Green Light [Adventure]

[Adventure 257]

Volunteering with New Start Ministry, an interfaith refugee resettlement ministry, has been an adventure. I've helped resettle two refugee families and we're getting ready to resettle a third. 

We've built a team of volunteers who have most aspects of the resettlement process covered - acculturation, English, education, social services, tech, housing, household items, clothing, transportation, finances, and so much more. We just have to put a few more things into place and we'll be ready to give the "green light" for resettlement, signifying to iris (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services) that we're ready to accept a family for resettlement.

The first time this ministry got to this point, it was a massive accomplishment. We voted to give our green light, it was with great joy and trepidation and excitement. We'd never done this before, but we were as ready as we were ever going to be.

The second green light we gave, I think the feelings were much the same. We'd really never done this before, because each family is different and our team had many new members ... but we were as ready as we could be.

We're once again almost there. Once again, we're in uncharted territory. This time we have Covid-19 and its variants; mask mandates; and all the restrictions and social distancing and everything that goes with a global pandemic to navigate as we work toward welcoming a refugee family into our community. Some things usually done in person are now being done online. Apartments and jobs and translators and English language tutors who are comfortable meeting in person are difficult to come by.

Nevertheless, we venture forward. And when we once again give the green light, we will wait in joyful anticipation for our newest family.