Days 31 to 33 8/20 Today we had our third consecutive weekly team meeting. We always start with a team meeting each week for several weeks. It’s important to make sure than we’re all on the same page. Only a few team members were available for the team meeting tonight. 8/21 Today was an important step [...]
Day 30 Our education team leader set an appointment for the teenage boy to register for high school next monday. Great things happen when kids get started in school. They are generally resilient and can adapt well. Getting into school accelerates their English learning and helps create friendships. The family made arrangements with someone else to [...]
Day 29 We have a great core group of refugee resettlement volunteers. Some of our activities come off without a hitch because we’ve got experience. Some things work well simply because we have enough people sharing the load. When things break down it is often because there are not enough people to handle the task. With [...]
Day 28 Food cards arrived in the mail today! As one of our team members was attempting to explain the card and its usage to the family a 7th grade bilingual Burmese boy walked in. He was able to interpret some of the details simplifying the conversation. I often point out that interpreters are not [...]
Days 26 and 27 Several team members involved in minor activities this weekend. A number of us have been watching the family’s mail for various notices. We’re still waiting on some social security cards. They received a “welcome” letter from AT&T. They received a letter from the Workforce Development Center detailing their initial public benefits. [...]
Day 25 Within the family structure of our current refugee resettlement case there is a 20 year-old daughter. Two weeks ago we learned that she was married in the refugee camp. Her husband, also a refugee, was resettled as part of a different case. His family was settled in Nebraska. His brother and sister remained [...]
Day 24 Yesterday I brought up “the system.” Sometimes things go suspiciously well. Sometimes things are completely crazy. Try on today’s experience with the local electric and gas utility, We Energies. One of our co-chairs placed a call to We Energies this morning to get the electric service switched into the name of the refugee [...]
Day 23 Wow, there was a lot happening today… First thing this morning I got a call from one of our co-chairs. She had gotten a call saying that a wash machine repair person would be at the house at 8:30 this morning, wondering if she could meet him there. She agreed. She was wondering [...]
Day 22 All seems well at the family’s house today. One of our team co-chairs met a member from our church congregation at the house. This church member has really stepped up to fill in the gaps with donated items. And, she’s gone above and beyond as well. She brought new toys, books, a couple [...]
Day 21 While unpacking linens that were donated for the family, some napkins were uncovered in the box. The women in the family were very excited, certainly more excited than we would expect, to see the decorative cloth dinner napkins. Has it been so long since they’ve had a fine napkin to set on their lap or [...]
