Wesleyan Life Magazine Online

Hope to Refugees

By Bonnie MacBeth

Our faith-based organization was mentioned in a front-page article of the main Buffalo, New York, newspaper. Myo Thant (pronounced mew taunt), a volunteer who translates to English for the Burmese families we serve at Hope Refugee Services (HOPE), was interviewed about the tragedy in Burma, the cyclone Nargis. I shook my head in amazement as I read the reference to HOPE.

Starting with limited financial resources and a few volunteers with compassion for refugee families, only God could have taken us from a group of five women drinking coffee around a table and brainstorming about what we could do for refugees (with no funds and no facilities) to helping hundreds of refugees solve translation needs, housing crises, food shortages, children’s educational challenges, health needs, and employment issues.

A Perfect Location

Fifteen million refugees live in “temporary” refugee camps worldwide. Fewer than one percent ever leave the camps. Refugees fled their homelands for fear of persecution or death and have experienced much tragedy and injustice. They are legal immigrants who come to the U.S. after undergoing an intense screening process by the United Nations and the federal government, and they arrive in the States with only the clothes on their backs.

It seems like every week God shows up in new ways to meet the overwhelming needs of these families. When we needed a place to start our ministry, a Catholic nun who operated a home for people who were physically handicapped was concluding her ministry and retiring. She heard about HOPE and decided to give the house to us for our ministry to refugees. It was in a perfect location for the many families who must walk to meet with us, as most have no car.

Wesleyans Respond with Help

When we needed emergency funds to help refugee families move into apartments, a number of Wesleyan churches gave to make it possible. When we saw refugee kids discouraged and struggling in school because they are put into classrooms according to their age and not their English abilities, we started an after-school tutoring program. The Buffalo Public Schools asked us if they could piggyback on our Saturday program and expand it from 15 to 60 kids!

Hamburg Wesleyan Church gave us a generous, two-year grant that enabled us to open our doors, and several Wesleyan churches across Western New York District, including my home church, Fellowship Wesleyan in Seneca, New York, have provided funds, volunteers, and household items.

He Knows We Are Christians

Early on, Myo Thant, the volunteer interviewed in the news article, showed up and began to bring many Burmese families to us for help. A Buddhist, Myo loves his people and is a leader among them. He knows we are Christians and is happy to work with us. Always a cheerful person, he is constantly helping others. But after the cyclone tragedy in Burma he came into my office in tears and showed me pictures of the dead from his home area. I told Myo that Jesus’ heart is broken for the people who are suffering and dying in Burma, and as we cried together he let me pray with him.

Deepened Love for Jesus

Recently God has opened up new areas of ministry: A local camp is partnering with us to develop a year-round leadership program, we’ve started a sewing project to teach refugee women how to use sewing machines and encourage them in developing home businesses, and we are partnering with local housing agencies to offer homebuyers’ programs. A new drop-in center is ministering to 500-600 people each month.

My days include long hours of service and both emotionally and physically exhausting work. But as a byproduct, I realize my faith is growing; I am more willing to take risks for the sake of the Kingdom; I am learning to listen more intently to the leading of the Holy Spirit; I have become bolder in sharing my faith. Most of all, my love for Jesus has deepened as I see His heart of love reach out through His church to those who need to know He has not forgotten them.

- Bonnie MacBeth is executive director of Hope Refugee Services in Buffalo, New York.