By Joanne Liang, Director of Restoring Refugees
Broken.
having been fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or in working order ~ as in appliances
(of a person) having given up all hope; despairing ~ as in people’s lives
Through our ministry at Restoring Faith, Inc., we see both # 1 and #2. Not everyone who has broken appliances have broken lives and not everyone who has broken lives have broken appliances, but with the refugees, these go hand in hand. In literally every home we visit, brokenness is apparent.
How could a mother of seven do laundry with a washing machine that does not wash the clothes right?
How does an elderly person manage to take cold showers in the winter?
How can anyone cook a traditional delicious meal in the oven when there is no oven?
How do you keep your food fresh and last if your refrigerator is broken?
How do children keep warm if there is no heater?
In many instances, we walk into people’s apartments that don’t have stoves, fridges, washing machines and water heaters that work. Toilet seats and faucets are missing. That’s because landlords there aren’t obligated to replace them. If something breaks, that’s your problem and you fix it.
During our home visits to distribute food coupons and pray with the refugee families, the team does a routine evaluation of the emergency needs of the families. Replacement of broken appliances is one of the many projects that avidly occur during the year, as funding allows. With this article you see photos of appliances that over the years we have replaced thanks to our donor’s support. Just the joy on the families’ faces alone is enough to know we met their need.
It’s through much prayer, leading, prompting, investigation, more prayer, and lastly shopping for a good deal to help families with newer “used” appliances that are in better working order than the one they have. Can we do anything to fix their hopeless broken lives though? We attempt to do so just a little.
For the refugees and asylum seekers, their hope for a new life outside of their host country is in the opportunity for immigration, yet only around 5% of families are accepted to immigrate to other countries. Each day they wait and hope, hope and wait to escape their frozen lives. In the little projects and the bigger ones, we at Restoring Faith, Inc. come alongside the refugee families with the food and aid that helps a little bit of the brokenness.
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