Angel Tree 2013 Highlight: A Very Merry Christmas in Savannah!

Children served by the Savannah Specialized Foster Care, Adoptions, and Family Intervention Services, along with participants in the FACES program, had a very merry Christmas this year! Thanks to the generosity of numerous donors, our clients received an outpouring of gifts, all distributed by Santa!

On Saturday, December 14, Lutheran Services of Georgia held a party for the children in the social hall of host church Trinity Lutheran. Southside Fire Department brought Santa in an ambulance (It was raining - no open sleigh!) and delivered personalized gifts to every foster care provider and every child in each home. Everyone -- about 80 people plus staff -- enjoyed a delicious meal, served by LSG staff members.

The FACES party was held at the Old Times Country Buffet, and Santa, aka Donald Gruver, made an appearance to hand out gaily wrapped gifts.  Then it was “all you can eat.”  Everyone left happy.

Many groups and individuals within those groups selected names and purchased and wrapped each gift.  These groups included:

• Asbury Methodist Bible Study Group
• Groves High School Student Council
• Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Springfield
• Messiah Lutheran Church
• Will Black, The Meridian Foundation
• Publix Supermarket
• Redeemer Lutheran Church
• Savannah Pan-Hellenic Council
• SouthCoast Medical Administrative Office
• St. James Catholic School
• St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
• St. Paul’s Lutheran Church WELCA
• St Paul’s Lutheran Preschool
• Trinity Lutheran Church

Lutheran Services of Georgia is truly blessed to have such wonderful supporters throughout the area.  Thanks to the generosity of so many, LSG is able to continue to bring hope, healing and strength to people in need.

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!

Obaid Celebrates 30 Years with LSG!

Leaning back in his office chair and looking out at the city skyline, Obaid Rasoul recalls old memories of his journey from Afghanistan to Atlanta. When Obaid arrived in the U.S. as a refugee, he never dreamed that he would spend the next three decades welcoming other refugees. For thirty years, Obaid has worked in Lutheran Services of Georgia’s Refugee Services department, helping newly arrived refugees find employment and achieve self-sufficiency.

Back in Afghanistan, Obaid lived a busy life, working hard and raising two children. He graduated from the University of Kabul’s Faculty of Law and worked as a criminal lawyer for a year. Then, he took a job at the U.S. Embassy. In 1979, war tore through his country, turning his life upside-down. Obaid feared for his family’s safety. After his brother was executed, Obaid, his wife, and their 4-year-old son and 6-month-old daughter fled to neighboring Pakistan in search of peace.

Once in Pakistan, Obaid began to dream of a permanent home for his family. Originally, he wanted to resettle in France to be near some of his wife’s relatives. Yet one afternoon, as he walked through the city of Peshewar, his plans changed entirely. He passed a building with an American flag—the U.S. consulate’s office. He decided to go inside, where he managed to secure a meeting with the consulate. Obaid told the consulate about his past experience with the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. After confirming his connections to the Embassy, the consulate granted Obaid and his family top priority to travel to the U.S. as refugees.

Finally, on April 29, 1983, Obaid and his family arrived in the United States, where they were resettled in Atlanta through the International Rescue Committee (IRC). After only five months in Atlanta, Obaid accepted a position as a job counselor at LSG. Today, Obaid is LSG’s longest-serving staff member and has become the Senior Employment Specialist!

Every day at LSG, Obaid accompanies other refugees on a journey he knows all too well. “We refugees should help each other. Since I came as a refugee myself, I use some of my experience as a refugee to help other refugees,” he said. Although Obaid’s work is challenging, he enjoys discovering the unique skills, experiences, and gifts that each refugee brings with them. “They bring something new to our society,” he mused. “ I learn from them too. I learn a lot from them.”

Thanks to Obaid’s many years of work with LSG, he is known throughout several of Georgia’s refugee communities. One afternoon, Obaid was visiting a largely Somalian area of Clarkston when a former refugee greeted him by name. “Mr. Obaid!,” he called out excitedly. “You got me a job 15 years ago and now I own my own business!” Obaid takes pride in the success of refugees who are using their gifts to build new lives for themselves in Georgia.

Lutheran Services of Georgia is grateful to Obaid for his passion, dedication, and hard work over the last thirty years!

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.

10 Reasons to Give to LSG on Georgia Gives Day!

November 13 is Georgia Gives Day, and LSG needs your help! Here are our top ten reasons to give to LSG!

1) LSG cares for kids! In 2011, LSG helped place 16 of Georgia's children in foster care into permanent, loving, adoptive families. Click here to read about Ryan, one of the children LSG serves. 

2) LSG welcomes newcomers! Each year, LSG resettles up to 500 refugees. LSG works alongside recently arrived refugees to make their transition to life in the U.S. as smooth as possible. Click here to meet Nur Abdi, a Somali refugee who recently accepted a job at the airport.

3) LSG empowers individuals with developmental disabilities! LSG's FACES program creates a meaningful family environment for individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities and helps them become active, integrated members of their communities. Click here to read the story of Angelica, one of our FACES clients who recently danced the night away at the prom!

4) LSG strengthens families!  LSG's Family Intervention Services offers an array of services focusing on building and strengthening healthy relationships within families. One parent recently told LSG that our parenting classes helped him better relate to and care for his teenagers!

5) LSG prepares children for the future! LSG's afterschool programs help Georgia's at-risk children achieve success within and beyond the classroom. Click here to meet Berguissa, a refugee student at Clarkston High School who prepares for college after school!

6)LSG helps communities cope with disaster! LSG provides immediate relief after natural disasters, as well as long-term recovery services that remain critical long after initial headlines have faded.

7) LSG is non-discriminatory!  LSG offers services to individuals and families without regard to age, creed, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

8) Volunteers love serving with LSG! LSG relies on the support of our volunteers. One volunteer told LSG, "I love to volunteer with LSG because I’m given the opportunity to make a small difference in someone’s life." Click here to read other reasons why volunteers love serving with LSG!

9) LSG is constantly growing to respond to new needs! In response to Georgia's needs, LSG recently began offering several new services: housing opportunities for people with HIV/AIDS; immigration legal services; and outpatient mental health and substance abuse counseling services. Fundraising efforts like Georgia Gives Day allow us to keep growing!

10) LSG can't do it alone! Our work at LSG depends on the generosity of donors, volunteers, and supporters. Your Georgia Gives Day gift helps us keep bringing restored hope, transformed lives, and healthy tomorrows to individuals and families throughout Georgia. Click here to give!

Support LSG on Georgia Gives Day!

This Wednesday, November 13, Lutheran Services of Georgia is joining nonprofit organizations across the state for Georgia Gives Day! The purpose of Georgia Gives Day is to bring our state together as one community, to raise as much money and awareness as possible for Georgia nonprofits within a 24-hour, flash mob of giving on the website www.GAgivesday.org. GAgivesday.org makes donating easy by organizing hundreds of nonprofits across the state into one website, providing the information people need to select a cause, and enabling online donations by credit card or e-check. This year, LSG aims to raise $5,000 that will help us serve individuals and families throughout Georgia! To give to LSG, simply click here to visit our online profile and make a donation via credit card or e-check. Every penny counts!

You can also help us reach our goal by spreading the word! Share the link to our profile with your family, friends, and community members. You can also become an LSG "friendraiser" and run your own fundraising campaign on behalf of LSG. Visit our profile and click "Become a Fundraiser" to get started.

LSG is grateful to our dedicated volunteers, donors, and supporters. Our mission is to to promote services that enhance the stability, wellness, health, and safety of individuals and families in Georgia....but we can't do it without you! Help us bring restored hope, transformed lives, and healthy tomorrows to the people we serve.

Celebrate National Adoption Month with LSG!

November is National Adoption Awareness Month! Celebrate with LSG this November by attending any of our exciting events located throughout Georgia!

November 14 (Savannah): LSG staff will join other public and private agencies who assist with finding permanent homes for children in foster care at the One Church One Child luncheon. Each year, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance/Wives & Widows Association sponsors this luncheon to thank staff who work with children. Several city officials and pastors in the community will also attend.

November 15 (Atlanta): Join LSG, other private agencies, and the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) for an informational event about adoption. This event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building (75 Spring St. SW). This event is free and open to the public.

November 17 (Savannah): The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance/Wives & Widows Association will sponsor the annual "One Church One Child" worship service. The service will be held at the New Salem Community Fellowship Church, 115 W. 40th Street, Savannah, GA, 31401. All are welcome to attend.

November 23 (Rome):  Come join LSG's Rome site for a family-friendly celebration of adoption at Westminster Presbyterian Church (1941 Shorter Ave SW). LSG will provide games, food, and prizes. There will also be an magician on site. This event is open to the public.

Thanks for celebrating National Adoption Month with LSG!

LSG Celebrates National Adoption Month!

Did you know that November is National Adoption Month? National Adoption Month has been celebrated since 1995 and is intended to build awareness of adoption throughout the United States. Each November, organizations like Lutheran Services of Georgia host events to spread the word about adoption, tell positive stories, challenge myths, and lift up children in foster care who are waiting for loving, permanent families.

As part of National Adoption Month, LSG is celebrating its partnership with the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program through the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. According to the DTFA, 100,000 children in foster care are currently available for adoption in the U.S. In 2012, almost 30,000 children turned 18, were emancipated, and left foster care with no family to call their own. Too often we make excuses for these statistics—this child is too old; that child is better off not moving again; our budget has been slashed and we simply cannot do any more. But DTFA and LSG believe that, when it comes to a child’s life, there is no time for excuses. DTFA and LSG share the core beliefs that:

• Every child deserves to live in a safe, loving and permanent family.
• No child should linger in foster care or leave the system at age 18 or 12 without a permanent family to call his or her own.
• Every child is adoptable.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids utilizes a Child-Focused Recruitment Model to seek adoptive homes for children in foster care. The Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters in Atlanta and Savannah utilize this model to assist area Department of Family and Children Services caseworkers in finding permanents homes for children in foster care. Since 2011, LSG has placed 16 of Georgia’s children in foster care into permanent, loving, adoptive families. Now that’s something to celebrate!

Click here to learn more about Wendy's Wonderful Kids.

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.!

Berguissa Prepares for Her Future with ASAP

At Clarkston High School, the final bell rings, but Berguissa Barry’s day at school isn’t over. Each afternoon, she joins other students for ASAP, Lutheran Services of Georgia’s After-School Academic/Arts Program. There, Berguissa prepares for her future: studying to improve her GPA, practicing for the SAT, and writing college scholarship and admissions essays. When she was only five years old, Berguissa fled her home country of Mauritania, West Africa, along with her mother and brother. On October 31, 2004, the family arrived in the U.S. as refugees, joining Berguissa’s father who had left Mauritania 19 years earlier. Berguissa and her family later moved to Clarkston so she could attend Clarkston High School. A talented and passionate student, Berguissa threw herself into her schoolwork and extracurricular activities. She played soccer, explored the culinary arts, volunteered for school fundraisers, and ran track. English is not her second language, but her third language; she also speaks French and Fula, a language native to West Africa.

Currently a high school senior, Berguissa dreams of attending Oglethorpe University, Georgia State University, or Spelman College to study medicine or engineering. Her experience with ASAP has been overwhelmingly positive. She told LSG, “Since I started this program, I gained a lot of experience, learned a lot about my colleges, and they have been helping me with everything that I need. I definitely encourage that they keep this program going because it would help a lot of students and we actually have fun here doing different activities that interest students in an educational way.” Berguissa is grateful to all her teachers and only wishes the program had started earlier. She plans to continue attending ASAP until the end of her time at Clarkston High School. With dedication, persistence, and help from ASAP, Berguissa is working hard to achieve her dreams.

Now in its third year, ASAP is held at three locations throughout Clarkston—Clarkston High School, Indian Creek Elementary School, and the Tobie Grant Manor. At ASAP, professional teachers and volunteers tutor refugee and at-risk students of all ages. The program also provides opportunities for students to participate in artistic activities, such as writing in journals, discussing literature together, and taking music and arts classes. Teachers, parents, and students have all expressed delight at the program’s success in encouraging creativity, creating a safe space during afterschool hours, and helping students perform better in the classroom.

If you’d like to support students like Berguissa, consider purchasing and donating an item from ASAP’s Amazon wishlist. The wishlist includes school supplies, materials for arts and crafts, curriculum resources, snacks, and more. Click here to start bringing restored hope, transformed lives, and healthy tomorrows to refugee and at-risk children in Clarkston!

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.

Adoption Fun Facts

Lutheran Services of Georgia partners with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and, through them, has a Wendy's Wonderful Kids grant to increase the number of children in foster care who become adopted. Their vision: Every child will have a permanent home and a loving family.

Their values:

• Every child deserves to live in a safe, loving and permanent family.
• No child should linger in foster care or leave the system at age 18 without a permanent family of his or her own.
• EVERY CHILD IS ADOPTABLE.

Lutheran Services of Georgia works toward finding safe, loving, permanent families for children in foster care so they can have someone to call for advice, someone to share the holidays with, someone who will love them as they are and be their family.

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.

Celebrating Our Heroes of Hope

Lutheran Services of Georgia thanks all who attended our 6th annual Heroes of Hope, Healing, and Strength Gala on Thursday, August 29, 2013. Each year, LSG honors an employee, donor, or member of the community who embodies our mission of bringing hope, healing, and strength to those in need. This year, we recognized the Rev. Dr. Rusty Edwards and For the Kid in All of Us for their heroic contributions.

Previously held at Turner Field, this year’s gala took place at the Defoor Centre, an elegant space hung with colorful paper lanterns and decorated with artwork. The evening began with a reception and a silent auction featuring items that ranged from gift cards for local businesses, sightseeing opportunities, and handmade scarves. Over 25 individuals, companies, and organizations generously donated auction items. As attendees browsed, they also enjoyed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a live jazz trio playing “A Foggy Day in London Town” and other favorites.

WSB-TV news anchor John Bachman once again served as our Masters of Ceremonies for the evening’s program. As attendees enjoyed their meals, LSG employees and clients shared stories from foster care and refugee services. Simonette and Declan Taitt spoke of how fostering a child through LSG “could change your life forever.” Nur Abdi, a Somalian refugee, told stories of LSG’s support throughout his resettlement process.

Attendees watched inspiring videos detailing the work of the Rev. Dr. Rusty Edwards and For the Kid in All of Us. A talented musician and songwriter, Rusty has written thirty one hymns that appear in hymnals all over the world. As the Volunteer Manager for the 2003 ELCA National Youth Gathering in Atlanta, Rusty helped LSG become the recipient of their in-kind offering. Because of Rusty’s efforts, LSG received over $27,000 in gifts cards for children associated with LSG's programs. Rusty thanked LSG, his congregation, his family, his friends, and his “beloved dentist” for recognizing him this year.

LSG also celebrated For the Kid in All of Us, an entirely volunteer-run non-profit organization that serves underprivileged children throughout Georgia. Each year, For the Kid in All of Us hosts two major events—the Toy Party and Backpack in the Park. As an official beneficiary of both events, LSG has received backpacks and toys for children in our programs. One year, we even received a bicycle which was then given as a Christmas present to a child in foster care whose bike was stolen. For the Kid in All of Us gives children “the strength to grow and to learn during the school year, the hope that Santa will come on Christmas morning, and the healing they need to make all their dreams come true,” said Brian Isabell, President-Elect of For the Kid in All of Us’ Board of Directors.

LSG thanks all who joined us in honoring these community heroes. We especially thank all those who made this event possible: silent auction donors, supporters, the Defoor Centre, John Bachman, and, of course, the Rev. Dr. Rusty Edwards and For the Kid in All of Us. We look forward to 2014, when we will celebrate others who bring hope, healing, and strength to those in need.

For more photos from the 2013 Heroes of Hope, Healing, and Strength Gala, click here to visit our Facebook page. Don't forget to "like", "share", and tag familiar faces!

Re-Homing: What is it and How is it related to Adoption?

A Important Message from Lutheran Services of Georgia's Adoption Services

The North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) posted a statement on 9/11/13 regarding the recent Reuters report on the "re-homing" of adopted children. "Re-homing," the statement reads, is a "heart-breaking and appalling practice" in which adoptive parents give their children to "unapproved, unlicensed strangers...and must be prevented and prosecuted." This is increasingly done through social media websites and without any oversight of child welfare agencies. The children highlighted in the Reuters report were often given to complete strangers who had no background checks done and often had prior child abuse history.

NACAC notes that "forcing families to struggle without support, trying to raise children they feel unable to parent, is also unacceptable and harmful to children." NACAC calls for improved training of families, increased support for adoptive families from agencies, nothing the need for "adoption-competent, trauma-informed family care. Adoptive families need a continuum of support." NACAC supports the current draft proposal in the US Congress House Ways and Means Committee to "pass legislation that extends far greater federal support for post-adoption services for children and their families." Children "are not commodities that can be traded or discarded."

Lutheran Services of Georgia works to prepare adoptive families for the unique challenges involved in adoption. For more information about adoption, visit reputable adoption websites including www.nacac.org or www.adoptioninstitute.org or contact Lutheran Services of Georgia at 404-875-0201.

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.”

Malachi's Mirth

Most of us cannot remember the first time we heard our mothers say our name or bring to mind the first time we started crying because we laughed so hard. For Malachi, though, these memories are not so distant. On a momentous day earlier this year, he began to hear the sounds of the world, including the wonderful music of his mother’s voice and his own ringing laughter, which he could hardly contain.

Malachi is a six-year-old boy with Treacher Collins syndrome, born without some of the bones in his face and neck. For the first several years of his life, he lived in a group home for medically fragile children, where he did not have the attention that he needed. Without an ear canal, he could not hear, and no one at his group home worked to get him the surgery that he needed to have hearing aids put in. The nurses had to care for many children, and Malachi’s surgery was not pursued.

Then, in 2012, Amy and Derron saw Malachi for the first time and fell in love. They already had a child with Treacher Collins syndrome and knew that they could offer the love and stability that would allow Malachi to thrive. Having already adopted three other children through LSG, Amy and Derron worked with LSG’s case managers to finalize the adoption of Malachi. Earlier this year, they welcomed him into their family.

With parents now to advocate for his care, Malachi underwent surgery to have a hearing aid put into his ear. The effect of this surgery was remarkable. Five weeks after the surgery, Malachi returned to the doctor to have the hearing aids turned on. When the doctor pressed the right button, Malachi suddenly began to giggle. He could not stop giggling. New sounds flooded his ears for the first time, and he could not do anything but giggle. And then his parents laughed until their stomachs hurt and tears of joy flowed from their eyes. “It was literally a miraculous moment,” Amy recalls. “The overwhelming joy that came from that child was unbelievable. Other than the moment that a child calls you mom or dad, this was the most important moment for Derron and me as parents.”

With his new hearing aids, Malachi is now thriving. Although in kindergarten, he reads at a first grade level and has begun to write and speak. He loves to run around outside, color in his coloring books, and play with his trains. He also relishes his role on the special needs tumbling and cheerleading team, The Renegades. He is the “flyer,” the child who is on top of the pyramid and in the middle of the stunts. Before the surgery, he could feel the beat of the music, but now he can hear the music. The music, the noises, the sounds: everything is clearer to Malachi now that he can hear. But perhaps nothing is as clear as the love of his parents, a love that surrounds him every day and shows him that he is accepted as he is.