Dozens of thoughtful American families brought extra joy to the lives of Refugee Focus clients this past holiday season. Sixty-four refugee families (a total of 300 people) received wrapped gifts from "sponsor" families.
These refugees are individuals and families who have had to flee their homeland in order to be safe. They come to Arizona from around the world, including Iraq, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Eritrea and more, seeking a new beginning in a foreign land and language.
The holiday gifts not only introduce the newly arrived to our cultural celebrations, but also help outfit them for life in their new home. For the "sponsor" families, the chance to have a personal impact on the lives of new members to the community has led to priceless experiences (see inset).
If you are interested in learning how to sponsor a family for Christmas 2015 contact The Rev. Donna Buckles, dbuckles@lss-sw.org.
