Serve with LSG on the 2014 Lutheran MLK Day of Service!

On January 20, 2014, the city of Atlanta will remember Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King believed that all people had the ability and the responsibility to serve others and work to create a better world . This year, you are invited to celebrate MLK day by serving some of the most vulnerable people in contemporary society: refugees.

Volunteers will gather at Rock of Ages Lutheran Church (5135 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30083) at 9:00 a.m (Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.) and serve until 1:00 p.m. You may choose from any of the following projects:

• Packaging Rice for Refugees—Bring as many bags of rice as you can. We will repackage rice in family-size bags and give them to newly arrived refugee families.
• Books for Refugees—Bring new or gently used children's books to give to refugee children. You can also sign up to read to refugees and other children during the Day of Service.
• Preparing Disaster Kits for Refugees—Help refugees be prepared for disasters by putting together a disaster kit for each household.

Click here to sign up for a project by January 17, 2014.

We strongly encourage you to bring one or more of the following items to the Day of Service: a bag of rice (any size); new or gently used children's books; AAA batteries; granola/energy bars; first aid kits. Click here to download and share a flyer about needed donations.

Individuals and families may bring donations to the Day of Service. Congregation groups are encouraged to gather donations and deliver them to Rock of Ages Lutheran Church before January 20, 2014. Contact Gene Lewis at gene1950@gmail.com or 404-299-8880 to arrange deliveries.

If you have questions, please contact Abby Koning, LSG's Communications Coordinator, at akoning@lsga.org or at 678-686-9633.

Angel Tree 2013 Highlight: Gifts for Refugees

Each year, Lutheran Services of Georgia's Angel Tree program helps ensure that our clients have a very happy holiday season! Lutheran congregations and other LSG supporters generously gave gifts and their time to support refugee families. Through Angel Tree, LSG is able to provide warm winter coats, blankets, and clothing for every refugee adult and child resettled during the year---in 2013, that's almost 500 refugees!

Students from Ohio State University and Florida Gulf Coast University taking a week of their winter break for service helped to sort, organize, and deliver Angel Tree gifts for refugees provided by congregations. Lutheran Church of the Redeemer's Mission House served "Angel Tree Central", the location for drop off of all the refugee gifts. Christ the King Lutheran Church provided gifts for over 160 refugees, the largest number of gifts of any congregation in  LSG's Angel Tree 2013! For the Kid in All of Us donated several toys from the 2013 Toy Party and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Woodstock made shoeboxes full of small toys and items to delight every refugee child.

After the gifts were sorted, LSG staff members and volunteers personally delivered gifts to refugees throughout Clarkston, spreading excitement, smiles, and holiday cheer. LSG thanks all of the congregations, students, staff, and other supporters for making 2013 Angel Tree a success!

LSG Joins Lutheran Leaders for the National Immigrant Integration Conference!

In Washington, D.C., Lutheran Services of Georgia joined over 40 Lutheran leaders in Miami to strengthen ties and deepen connections during the November 17-19 National Immigrant Integration Conference (Miami NIIC 6)! NIIC 6 reaffirmed the crucial role of churches in building social connections for immigrants.

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) convened the gathering, bringing together Lutheran leaders from across the nation. "As LIRS approaches its 75th anniversary in 2014, we're honored to bring together this cross-section of Lutheran leaders from churches and congregations from across the U.S, and we're grateful for this opportunity to share their valuable experiences with welcoming migrants and refugees, " said Linda Hartke, LIRS President and CEO.

Attending from Georgia were Melanie Johnson, Program Manager for Volunteer, Congregation and Community Engagement for LSG's Refugee and Immigration Services and the Reverend Seyward Ask, Pastor for Outreach and Evangelism at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta. "It was incredibly energizing," noted Melanie, "to both hear and share stories of the many ways Lutheran congregations are engaged in compassionate and welcoming relationships with refugees and migrants in communities across the United States. As we left the LIRS convening and the National Immigrant Integration Conference, we parted with much stronger connections to our national network of Lutheran partners in the ministry of welcome."

The LIRS convening involved Lutheran leaders in conversations on topics including

• Investing in the development of expertise within church partner networks and jointly exploring the role congregations can play in connecting migrants and refugees to communities
• Uncovering the strengths, barriers, and emerging opportunities for people of faith to be actively engaged in the integration journeys of newcomers
• Developing a shared understanding of the ways in which participants can expand the circle of congregations invested in the long-term integration of newcomers in the community

LSG is engaged in building welcoming communities by serving, empowering, and advocating for refugees and immigrants. LSG will resettle between four and five hundred refugees in Atlanta and Savannah in 2014 and provide cultural orientation, employment, social adjustment and educational services to refugees. LSG also partners with faith and community groups to visit migrants in detention in Georgia.

LIRS is nationally recognized for its leadership advocating on behalf of refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied children, immigrants in detention, families fractured by migration and other vulnerable populations, and for providing services to migrants through over 60 grassroots legal and social service partners across the United States. LIRS welcomes refugees and migrants on behalf of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Learn more at http://lirs.org/.

Miami NIIC 6 is the signature event of the National Partnership for New Americans. The event has grown in size, scope, and vision every year since 2008. Learn more at http://www.integrationconference.org.

Volunteer of the Month: Adrainne Gray

Congratulates to Adrainne Gray, our Refugee and Immigration Services volunteer of the month! Adrainne's passion for service drives her to volunteer in the community through LSG. Three years ago, Adrainne and her family approached LSG in search of ways to follow Jesus's calling to serve their neighbors. After learning more about LSG's work with refugee communities, Adrainne decided to mentor recently arrived refugees. She quickly discovered that, here in Georgia, "We didn't have to go far to serve and walk along with our global neighbors. They were coming to us."

As Adrainne served with LSG, she felt a growing call to take on a more prominent role in ministry. She joined the Lutheran Deaconess Association and is now in the process of becoming a consecrated deaconess. She also began studying for a M.A. in Practical Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary. Because of her experience with LSG, she requested that her fieldwork be with LSG's Refugee and Immigration Services department.

Today, Adrainne coordinates Words of Hope, a subset of Friends in Hope, LSG's visitation ministry to immigrants in detention. Adrainne recruits and trains volunteers who travel to the North Georgia Detention Center. There, they use storytelling and story gathering to share Bible stories with women in detention. She said, "For my fieldwork, I felt that the bible study was a beautiful opportunity to practice both Word and Service."

Adrainne's faith inspires her to continue acting as a compassionate presence for refugees and immigrants in detention throughout Georgia. "Jesus calls us to be bold and to follow him," she reflected, "even into places that are uncomfortable. I really believe Jesus is asking me to listen to the voices that are ignored or silenced by the majority, to listen to their cries. I challenge others to come and hear."

To learn how you can share Words of Hope with immigrants in detention, click here.

LSG Hosts Career Fair for Refugees!

The excited chatter of more than 60 refugees fills the Clarkston Community Center on a Thursday morning. They've all gathered at the Lutheran Services of Georgia career fair for the same reason--to apply for, and hopefully secure, a job at a distribution center. Located in Decatur, the center distributes clothing and other goods for a national chain of department stores. In 1984, LSG Case Manager Obaid Rasoul brought a group of newly arrived Somali refugees to the center. Today, the center continues to employ refugees and asylees through LSG.

In the month leading up to the career fair, LSG worked diligently to prepare the applicants. At a weekly orientation, LSG employment specialists and volunteers guided applicants through sample versions of tests that the distribution center uses. Applicants learned how to perform during an interview --how to dress, what to say, and expected etiquette--and practiced filling out job applications.

On August 6, 2013, small groups of 15 to 20 refugees entered the career fair with confidence and hope. First, representatives form the distribution center described the available position: pricing, scanning, loading, and ticketing items to be shipped to department stores around the country. Then, applicants took a simple math test to see if they could accurately differentiate between letters, numbers, and combinations of the two. Those who passed the test wrote out answers to standard interview questions and filled out the application. Through this process, the center gather information about the applicants while also testing their English skills.

Thanks to the extensive orientation sessions, applicants were well prepared to succeed. Tenzin Ngawang, the LSG employment specialist who coordinated the event, commented that the distribution center was "impressed by how organized we were." Over 80% of the applicants passed the math test and submitted applications. Already, the distribution center has hired several refugees and is looking to hire even more! Through employment at the distribution center, these refugees are earning an income for their families, gaining new skills, and adjusting to life in the U.S.!

Nur Abdi's Story

When Nur Abdi first arrived at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, little did he know that within a few months he'd be working alongside other airport employees. Nur's journey to employment with the airport began in 2008, when he and his sister fled violence and instability in their home country of Somalia. They traveled to India where they lived as refugees in camps that lacked adequate governmental support. To support himself and his sister, Nur accepted a position with an international organization's income generation program. The program trains refugees to produce materials like plates, teacups, and paper that could then be sold for an income. Nur assumed a leadership role in the organization, handling quality control and program monitoring. Life in India was difficult, however, and Nur dreamed of the day when he could leave for the United States.

On March 14, 2013, Nur's plane finally landed in Atlanta, Georgia. He remembers that day clearly. "I met my caseworker in the airport," he recalls, "shaking hands and saying welcome to the United States of America. It was a dream which became a reality, a dream which [started with] a land of opportunity."

After a mere three days in the U.S., Nur began volunteering with LSG, using his language skills to interpret for other refugees and LSG staff during cultural orientation classes and the Match Grant program. He also helped translate test papers. Within two months, Nur accepted a job at the airport, where he works hard to support himself. He is proud of securing stable employment in such a short time. He reflects, "Finding a job in the United States of America is not easy. It needs a lot of effort, time, and hard work. For me, getting a job in the airport is an achievement."

Although Nur is excited about his new life in the U.S., he misses his family often. His parents, six sisters, and brother remain on the other side of the ocean, making communication difficult. Nevertheless, he has hope for a bright future. Nur views coming to America as "a step forward" in his life, and looks forward to acquiring skills and experience at the airport. He is grateful for all of the help he has received from LSG staff and volunteers. "They are amazing people," he says. "They always encouraged me and said, 'Here in America, everybody can make a difference and you can make it. It doesn't matter where you are from or who you are or what your last name is.'

Nur Abdi recently shared his story at LSG's 6th Annual Heroes of Hope, Healing, and Strength Gala. Click here to read more about Heroes of Hope.

Literacy and a New Life

When Ali Majmaie flipped through the pages of a book, instead of well-crafted stories or informative text, he saw only mysterious shapes he couldn’t interpret. In his home country of Iraq, Ali established a career in welding and mechanics, working with his hands to support himself, his wife, and their four children.  Yet not long after Ali and his family arrived in the U.S. as refugees, Lutheran Services of Georgia discovered that Ali was unable to read or write in his native language.

Nevertheless, Ali remained confident in his ability to find a community, secure employment, and become self-sufficient in his new country. Today, Ali and his family are active members of the Islamic Center of Savannah, a community center that serves Savannah’s growing Muslim population. Together, they enthusiastically welcome incoming Burmese and Iraqi families to the neighborhood. Sahira, Ali’s wife, attends English training at Savannah Technical Campus, an important step towards her dream of becoming a teacher. She also aspires to learn American cooking styles for use in her kitchen. Ali and Sahira’s four children attend a local public school, where they have excelled in their classes.

Through one-on-one English tutoring, Ali is becoming literate for the first time! He has made great progress with both speaking and writing, and is slowly unraveling the mysteries of the written word. Thanks to his determination and newly acquired literacy skills, Ali recently accepted a full-time position with Whole Foods. His vibrant spirit and positive attitude make him a great team player.  Now, he can continue to improve his English while supporting his family. Ali's long journey from Iraq has finally led him to literacy and a new life for his family.

Back to School in Savannah!

September is here, and the late summer air is filled with laughter, pattering feet, ringing bells, and the honks of morning traffic—the sounds of children going back to school. Over the summer, Lutheran Services of Georgia welcomed nine refugee children and teens from Iraq and Burma to their new homes in Savannah. With school just around the corner, LSG staff and volunteers scurried to help parents find school supplies and uniforms so their children could start the year in style!

The new school year holds challenges for every child—meeting teachers, tackling new subjects, keeping up with homework, and making friends. Yet many refugee children face additional challenges. To succeed in their new schools, they must learn English, adjust to a new culture, and navigate an educational system that may be very different from what they experienced in their home countries. Without help from a supportive community, refugee children can feel lonely, anxious, and overwhelmed.

Luckily, these nine children have support from their teachers, counselors, and LSG staff and volunteers. At May Howard Elementary school, teachers excitedly welcomed their new students and even helped the younger kids learn how to ride the school bus! Teachers and counselors at Groves High School showed the three high school students around the school’s large campus and are working diligently to help them learn English and state-tested curriculum. LSG thanks all who have reached out to and supported these children as they go back to school!

LSG Brings Words of Hope to Detainees

Behind bars at the North Georgia Detention Center, men and women wait anxiously, wondering what the future holds. Located in Gainesville, the NGDC houses immigrants, migrants, and asylum seekers awaiting deportation proceedings. Since the NGDC is a transitional facility, many will be transferred to other detention centers around the country, isolated far from their families and friends. Although they have built lives for themselves in the United States, very few will escape deportation to countries they no longer call home. In the midst of such fear and uncertainty, men and women in detention must hold on to hope.

This fall, Lutheran Services of Georgia will bring Words of Hope to women detainees at the NGDC. Words of Hope is a new ministry of Friends in Hope, LSG’s detention visitation program in which volunteers become a compassionate presence for detainees. Adrainne Gray, student at Columbia Theological Seminary and LSG volunteer, will coordinate this ministry. Female volunteers will travel to Gainesville, where they will use storytelling and story gathering to share inspiring Bible stories. Each volunteer group will include at least one fluent Spanish speaker. Since women at NGDC are often referred to by their detainee numbers rather than their names, Adrainne expects they will relate to the stories of Jesus’ encounters with unnamed women. She reflects, “By telling the stories, I hope that the women are touched with the hope that Jesus promises to all people.”

Redeemer Lutheran Church hosted the first Words of Hope volunteer training in mid-August. Six volunteers from two different Lutheran congregations came out to learn about detention and prepare themselves to visit the NGDC. Christ Lutheran Church in Gainesville will host a second training session on Saturday, October 5, 2013 with at least two volunteers from their Hispanic congregation. All interested volunteers must participate in a criminal background check and a mandatory volunteer training conducted by the NGDC chaplain on Saturday, October 19. Contact Melanie Johnson at mjohnson@lsga.org or 687-686-9619 for more information on Friends in Hope Detention Visitation Ministry: how you can join LSG in bringing Words of Hope to women detainees at the NGDC or become a volunteer visitor to men detainees in the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA.

LSG Case Manager Becomes U.S. Citizen

On, June 28, 2013, the United States welcomed Mohamed Ahmed as one of its newest citizens! Mohamed works as a Case Manager in LSG’s Refugee and Immigration Services department. When he shares his story about becoming a citizen, he smiles with quiet pride.

Mohamed’s long journey to citizenship and a new home in the United States began when he, his wife, his children, and his mother left Somalia to escape the violent 1991 civil war. After fleeing to Egypt, he took a job in Sudan working with an international organization. His children remained in Egypt. In November of 2002, his wife, his two sons, and four daughters crossed the ocean together and arrived in the U.S. as refugees. Once their feet were firmly planted on American soil, Mohamed’s wife applied for a family-based visa so he could join them. He arrived in Atlanta in the winter of 2008 and soon began volunteering with LSG, helping other refugees adjust to life in their new country.

Since Mohamed’s wife is a U.S. citizen, he was eligible for naturalization after three years of living in the United States. Although he speaks English fluently and felt he could confidently answer the questions on the citizenship test, he grew anxious as the day for the test grew closer. Like a student preparing for finals week, he studied for the test and passed with flying colors. “It’s a great achievement,” he says.

Mohamed celebrates his citizenship as “another step forward” for him and his family. He sees the U.S. as a place of freedom—freedom from oppression, freedom from discrimination, and freedom to pursue employment and educational opportunities. Now, as a citizen, he has also secured the freedom to travel, to vote, to take government positions, and to leave and return as he wishes. For Mohamed, the freedom that citizenship brings is priceless. “You cannot value citizenship by money,” he reflects. “It’s more valuable than anything else.”

New Country, New Home

When Bal and Aita arrived in Atlanta at 1:00 a.m. on a Tuesday summer morning with their three-year-old son Abishek, they were exhausted from their long journey. They had been traveling from Nepal, where they had lived as refugees after leaving Bhutan, their country of birth, many years earlier. After several long flights, they just wanted to sleep.

Thanks to some folks from Valparaiso University, Bal, Aita, and Abishek could go straight to their new home, crawl into bed, and sleep the night away. A few days earlier, on Saturday, June 8, members of the Valparaiso University Alumni Association and the Valparaiso University Guild drove over to Clarkston to set up an apartment for this family from Bhutan. When the volunteers arrived at the apartment, it was empty. Three hours later, it looked like a home.

In the weeks before the apartment set-up on June 8, the group had set up a storage unit in the parking lot of Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Stone Mountain so that people could donate furniture and other household items before they took them over to Clarkston. Valparaiso alumni and friends across Atlanta responded generously. People from Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Grace Lutheran Church in Atlanta, and Rock of Ages Lutheran Church brought extra furniture for the Bhutanese family and food for their pantry.

At the end of the morning, after the crew had hauled the furniture inside and arranged it properly, one of LSG’s new staff members, Cynthia McGuinness, popped in with a surprise. In addition to providing four chairs for the family’s dining room, her two children brought stuffed animals and toys for three-year-old Abishek. While growing up in the refugee camp in Nepal, Abishek probably never had a stuffed animal or toy to play with. Thanks to Cynthia’s children, he now has many!

The volunteers were delighted to be able to welcome a family to the United States. “We had a really great time helping out,” said Ashley, one of the Valparaiso alumnae. LSG thanks these volunteers from Valparaiso University who helped set up the apartment, all the donors who contributed the furniture, and PODS for providing the storage unit. If you would like to set up an apartment for refugees with your company, congregation, or other group, please contact Melanie Johnson at mjohnson@lsga.org or 678-686-9619.

Peril and Promise: Zakaria's Story

The small fiberglass boat sways as it speeds north from Libya in the Mediterranean Sea. 23 people are huddled inside, barely able to move. The sun beats down on them. They are hungry. Ever since water splashed inside and spoiled their bread, there has not been any food. They worry that the boat might capsize and toss them all into the sea, where no one will come to rescue them. As they cling to the side of the boat or each other to support themselves, they also hold on tightly to the hope that they will reach Malta safely.

For many Sudanese and Somali refugees who flee violence and persecution in their home countries, the promise of a new life often begins with this perilous three-day voyage from Libya to Malta, where safety and jobs await them. Zakaria, a refugee from Sudan, was one of the 23 people on this boat.

After three days, they finally made it to Malta, where Zakaria lived for six years before coming to Georgia as a refugee. On May 19, 2010, Zakaria flew from Malta to Atlanta, where Mohamed, one of LSG’s case managers, picked him up from the airport and helped him to resettle in the U.S.

Given his arduous journey from Sudan to Libya and then to Malta, it is no wonder that Zakaria is a determined, diligent worker. After living in Georgia for a month and a half, he found work at the Omni Hotel, with the help of LSG’s employment services. He worked there for over two years, though his work day did not stop when his shift at the hotel ended. While working at the Omni, he took English classes in Chamblee and worked as a taxi driver in Athens on the weekends. As a result of this hard work, he earned enough money to buy his own car and improved his language skills significantly: when he arrived in the United States he could not speak English, and after two years he could speak conversationally with others.

But after more than two years at the Omni Hotel, Zakaria wanted to do something else with his life. Interested in helping other refugees acclimate to life in the United States, he quit his job and started to volunteer at LSG, where he helped refugees who spoke Arabic settle into their new lives in Georgia. He picked up LSG’s clients at the airport, drove them to obtain social security cards and Georgia IDs, and assisted them with shopping and groceries. He was helping others as he had been helped himself two years earlier.

After Zakaria had been volunteering at the agency for three months, LSG noticed the great work that he was doing and decided to hire him as a case worker. Zakaria is not the only person who has come to the United States as a refugee and decided to work for LSG; 11 former refugees work in LSG’s Refugee Services. LSG is fortunate to have this experienced group of individuals who are committed to welcoming refugees to Georgia, and we are proud to welcome Zakaria as one of the newest members of our crew!

World Refugee Day Celebrated in Clarkston!

 On Saturday, June 22, LSG came together with the refugee community in Clarkston to celebrate World Refugee Day. Under the bright afternoon sun, Clarkston residents and other supporters of the refugee community flocked to the activity fields next to the Clarkston Community Center to join millions around the world who were remembering the hardships that refugees face while also honoring their accomplishments. As a timely tribute to the success of many refugees in Clarkston, the celebration included a naturalization ceremony for some of America’s newest citizens: former refugees who have been living in the U.S. for several years.

Although the Clarkston community chose to celebrate World Refugee Day on Saturday, June 22, the official day of observance each year is June 20. On that day, people around the world and in the United States remember the millions of refugees who have to flee their homes. For around 70,000 refugees each year, the United States offers a safe haven and an opportunity to begin a new life. Around 2,500 of these refugees are resettled in Georgia, where nonprofit agencies such as Lutheran Services of Georgia work with local and state government organizations to help these new Americans become productive members of Georgia’s communities.

Representatives from many of these nonprofit agencies were present at the celebration in Clarkston to inform others of the work that they do with the refugee community. Melanie Johnson, Program Manager for Volunteer, Congregation, and Community Engagement was braving the heat and staffing an information table for LSG. Many other members of LSG’s Refugee Services were at the event, too, including Taryn Arbeiter and Gayle Cruz, who served delicious Nepali food to all and sundry.

If you missed out on the celebration this year, be sure to mark your calendars for next year. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn more about nonprofits serving the refugee community, taste food from around the world, and witness the resilience and success of many refugees in Clarkston!

Volunteers and Refugee Services Clients Show LSG Some Love!

 

Volunteers and clients are at the heart of LSG's mission and work. LSG recently asked volunteers and Refugee Services clients to reflect on their experiences with LSG. Here's what they had to say!

Why do volunteers love working with LSG?

I  love to volunteer with LSG because I am able to live out my faith in a tangible way, providing care and relationship to the "stranger, widow, and orphan". --Blair Trygstad, student at Candler School of Theology

I love to volunteer with LSG because I'm given the opportunity to make a small difference in someone's life. --Maxwell Ndungu, attorney for King & Spalding.

I love to volunteer with LSG because I am a Lutheran! But mostly because LSG's dedicated employees are a beacon in the community. LSG has always been a vocal advocate of all those who have lost their voices and LSG offers me an opportunity, through volunteering, to enter into their stories. --Adrainne Gray, member of Lutheran Church of the Messiah

Why do refugee clients like coming to ESL and job training with LSG's Refugee Services?

I like to learn more about jobs, transportation, and laws. --Hadija Tambwe, refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo

I like to help people understand English and to learn new things. --Nouraldin Abdalla, refugee from Sudan and translator for Arabic clients.

Thanks so much to our dedicated volunteers and Refugee Services clients for showing some love to LSG!

Welcoming Tenzin

Tenzin Ngawang is a new staff member in LSG's Refugee Services. A former refugee himself, recently he shared part of his personal journey with the rest of LSG. Now we would like to share it with you all. Please join us in welcoming Tenzin!

I arrived in the U.S 13 years ago to be reunited with my family in N.Y. We were Tibetan refugees in Nepal since the late 60's and the early 90's as Asylees in the U.S. I graduated with a degree in Business Management but unlike most of my friends didn't take a job in Corporate America which brings me to Refugee Resettlement. I have a background in the Hospitality business and planned to live all over the world but after 5 years of service lost sight of my goal and found the work unfulfilling. I then had a brilliant idea to try working at non-profits and I always wanted to live in Southern California. So I packed my bags moved to San Diego and found a job with Goodwill Industries. In the past 13 years I have lived and worked in New York City, Northern Virginia, San Diego and finally, Atlanta which hopefully will be the last stop. I moved to the city 4 months ago, married a childhood friend and started the process of seeking employment. This new phase in my life gave me the opportunity to focus on a career path in Social Services, specifically working with Refugees. It seemed only natural that being a Refugee all my life and now that I finally have a country to call my own, to help others seek the same goal with the best of my abilities. I hope I can be of good service to the Organization. Thank You.

LSG Welcomes Refugee Family from Iraq to Savannah!

On June 6, the Savannah office welcomed an Iraqi family of 6. The husband, Ali Majmaie, is very skilled with welding and manufacturing work. His wife, Sahira Saleem, aspires to be a teacher in the US. They have four children, three sons and one daughter. The oldest son wants to go to welding school, and the youngest children are very happy to live in Savannah and play at the many public parks. Upon their arrival in the US, the family made new friends with Savannah residents at the Savannah Islamic Center, enrolled into English classes at Savannah Tech, and received employment training at the LSG office.

Meet the new staff members in Refugee Services!

Heather Romero will serve as the Employment Specialist for the Savannah Refugee Services Sub-Office. Prior to joining LSG, she has experience working for faith based organizations in Georgia and overseas in South Sudan. She is skilled with assisting victims of trauma, refugee populations, and providing social support services to improve self-sufficiency. She earned her Bachelor’s in Human Services at Kennesaw State University with a focus on Social Work.

Gayle Cruz graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor’s in International Affairs with a concentration in Global Experience. During her last semester, she was an intern in the Refugee Services department of R&P. She also volunteered with Friends in Hope making visitations to detainees. She speaks Spanish fluently and has a background in banking. Gayle is passionate about helping refugees develop and become self-sufficient. Her passion in developing and helping those in need led her to work for LSG as an Employment Specialist.

Lindsay Futterman is a part-time Case Aide with the R&P program. Lindsay was born and raised in Atlanta. She has over six years experience in nonprofit, and most recently worked at the International Community School as Administrative Specialist, gaining much experience working with refugee families. She enjoys volunteering, cooking and bike riding.

Zakaria Abdulraek is a former refugee from Sudan. He was resettled by LSG in 2010, and began working for the Omni Hotel shortly after his arrival in Atlanta. He had been volunteering for LSG for several months and was recently hired as a part-time case aide for the R&P program. He is happy to be able to give back to the community through his work with LSG.

Summer Reading

Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, the books of Dr. Seuss: these stories have animated the childhoods of kids across America for many years. On Wednesday, May 22, 50 elementary school students at Indian Creek Elementary School in Clarkston, Georgia became the newest readers of these classic tales—and they were ecstatic about it.

Thanks to a gift from the West Metro Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and several Lutheran churches—Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Hiram, Grace Lutheran Church in Carrollton, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Douglasville, and Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Douglasville—each student in LSG’s After School Academic/Arts Program (ASAP) received a book to read this summer. During ASAP, children from refugee families and at-risk youth stay at school in the afternoon to complete their homework, go on field trips, and participate in other fun activities, including book clubs. Having practiced reading books in English throughout the year, they will be more than ready to embark on their summer reading adventure, whether it be There’s A Wocket in my Pocket! or any of the other children’s stories they received on Wednesday!

When LSG staff members arrived in the Media Center of Indian Creek Elementary School pulling a cart with boxes of books on it, a hush fell over the students seated at the tables. That silence was soon broken. Once the children received their books, they began flipping through the pages, chattering with their neighbors. Clutching a book to her chest, one girl declared that she was never going to let it go. Another boy stood up and, with the ingenuousness of a six-year-old, told the LSG staff members, “Thank you for bringing something to us. We love you.”

The real thanks goes to the West Metro Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the Lutheran churches that provided the books. Thank you for giving these children something to read this summer and for filling them with such excitement and joy. We appreciate your contributions!

At The Ballgame

Sitting in the bleachers with a bright sun overhead, munching on peanuts, listening to an umpire barking behind home plate: this setting is familiar and precious for many of us. Baseball is, after all, “America’s Pastime.” Yet for others, watching baseball is an odd activity: it can be difficult to understand the bizarre movements and confusing rules, not to mention the peculiar snacks like hot dogs and boiled peanuts that are served there.

For Tun, That, Zin Ko, and Mu, four Burmese refugees who recently came to Savannah as refugees, baseball was an introduction to American culture. On a Thursday afternoon in May, Allison and Jim Ward, two dedicated LSG supporters, treated these four Burmese refugees to a Sand Gnats ballgame. Allison and Jim explained to them how to score runs, as well as what the strikes, balls, and outs on the scoreboard meant. They also bought some nachos and boiled peanuts for the newcomers to try. Although a little hesitant about the food, the four guests tried the nachos and peanuts and enjoyed watching the game.

LSG thanks Allison and Jim for the hospitality that they showed to the four Burmese men and women. Tun, That, Zin Ko, and Mu appreciated that people wanted to take them to a sports game and teach them about American culture. You, too, can help us welcome refugees by taking them to a community event or spending time with them in other ways. If you would like to join us in welcome, please contact Deidre Harrison (dharrison@lsga.org) in Savannah or Melanie Johnson (mjohnson@lsga.org) in Atlanta.

LSG's Award-Winning Students!

Congratulations to the students at LSG’s After-School Academic/Arts Program (ASAP) in Clarkston! Recently several students who attend LSG’s after-school program received awards from Clarkston High School: some made the Principle’s List with straight A grades; others made the Honor Roll. One student even won the Angora All-Star award, named for the high school’s mascot, that recognizes her as the top student in her class. Here are the award-winning students:

What is the after-school program? LSG’s After-School Academic/Arts Program (ASAP) increases the academic achievement of 50 Indian Creek Elementary students and 25 Clarkston High School students through a variety of fun, hands-on activities. After the normal school day ends, these youth, 70% of whom are refugee children and 30% of whom are at-risk students, stick around to write in journals, discuss literature in a book club, attend music and art classes, go on field trips, and participate in other activities. Professional teachers and volunteers staff the program and help students with their homework and activities.