Help Send A Refugee Child To Summer Camp

Dear Friend,

Last week, we introduced you to some of the refugee children we at Inspiritus have the great pleasure of serving. This particular group of children endured an arduous journey on their path to safety, alone and unaccompanied before arriving to the United States with the goal of being reunited with their families or a family friend here in Georgia. With their migration journey at an end, they begin their journey of adjusting to life in a new country and new community. Inspiritus is there to guide them on this journey, providing support in areas of English language acquisition, academic enrichment, and social-emotional wellness that can help these children heal from the often-traumatic experiences they encountered since leaving home. 

Our friends at Lutheranch, a Christian summer camp and conference center, have joined us in our mission to help these children on their path from surviving to thriving, and have graciously offered to host 10 of these children at camp this summer where they can continue their journey of growth and healing in a safe space. Your help can make it possible for a child to experience healing & growth at Lutheranch camp this summer! 

How exactly does summer camp make a profound difference in the life of a refugee child? Family Reunification Coordinator Kari Ellers witnessed the powerful impact that camp had on two of our girls who attended last summer. Here’s what she says:

“Camp means the possibility for many children to be children in a world where so often, because of their life circumstances, they quickly learn how to act and live beyond their years. Camp provides children with an opportunity to connect with nature and each other, to explore and have fun, to learn experientially without the pressure of grades and testing. Camp is a sacred healing space, planting seeds of love and self-care that continue to blossom for years to come. Camp is about the personal breakthroughs, the ‘aha’ moments, and it is those moments that even during our darkest of times, help to carry us forward.” 

With your support, you can similarly help be a part of our work in helping to carry these children forward on their path from surviving to thriving. 

This week, we’d like you to meet Marcos, Sophia, and Diego- three of the ten hopeful campers eager to spend a week at Lutheranch this summer. 

Meet Marcos:

At 16-years-old, Marcos already has a clear vision for what kind of person he wants to become. “I want to be a person with values- a positive person who does good things like helping my family, working for my country, having my own house, car, and business.”

An avid fan of true crime television, Marcos’ plan for pursuing his own version of the American dream involves a college degree in Criminology and a career in law enforcement.

Marcos is described by his Inspiritus case workers as, “sweet, curious, and just lovely”, and they talk about how rewarding it has been to see Marcos become more open and outgoing with people over time.

While at Lutheranch this summer, he is most excited about the idea of playing soccer with other campers and spending time in nature among the mountains and a river or lake.

Meet Sophia & Diego: 

Eleven-year-old *Sophia has a huge heart for a little girl. Described as “generous and sweet” by her Inspiritus case workers, she is the type of child who is always thinking about others. Upon realizing that Inspiritus accepts donations to families in need, she took it upon herself to bring in an old dress she no longer wears so another child could enjoy wearing it as much as she did.

During snack time at her after school program, she is the one who always makes sure the other kids have enough to eat and will offer some of her snacks to share with her friends. She loves to color and while at camp this summer, is most looking forward to painting outdoors and feeding the animals.

In classic “younger sibling” fashion, her little brother, *Diego, wants to be included in whatever his big sister does, including the opportunity to attend Lutheranch. Seven-year-old Diego is super excited to make new friends this summer. His dream is to travel the world and (unsurprisingly) like big sister, Sophia, he wants to be a police officer when he grows up.

If you would like to empower children like Marcos, Sophia, and Diego on their path from surviving to thriving, please consider donating to our "Refugee Services: After School & Summer Camp" fund.

While the cost of each camp varies slightly by age range and the activities it includes, the majority of our children are registered for horse camp, which costs $725.00/week. All donations allocated to this fund will be used to send children to Lutheranch this summer!

You can make a monetary donation by clicking the button below. After selecting the "Refugee Services: After School & Summer Camp" fund, please enter "Lutheranch Donation" in the comment box.

Thank you for your continued support in empowering those we accompany on their journey from surviving to thriving!

With Gratitude,

Aimee Zangandou
Executive Director of Inspiritus Refugee & Immigrant Services