The Episcopal Church
A Season for Renewal

Christmas is, among many other things, one of the most hopeful times of the year. It’s a season for generosity, reflection and new beginnings. Refugees new to the United States find Christmas to be a wonderful opportunity to connect with their new neighbors, building friendships and understanding that help them find security and peace, often after years of struggle.

The mutual gifts that refugees and their new neighbors can offer each other embody the spirit of renewal so strongly tied to this season.

With gratitude and prayers for a joyful new year;

Episcopal Migration Ministries

Volunteers offer refugee families support, build understanding

In Boise, Idaho, a group of generous community members has given the gift of a Merry Christmas to 20 families of newly-arrived refugees. The Eternal League of Friends (ELF) teams with EMM’s affiliate partners at Agency for New Americans, to provide those new to the country with welcome and gifts during a season marked by generosity.

The group, made up of dozens of individuals and families from the Boise community, served refugee families from Burma, Iraq, Afghanistan, Burundi, Colombia, Somalia and Ethiopia in 2012.

In providing essential gifts like school supplies, shoes, clothing and household items, along with the occasional child’s toy, ELF also extended a spirit of welcome to the newcomers. This year, ELF hosted their gift exchange at a local school, bringing food, gifts and even Santa Claus along as well.

Their generosity caught the attention of the local television news, while earning the gratitude of the staff at ANA and the 65 refugees who participated this year.

2012 remarkable year, challenges and opportunities lie ahead

As another year of hard work, cooperation and transformational ministry winds down, December provides a good opportunity to take stock of the accomplishments achieved and the new challenges that lie ahead.

In 2012, EMM welcomed more than 4,000 vulnerable refugees from more than 30 countries into communities around the United States. EMM’s resettlement programs provided the fundamental foundation these newcomers require to succeed, and employment and specialized services programs set many on the path to self-sufficiency and stability.

We extended our outreach efforts by creating new video resources and educational materials, and by connecting with old friends and new supporters at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Indianapolis.

In the coming year, the threats and challenges facing refugees around the world will be as serious as ever. Violent conflicts in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia will continue to drive many to seek protection, and protracted refugee situations will create an ongoing need for resettlement for uprooted people from Bhutan, Burma and other countries.

As always, with support from around the Episcopal Church and the many local communities where EMM’s program reside, our network will continue to respond to the needs of refugees and welcome the strangers in our midst.

Refugee Arrivals Summary

Between the start of a new fiscal year on October 1 and November 30, EMM welcomed 869 refugees from 20 countries with the help of affiliate partners, churches, dioceses and other community supporters.

Those refugees arrived from the following regions:

Europe and Central Asia: 15 refugees

Africa: 179 refugees

Near East: 326 refugees

South Asia: 131 refugees

East Asia: 179 refugees

Latin America: 39 refugees

EMM in the news

A number of Iraqi refugee families new to Knoxville, Tennessee celebrated Thanksgiving with friends from a local church and the University of Tennessee. EMM’s affiliate partners in Knoxville – Bridge Refugee Services – partner with churches to serve new arrivals, including many Iraqi families.

EMM’s partners at RefugeeOne help refugees adjust to life in Chicago, and the organization recently caught the attention of the Chicago Tribune. The article focused on RefugeeOne’s efforts to find good jobs for newcomers.

Finally, EMM joined with faith-based and secular NGOs, states and international organizations from around the world during the recent High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection in Geneva, hosted by UNHCR. The dialogue focused on the role of faith communities and religious institutions in protecting refugees and asylum seekers around the world..

December 2012

Acknowledgments

EMM's work is supported by grants from the U.S. Dept. of State, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, and by contributions from The Episcopal Church, parishes and community groups around the country.

To connect with an EMM affiliate in your community, please follow this link.