to participate in, but currently do not. They often work in schools, hospitals, or clinic settings, but they also work with groups in the community, such as CFNA.

Refugee communities around the country often benefit from occupational therapy services, thereby enabling them to transition to a new culture, new language, and new occupations more successfully. At CFNA, we had the opportunity to interview a group of refugees who recently arrived. Through an interpreter, students asked the clients questions about their daily lives, especially including especially the struggles they experience. Following this evaluation of their needs, the students designed three, one-hour programs they hoped would reduce some of the stressors and barriers preventing participation in American life as identified by the refugees.

These included the following:

screening

1. Learning to sign their name using the English alphabet to better complete documentation,

2. Learning to speak their name and address in English in order to call 9-1-1 as needed, and

3. Sharing holiday traditions often celebrated in each person’s culture.

“It was wonderful to see so much laughter and so many smiles among the clients and the students. It was clear that everyone was feeling connected and enjoyed the time together,” said Eliza Prager (Maryville faculty).

fellowship

New American participants reported being pleased they could now recall and speak their address to an English speaker. Many were motivated to continue working on refining their signatures. Throughout the program, it was clear that clients longed to express themselves, who they are, where they came from, and their current frustrations and needs.

“Thank you for listening to us. Even if it’s hard to hear, and we know it’s a sad story, we are just glad to have someone listen,” said a client through a CFNA translator.

For their part, the Maryville graduate students also viewed this as a great learning experience. “Working with CFNA, I was able to see how the skills and knowledge I take for granted every day make such a difference in the safety and success of people’s lives when they are transitioning to this country,” said Trulie (student).

Maryville University is pleased to be of service to New Americans, in partnership with CFNA.

By Professor Eliza Prager Maryville University