African Leadership-Refugee Ministry

2011-11-28T14:19:00.004-06:00

The Jamii Project

Doing good has never looked so good. Did you know that a refugee, who was forced to leave his home due to persecution and fear and who has traveled thousands of miles to find a new home in Nashville, created these bags? Today, your purchase of this unique, hand-sewn bag will do more than just put a smile on your face...much more. This bag will create an opportunity for an entire family. Refugees are often considered a forgotten people. Not today. Today, you have chosen to recognize them and support them. Your generosity is empowering these people who truly are our next-door neighbors: empowering them to train others, to gain marketable skills, and to earn extra income to support their families. Together we are fostering a community.

Jamii is the Swahili word for community. Simply put, The Jamii Project is the community project. In the past 15 years, over 5,000 refugees have called Nashville, Tennessee their new home. Now is the time to blur the boundaries between “them” and “us.” Now is the time to create a community.

As we enter into this holiday season, give a gift that gives back: give a gift that fosters Jamii. Pre-order one of our bags by December 15th and receive it just in time for the holidays email us at thejamiiproject@gmail.com

2011 Refugee Ministry Breakfast Banquet

2011-09-17T11:57:00.001-05:00

Breakfast Banquet - Save the Date!

2011-09-06T13:38:00.001-05:00

African Leadership Breakfast Banquet
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
7:00am - 8:30am
at Covenant Presbyterian Church
33 Burton Hills Blvd., Nashville, TN, 37215 (map here)

If you are interested in hosting a table, please contact Marie-Aimee Abizera:
phone: (615) 595-8238 ext. 244
e-mail: aimee@africanleadershipinc.org

Completion of Polling in the Souther Sudan Referendum

2011-01-18T11:57:00.000-06:00

Successful Completion of Polling in the Southern Sudan Referendum

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

January 17, 2011

The completion of a peaceful, orderly Southern Sudan referendum marks a significant achievement for the Sudanese people and a historic step toward full implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The United States commends the millions of Southern Sudanese people who participated in this historic process, and applauds both northern and southern leaders for creating conditions that allowed voters to cast their ballots freely and without fear, intimidation, or coercion. The successful vote was also a credit to the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission, the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau, and more than 40 countries and international organizations. We welcome the positive statements issued in recent days by international observer missions from the African Union, Arab League, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, European Union, and the Carter Center.
As we await the official results of the referendum, we reaffirm our commitment to remain a steadfast partner to both parties as they continue to work toward full implementation of the CPA and to develop their post-CPA relationship. The parties have an opportunity to forge a durable peace between the North and the South, and to build positive relationships with the international community. We hope they will seize this moment, and the United States supports their efforts to ensure a peaceful, more prosperous future for all Sudanese.

HAPPY NEW YEAR OF 2011

2011-01-18T11:54:00.001-06:00

This blog might be a few days overdue, 18 days to be exact but none the less, Happy New Year :)

This year started with a lot of blessings for our ministry, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that support our ministry financially this past year of 2010. It was not the easiest year to survive as a non-profit, but we are glad that we serve a living God who is in charge of every aspect of our ministry including finances. It's a great relief to know that we can rely on him.

On Sunday, January 9th, We experienced one of the most important day in history here in Nashville. The hundreds of Sudanese resettled here in Nashville gathered the whole day to vote for the referendum that would make Southern Sudan it's own government. We pray that this referendum will bring stability to the region of Southern Sudan and tranquility to the Christian church in that region as it has endured so many years of persecution caused by the Muslim government in the Northern region of the country.
Today was the successful completion of the referendum votes and we'll wait to hear the results.

It was a celebration for many Sudanese from the south all over the world

They all turned out to vote for the independence of the Southern region of Sudan

The Sudanese in Nashville turned out to vote at the Lost Boys gallery in downtown Nashville

Welcome our Eritrean Friends

2010-12-14T12:16:00.000-06:00

ESL class meets on Wednesdays 6:00pm

Volunteers from Cross Point Church with ladies from Eritrea

Learning English is one of the requirements by the US government for the refugees resettled here

We try to keep the ration 2:1 (two students /one teacher) for better learning

Come join us and help refugees assimilate to life here in the Middle Tennessee area by teaching english

More English Classes

Eritrean father with his two daughters.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE REFUGEE MINISTRY

2010-12-14T11:24:00.003-06:00

To all my fearless & dearest volunteers and all the friends and supporters of our ministry!

I hope that this post finds you well and warm on this beautiful freeezing morning! This is definitely beyond what my african blood can handle, but am slowly learning the art of layering clothes:)

I want to first and foremost thank you for your involvement with our ministry in this year of 2010. It's been one of those unforgettable years, many lessons learned, many blessings shared, but most of all we learned how to depend on God's unchanging hand no matter what's going on around us. Many thanks to you, we were able to accomplish so many things that would have been impossible without your help, your loving hearts and your hard work. So thank you so much for making everything possible for the refugees we serve here in the Middle Tennessee Area.

Incase you have not heard, we've had a few exciting things happen, you can always visit our blog and our website to see more pictures and read more on certain happenings. Many thanks to you, this year we've been able to accomplish the following:

Summer camp activities and summer activities to 100 refugee kids through out the city of Nashville. This summer, some of our refugee kids enjoyed several different summer activities. Many thanks to the Durrs and their support, some of our kids were apart of the Summer farm camp. They enjoyed playing with the other kids and being with farm animals. It was their first time to see horses and even got a chance to ride them! So it was definitely the high light of their summer. Many thanks to friends and churches that hosted pool parties for some of the refugee kids we serve as they truly enjoyed themselves.

Many thanks to J Hager and Covenant Presbyterian Church that supported some of our high schoolers to join their youth group on their mission trip.

Many thanks to many many volunteers that made our first Run With The Nations 5k race a success in our first year:) I can't be more grateful. Let's gear up again for celebrating the world refugee day and raising awareness for the invisible population in our midst. Plan to join us on June 18th, 2010 at Shelby Bottoms Park for our second year.

Many thanks to the tireless volunteers that helped us with our first breakfast banquet event. It was a great success and we couldn't have done it without you. This event helped us raise money that is helping most families without jobs during this holiday season.

This year, we've started receiving a new group of refugees from Eritrea escaping from religious persecution and others from The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) escaping the atrocities taking place in their country. Please pray for peace in the Congo, what's going on there is beyond human understanding.

Many thanks to all my tutoring volunteers and the ESL volunteers. Your tireless work makes a great impact in the lives of those we serve in a way that you will never fully understand. Without you so many of those we serve would not have been able to navigate life here in Nashville. So We are very very very grateful for all the work that you do.

If you can, join us this Saturday 12/18/2010 at Cross Point Church on Charlotte Pike for a Christmas event for refugee children at 3:00pm. If you are interested in helping email: aimee@africanleadership.org for more information on how you can help. If you are a family and would love to do this as a family activity, you are absolutely more than welcome to do so.

Thank you so much for the great year of 2010, we are looking forward to seeing you again in 2011 :)

Stay warm!

Refugee Ministry Breakfast

2010-12-02T09:04:00.008-06:00

images from our first annual breakfast
benefiting the African Leadership Refugee Ministry
November 11, 2010 at Covenant Presbyterian Church

Fall 2010 Intern

2010-10-17T16:30:00.001-05:00

Hi, I'm Elle Mihnovich, an intern for the African Leadership after school refugee program. It is an honor to serve God through this amazing ministry. I'm a senior in high school and God has given me a heart to serve Him by ministering to disenfranchised people at home and in the world. It is such a blessing to teach and spend time with the refugee children. The view of the world that I receive by looking at it though their eyes is beyond comparison. These children have crossed over to a world that appears to be of comfort, ease and opportunity, but the challenges they face are great. African Leadership is doing an amazing job preparing them to be productive, contributing members of society, while maintaining their heritage and enriching ours.

PLEASE JOIN US

2010-10-13T15:49:00.000-05:00

Hello Hello!

2010-09-29T09:58:00.000-05:00

Hello good friends! It's been a while since we last gave you news of what's going on here at the Refugee Ministry! A lot has taken place since you last heard from us and I promise to give you all the scoops in full this week. We have a lot of good news of God's grace to those that we serve and the community of Nashville's been a blessing as well.
Please continue to pray for us as we are struggling financially. It's becoming harder and harder to provide services to those that we serve due to lack of finances. We trust that our God is a good God and our help comes from him. So please join us in prayers.

MORE TO COME, SOON!

Farm Camp!

2010-07-29T22:07:00.006-05:00

Ten Thousand Villages partners with us on August 15th

2010-07-24T10:28:00.000-05:00

Please pass on the word to your family and friends. Hope to see you then:)

Third Sunday Partner - African Leadership's Refugee Ministry

August 15, 2010

Shop with us from Noon until 5:00 pm to benefit a wonderful ministry, African Leadership's Refugee Ministry!
African refugees have been displaced by war and unrest in places like Rwanda, Somalia, Burundi and Sudan. Surviving decades of massacres, slavery and exploitation practices in their home countries, many fled to refugee camps in neighboring countries such as Tanzania or Kenya. While living in these temporary camps, the United Nations intervened on their behalf and asked the United States to receive them and as a result, thousands of these refugees have relocated to Middle Tennessee.

http://nashville.tenthousandvillages.com

V.B.S Summer 2010: Thanks to Crosspoint Church

2010-07-24T10:26:00.001-05:00

The refugee communities of Richland Hills, Timberwood, Cumberland, and Shelby came together for Vacation Bible School with Cross Point Church last week. Children ages 3 to 17 took part in the festivities, and there were great activities for each age group. Each evening was filled with laughter and learning, as the games, arts and crafts, and dancing created a fun, friendly environment. The energy of the Cross Point members was evident, and it really set the tone for an exciting week. Each night began with a funny, interactive skit by the members of Cross Point. After that, the children split up into their groups and alternated between the different activities. Some of their favorite activities included soccer, volleyball, and singing. The main message of the week concerned Everlasting Love and how in spite of our sins, God loves all his children with all his heart. It was very neat to hear the childrens’ thoughts and responses to the passages we read. One of their favorite passages was the parable in which the two sons inherited their father’s fortune, but one of the sons wasted his fortune right after receiving it. Even though the wasteful and extravagant son sinned, his father rejoiced when he returned and God still loved him with Everlasting Love. After each group finished every station, we reconvened for music and singing. The final night concluded with a guitar/singing performance by Isaie, in which he asked us to pray for those living in Africa so that they, too, might live like we do. The children and volunteers both really enjoyed this fun week of Vacation Bible School. We look forward to VBS next summer!

Run With The Nations

2010-06-22T21:29:00.016-05:00

On Saturday morning, more than 300 runners gathered at Shelby Bottoms Park to participate in Run with the Nations and celebrate World Refugee Day. Runners started arriving a little before 7:00, and after registering, they began looking around the shops and reading the cultural posters of each nation. The most popular shop was selling African fabric and attire. The refugee groups arrived soon after, and the Bhutanese, Burmese, Iraqi, Somali, and Burundian refugees were taken to their respective villages along the racecourse.

As the runners gathered at the starting line, William Mwizerwa, the director of Refugee Ministry, and Larry Warren, the founder of African Leadership, both made speeches expressing their sincere thanks and gratitude to the runners for their continued support of the refugees of Middle Tennessee.

As the gun was fired and the runners took off, it began to rain, but no weather could interfere with this event. Runners passed by five different refugee villages, and the villages cheered loudly as the runners passed by. Catherine Higham, a race participant, said after the race, “The Burundian village was really special because they all formed a line and gave the runners high-fives as they ran by.” Several of the villages returned to the finish line in time to form a tunnel for the runners as they completed the race. After the race, the race participants, organizers, and refugees came together again and continued the celebration.

We would like to thank all the runners for supporting African Leadership, World Relief, and the refugees of Middle Tennessee as we celebrated World Refugee Day. Your support means everything to us, and we could not have done any of this without you. Look for us next year for the second annual Run with the Nations 5K.

- RWTN team

Meet our Summer Intern: Marcy McDonald

2010-06-09T13:42:00.000-05:00

Marcy McDonald comes to us from Mississippi as one of our Summer Interns. Marcy first came to know the Refugee Ministry through her church, Pinelake, out of Brandon, Mississippi. They took a Spring Break trip to come and work with the children of the ministry. They enjoyed making crafts, playing sports, tutoring, and ministering to the children. She felt an immediate connection with this people group. Marcy is a fourth grade Math and Science teacher in Mississippi and prayed very hard about how she was going to spend her summer break. The Lord laid it on her heart that she needed to serve the months she had off. She is excited to spend her two month break in the Music City working the Refugee Ministry. Marcy hopes to grow in her faith and extend her hands in service for this organization in any way she can.

Meet our Summer Intern: Rob Higham

2010-06-07T11:26:00.000-05:00

Rob is joining the African Leadership team as a Summer Intern. Rob began volunteering with The Refugee Ministry in July, 2008, and continues to work with the after-school tutoring program for refugee youth. His favorite parts of working with these children are the lasting friendships he has formed and seeing their smiles. He enjoys witnessing the educational progress they have made and loves seeing their successes in the classroom. In December, 2008, Rob began a project called Youth Sports Connection that links local refugees with Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt Athletics. To date, they have relationships with the Men's and Women's Basketball teams and the Football team. He spent three weeks last summer working with youth in Kigali, Rwanda, and Nairobi, Kenya. His most memorable experiences from this trip came from his work with the youth at Kanombe Presbyterian Church in Kigali and with the street children at Centre Presbyterien d'Amour des Jeunes. Rob recently graduated from Montgomery Bell Academy, where he was a member of the Crew and Swim teams and the Vice President of the King Society for Service, and he will be attending Vanderbilt University in the Fall. He plans to double major in International Leadership and Development and Political Science.

Summer Schedule: Join us and make this summer memorable:)

2010-05-25T07:19:00.000-05:00

Summer Schedule

June 1^st: All interns and summer volunteer report day

June 7^th – June 17^th: Reading Program

Race Preparations

Sports

June 19^th: RUN WITH THE NATIONS 5K RUN/WALK: In celebration of world refugee day. Come join us to support those that we serve

June 21^st – June 30^th : Summer Camp: Sports, Arts & Crafts, etc

July 4^th Celebration with First Pentecostal Church

July 5^th – July 8^th: VBS with Cross Point Church 6:30pm-8:30pm

July 11^th – July 17^th: Vacation Time :) No programs

July 19^th – July 31^st: Summer Camp 2

August 2^nd – August 14^th: School Readiness

PS: We are looking for someone to donate 50 back to school backpacks.

Spring is Here!!

2010-05-06T14:04:00.000-05:00

We have been busy at the RTC and enjoying the spring weather with the children! The younger ones love playing outside and teaching us adults how to hula hoop. It is definitely a challenge, but we have some talented young hula hoopers! The kids are ready for the summer and we have some great things coming up for them this summer.

The kids have been out of school all week due to the flood. Thankfully none of the families homes were affected. However, their jobs were affected and they will be out of work until things have been restored. Continue to remember everyone who has been affected by this flood, and be thankful for what God has given to us!

Here is a link to pictures of Nashville after the flood: http://www.businessinsider.com/nashville-flood-pictures-2010-5#-1

First Annual Volunteer Luncheon!

2010-03-23T13:55:00.000-05:00

TENNESSESS AQUARIUM FIELD TRIP!

2010-02-18T13:53:00.003-06:00

On, Saturday, March 13th we have planned a fun-filled educational trip to Tennessee Aquarium for 30 refugee children involved in our after-school and summer programs. We will be leaving the Richland Center at 7 a.m (8am Eastern) returning by 7 p.m.

For this trip we will need approximately 12 volunteers. If you are not able to go with us but want to contribute to this trip you can help sponsor a child’s entrance fee, help with the cost of gas, or help with the cost of the child’s lunch and snack. The total entrance fee for each child will be $22.95 - this cost includes entrance to the aquarium and entrance to the IMAX theater. If you can donate snacks, lunches and drinks, it would be greatly appreciated as well.

If you would like to volunteer for this trip please contact us as soon as possible so we can finalize our plans. Contact Aimee at aimee@africanleadership.org to volunteer (March 13 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.) or sponsor a child on the trip ($22.95 per child).

If you would like to sponsor a child please send donations to:
African Leadership
Refugee Ministry
P.O. Box 2888
Brentwood, TN 37024

If you have any questions please let us know by contacting aimee@africanleadership.org

PS: VOLUNTEERS WILL PAY THEIR ENTRY FEES.

THIS WEEK ...

2010-02-08T12:46:00.000-06:00

The harshness of winter is hopefully almost over, and we can barely wait for the spring to come along! This weekend was extremely cold without any snow, so I hope that you all kept warm and are still keeping warm. And enjoying the fact that kids are back in school:)

There are quite a few things that I would like to keep you updated on, we have new families that you might or might not know of. Some are as new as last week and others are as knew as last month and this past December. Our ministry is meeting overwhelming challenges as these people are being located here yet the economy is not improving at all, so it's not easy for them nor is it easy for us. If you would happen to have any clothes for 4-6 year old girls and 2-4 year old boys, we would gladly accept the donation as most of our new families have young children and this weather is not being too kind to them. They are in need of warm coats, jackets for both children and adults as well. And if you have warm bedding that you are not using and are willing to donate, these families will be incredibly grateful for them. If you would like to donate please contact William Mwizerwa at william@africanleadership.org

On the side of our volunteers, we keep on being blessed by incredible people who are willing to give of their time and talents to invest in the people we are serving and for that we are forever grateful because none of it would have been possible without your help. So thank you very much for all that you do. I can gladly report that you make an incredible difference in these children's lives especially when you look at this semester's grade report cards, you'll be amazed by the improvements they are making.

If you haven't visited our new website please do, learn more of what we do and spread the word as well. Please keep reading our blog posts, sign up to be a follower and invite your friends as well. Our announcements will be posted on the blog for future reference, visit the blog for what's going on and other different opportunities you can participate in.

Also, as we are trying to expand our services and improve our after school program, we are starting to look into some grant opportunities. If you know some grants that we might qualify for or know an experienced grant writer please do not hesitate to let us know. In line with grant opportunities, we'll start requiring the amount of hours you donate to us, so please every time you come in look at our volunteer board located in the kitchen and get a sign up sheet for that day! This will help us be able to justify the amount of volunteered hours.

Thanks again for everything you do.

MEET OUR SPRING INTERN Elizabeth Brown!

2010-01-26T10:53:00.002-06:00

I am from Texas, where I was born and raised. I received my Bachelor’s in Social Work from the University of Texas where I am also currently working on my Master’s in Social Work. I am in my last semester of graduate school and excited about the future. Right now I am interning with African Leadership. I chose to work with this organization because I wanted to make a difference. I have always been interested in missions work overseas and thought this would be a great opportunity to start towards that goal. While working here, I hope to gain a better understanding of working with refugees and working with volunteers. In my free time, I enjoy watching sports, particularly football and watching the University of Texas Longhorns! I also enjoy shopping, going to see my favorite bands, and hanging out with family and friends. I have only been in Nashville about 2 and a half weeks but I am already loving it! I love the community of the people in Nashville and how everyone seems to be connected in some way.

NEW WEBSITE!

2010-01-26T10:02:00.001-06:00

The African Leadership Refugee Ministry got a new website and it's really cool and exciting for us to be able to reach as many people as we can and let them know of the different opportunities available in their midst to serve Africans. So please visit it and spread the news
http://www.refugee-ministry.com

Pray for our Haitian Families.

2010-01-16T12:04:00.002-06:00

I hope that all is well with you on this great Saturday morning/afternoon. If you have watched TV this week, or opened your internet or turned on your car stereo or just simply live on the surface of this earth, you would happen to know or heard the disaster going on in Haiti. If you have tutored at our center or volunteered with our summer programs you have met Chelsea and sometime she brings along her cousins. Chelsea's family are refugees from Haiti, our director, William paid them a visit yesterday to check on how they were doing. Unfortunately, they told us that there is so much they don't know at the moment since the means of communication are at their worst, but they know that there are 10 members of their families missing. And am sure when the chaos reduced they'll know more of what's going on with their families that were left in Haiti.
Please pray for these two families, there is nothing devastating as knowing that your family is in trouble and your are too far to do anything to help, there is nothing devastating as the feeling one feels wishing they were there with their families.
We'll keep you updated as we find out more of what's going on with Chelsea's family, for now, all we can do is pray for God's protection to those in Haiti and a peace of mind that surpasses all understanding for the family members on this end.

Thank you so much for your support.

2010 Volunteer/Intern Guidelines

2010-01-11T09:24:00.002-06:00

AFRICAN LEADERSHIP-REFUGEE MINISTRY

2010 VOLUNTEER/ INTERN GUIDELINES

Our mission:

African Leadership-Refugee Ministry serves the African immigrant and refugee population in Middle Tennessee through several different services. Our mission is to provide biblical hope and healing and equip this marginalized population to become self-reliant in their newfound home and better citizens for their new society.

High School Volunteers:

If you are a high school volunteer and you are fulfilling your community hours required by school, this is the place to be. There are several programs for you to be involved in with just giving 2 hours of your time once a week. However, we’ll require a semester’s commitment and an early notice if you are not going to make it on the day you are scheduled to be there. We know that as a student yourself, you have other priorities to take care of.

On top of showing up on time, each high school volunteer will have a sign-in sheet that will indicate the hours you have participated in our programs. Our volunteer coordinator will inform you of where to find these forms once you are at our location.

General Volunteers

We are very thankful that you have chosen to serve the kingdom by sharing the love of Christ with those that we serve.

Qualifications: Available for a set of schedule per week, with a minimum of 2 hours per week or one day per week for a whole school semester. Must possess good people skills, must be flexible, self-starter, and must be reliable. Creativity is always a plus. Must enjoy promoting the works of African Leadership-Refugee Ministry.

Job Description: Our ministry runs on the support of our volunteers. Without volunteers this ministry will not exist. We kindly ask that you let the volunteer coordinator and the director know of any plans you would like to make with those that we serve or any changes you would like to see in our programs. We welcome all the ideas because we know that there is power through partnerships and as the saying goes, two heads are better than one.

Internship Opportunity:

If you were looking for a school internships opportunity, we would be more than happy to provide the opportunity for you, however, your internship would be unpaid. Your responsibilities will be according to when you want to do your internship as our programs change according to the school calendar. This would be ideal for those majoring in social sciences or interested in international communities.

Qualifications: Available for a set of schedule per week for a whole school semester with a minimum of 10-15 hours per week. Must possess good people skills, flexible, self-starter, and must be reliable. Creativity is always a plus. Must enjoy promoting the works of African Leadership-Refugee Ministry.

Fall/Spring Interns:

Job Description: Fall/Spring interns will work in conjunction with the Volunteer/Program coordinator and the Director, recruiting and maintaining volunteers. Will help maintain the weekly communications with the volunteers. Will help organize and maintain the After school program and other educational program.

Summer Interns:

Job Description: Summer interns will work in conjunction with the Volunteer & Program coordinator and Director to create and maintain summer programs; VBS, Recreational and Educational programs. The summer intern will also help with the annual back-to-school drive.

Thank you so much for your willingness to serve the kingdom.

PS: Job Descriptions are subject to change according to the needs of the ministry.

Spring 2010 Calendar

2010-01-11T09:15:00.000-06:00

I hope that you are all keeping warm, I feel like Nashville has been dislocated to the North and I didn't get a memo. Pray for those of us with African blood cause we'll definitely have hard time staying warm, unless it's 70 degrees outside:)
We are in the midst of building a new website for our ministry, this is very exciting because it will be so much easier to spread the stories of God's grace and to let people know how they can help. So be on the look, we hope to launch it at the end of this month. The address will be www.refugee-ministry.com

As we start this year, I would like to let you know of the changes that have been made to our program, as we try to improve our current programs and implement new ones. Things have not started moving in full swing yet as schools have been closed and the weather has not been friendly at all. Our hours of after school program are still the same this semester with a few programs added on:
Tuesdays-Thursdays 3:30pm-5:30pm (Tutoring)

Thursdays 5:30pm-6:30pm (Computer training for high school students) We are in great need of volunteers for this program as this is very crucial for their educational success as they are starting to do a lot of computer projects.
These are the dates that the public schools will be closed, and on the day they are closed our programs will not be meeting:
January 18th: MLK's Day
February 15th: Teacher's day
March 12th-19th: Spring Break

We are in the midst of adding on new programs to our ministry and we would let you know as soon as possible. Please keep checking for this summer and spring activities as well.

HAPPY NEW YEAR OF 2010

2010-01-04T16:17:00.000-06:00

I hope that you have had a great holiday season. The holiday season here at African Leadership Refugee Ministry was filled with joyous moments and unforgettable memories were created and we are forever grateful for those that participated. This holiday season over 500 Christmas presents were distributed to different African Refugee individuals and families, regardless how cold the days were, it was truly a joy filled holiday season.

On top of presents, something extra cool took place at our training center on the eve of Christmas! Santa came to visit with the refugee children. This is a moment that I don't think I would do justice if I try to explain how joyous it was to see the children's eyes light up when Santa came to the center. It was absolutely amazing. It is still the talk of the town. We are forever grateful to Josephine and John Darwin for organizing the event.

Our after school program is starting back this week, our tutoring will start tomorrow at our regular hours 3:30pm-5:30pm if schools don't close due to the cold weather.

Stay tuned for an update on this year's programs.

This week ...

2009-12-08T17:03:00.003-06:00

The rain today is absolutely unmistakable! It's very dark, and here at the refugee center, children's laugther is filling all the rooms of this house. This week is the last week of our after school program before the Christmas festivities start. The children are out of school next Wednesday for Christmas break and most of our students volunteers are preparing their end of semester exams. SO NO TUTORING NEXT WEEK, TUES 12/15th THROUGH MON 01/04th.

This semester has been amazing, not only have we had a great success with the refugee children's school success, our volunteers have been great anchors for this program and they are absolutely the reason for the success of this program, we definitely couldn't have done it without you. We are looking forward to having you again next semester, there will be a lot of many exciting opportunities for you to keep providing for the communities that we serve.

On the more exciting note, this year's Christmas' Eve Santa is paying a visit to the refugee children in Richland Hills. Look forward to seeing pictures from this awaited event.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2009-12-03T17:26:00.002-06:00

We hope that each and everyone of you is enjoying this holidays season regardless the harshness of these cold days. We also hope that everyone enjoyed a great thanksgiving with their families and friends. On Sunday, November 22nd, 2009. Our friends from Midtown Church, made it a special day by sharing the joys of thanksgiving with the refugee community here in Nashville. There were plenty of Turkey to the point where families got to enjoy them later on during the week in their homes. We are very thankful to West End Community Church for letting us use their facilities. It was an afternoon of great celebration with 150 African refugees in attendance from all different countries of Africa; Burundi, Congo, Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

In this Holiday season, we would like to take a moment and be thankful to our good God for everything that he has done for this ministry. We'll be celebrating our 10th Year of serving African Refugees here in Nashville this coming spring, another great reminder of what God has done for us and how good he's been to us.

For everyone that dedicated their time and talent to this ministry, we are forever grateful, you have impacted so many different lives even though they might not be able to tell you so themselves. You have been a light in to so many African immigrants and refugees here in Middle TN, we are very thankful for your help and we hope that we'll continue working with you in serving this population.

HAPPY HOLIDAY!

BETHEL WORLD OUTREACH CHURCH SERVICE DAY!

2009-11-23T14:24:00.004-06:00

This week ...

2009-11-09T10:11:00.003-06:00

It's been a great weekend and I hope that everyone got a chance to enjoy it as it seems like the next few days are not going to be as beautiful. I also hope that everyone is in great health as it seems like the flu is going around, so please take care of yourself.

I want to touch base on what's going on this week and the next few weeks as we are approaching the holidays.

This week, here at African Leadership, we have our Annual banquet, on Thursday November 12th at Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood located on 1210 Franklin Rd. Come hear our National Director from Malawi, T.K Llesanmi and many other great speakers of what God is doing on the lovely continent of Africa and here in Nashville.
There will be no tutoring at Richland Hills on this day, Thursday, November 12th. You are all welcome to come and join us at the banquet. If you would love to come please call our office (615-595-8238) and let them know.

This month of November, the after school program will not meet on the week of November 23rd-28th.

You are all invited to our Thanksgiving outreach on Sunday, November 22nd, at West End Community Church. Please come and share the joys of Thanksgiving with the refugee families here in Nashville. If interested in joining us please email aimee@africanleadership.org

BENEFIT CONCERT!

2009-10-07T11:43:00.004-05:00

JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF CELEBRATION WITH GREAT MUSIC!
Come one come all

DAY AT THE MUSEUM!

2009-10-06T11:45:00.002-05:00

Once upon a Saturday, the high school students in our youth program took a day trip to the adventure science museum. It was a day to remember, the sun was shining, the skies were as blue as they could be and the weather was just perfect, at least for those of us that come from the tropical area.
This year, all the high school students involved in our Afterschool Program are in a science class, and as much as they are having a hard time with those classes and growing not to like science, I wanted them to have fun with science, even if it meant for a few hours. So we piled up in a van at 10am on a Saturday morning with a few volunteers eager to help and make the trip memorable and off we went. The experiences were absolutely memorable; the planetarium was in every sense the coolest thing and the most unexpected experience for the children. As the show was about astronauts and what it takes to be one, the audience was transported into space. Afterward, the children got a chance to experience walking on the moon.

Our trip didn't just end up with the education part only, we also got to feed ourselves thanks to Cici's Pizza buffet. I don't think that I have ever been entertained by watching people eat, except on this day:) I was afraid that they would put Cici's out of business for the day! But all in all it was great fun.

All in all, I can't think of a better way to make science more enjoyable and fun!

We would like to be able to take more roadtrips in the future, i.e. we would love for the children to experience the downtown Nashville Library, the Zoo, visit local colleges etc. If you feel called to sponsor or volunteer for one of these educational trips, please do not hesitate to email me at aimee@africanleadership.org

All for the kingdom!

WE WELCOME NEW FAMILIES!

2009-09-21T12:19:00.003-05:00

This fall African Leadership Refugee Ministry welcomed 46 new refugees to Nashville from Elitrea, Somalia and Ethiopia. These families have come to us through many years of suffering. They have lived in Kakuma refugee camps located in the Northern part of Kenya. It's a very dry area, almost a desert. Most of these families are very big in terms of numbers, even as I write this update, there are a few mothers expecting and there is one that just delivered a healthy baby girl in the last two weeks. These families are going to need a crowd of witnesses to surround them and shower them with love as they are still getting used to the new ways of their new surroundings.

If you would like to know how you can assist the new families, please contact William Mwizerwa at william@africanleadership.org for details.

BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO SCHOOL!

2009-09-21T11:45:00.003-05:00

The fall semester has been in session for a while now, the first set of report cards came home last week and we are very happy to report that the children involved in our after school program started the year off on a good note. Of course there is always room for improvement, but they have made incredible improvements through our summer academy. This semester we also gained new students; those that started school this year and others from the community around us. We would like to thank our Volunteers for donating their time and talent to come out and work with these children. This fall semester our volunteers come to us from different churches and different schools around Nashville. If you would like to get involved in our after school program, please email our volunteer coordinator Aimee Abizera at aimee@africanleadership.org. You can also stop by our training center in West Nashville where most of our activities are held and say hello to those that we serve, we are located at: 5800 Maudina Avenue, Apt J3, Nashville 37209
You are more than welcome to bring a friend or bring your family.
Our schedule is: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 3:30pm-5:30pm
Special events on Friday or Saturday will be announced soon.

Captured Moments!

2009-08-26T12:01:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, August 15th, 2009 five Burundi refugee couples decided to legalize and bless their unions at First Presbyterian Church. Great thanks to Sandra Randleman who performed the ceremony for these couples.

For those reading this update my wonder what's going on! Here is a little background to help you ... most people in refugee camps do not get a church wedding. Two parties come together and agree to live together, of course they do what is traditionally acceptable between the two families but not everyone gets a chance to have a proper wedding ceremony or even a marriage certificate. So in the spring, one couple approached William and asked him if there is a way for them to have a proper wedding ceremony! From just one couple the number grew into five couples. They all decided that they can do this on one day and have a big celebration. It was a grand celebration, the Burundi community celebrated together even those in other states joined them for the great event.

However, this day would not have been possible without the great help of many individuals that felt compelled to help these couples create lasting memories of their wedding. We are very grateful to the women of 4th Avenue Church of Christ for everything they did to make this day the most memorable to these couples. We very thankful to FPC for letting these couples use their facility but most of all for the great witnesses they have been to this community. Thanks to the sunday schools at FPC that helped with the organization of this day. Many thanks to Sandra Randleman for taking time on a Saturday afternoon to perform the ceremony.

This was absolutely a day to remember and thanks to everyone who made it possible.

Summer 2009 Recap!

2009-08-25T11:27:00.000-05:00

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has made this summer one of the most memorable summers for those that we serve. It has been a summer of perfect weather to begin with, a summer filled with love and joy to the communities that we serve.

This summer we had several activities take place, none of these activities would have been possible without the help of several individuals and several different churches that supported our programs.

We would love to give special thanks to Annie and Rachel for their undying contribution and organization of the VBS this summer. Our summer VBS was attended by 45 African refugee children. It was a great joy! We are very thankful to Dave Barnes who led the music potion of our VBS. We would also like to thank Josephine and John who attributed to the unforgettable memories by organizing a swimming party for the African refugee kids. It was definitely an afternoon to remember.
We would also love to thank for following churches for their support and willingness to serve those in their backyard.

New Wilmington Presbyterian Church of PA:Mission trips don't always have to be across the oceans or across the boarders, sometimes they can just be in your backyard! This is what the youth group of Wilmington Presbyterian Church did. They came and spent a week serving the African refugees in our midst. They helped with the VBS and the summer camp.

Covenant Presbyterian Church: The youth at Covenant Presbyterian church have been volunteering with our ministry since last spring. This summer they sponsored the summer camp and even took three of our high schoolers to their youth retreat in Florida. The African Youth rejoiced over the opportunity of being able to travel but most of all, the opportunity of seeing an ocean for the first time in their lives. It was an unforgettable experience for them.

First Presbyterian Church Shakopee of MN: This was the second mission group this summer, our third group this year. It was a great pleasure to have them with us as they helped launch the Summer academy. Their youth group did other projects in the mornings but spent the afternoons tutoring the Burundi refugees in West Nashville. Their last day of the trip, they made dinner for all the children and had a communion time of sharing a meal together.

Cumberland Church: Cumberland Church joined us this summer for the first time. They provided the African refugee school age children with school materials at the beginning of this school year.

First Presbyterian Church of Nashville: Our long time friends have been a great anchor for this ministry. FPC have supported this ministry from the very beginning and they are still supporting us and we couldn't be more thankful. Some of the FPC youth group joined us and volunteered to help with the VBS this summer.

Grace Presbyterian Church: Grace Presbyterian church sponsored and provided volunteers for our VBS this summer.

West End Community Church - TN
Park Avenue Baptist Church - TN
Cross Point Church - TN

May He rest in Peace!

2009-07-06T09:55:00.000-05:00

For those that have been following the news on Phineas Nyabyenda, I would like to let you know that He is home with our heavenly father as of early Thursday morning around 1am. Phineas has been a part of our family and our community since August 2007, when his family was settled here in Nashville to start over their lives. A year later, He was diagnosed with cancer and he had been fighting that battle since the summer of 2008.

Please keep his family in your prayers as they go through these hard times. If you would like to know how you can help the family, do not hesitate. Email the director of the African Leadership Refugee Ministry; William Mwizerwa and he would let you know the best way you can help: william@africanleadership.org

Thank you so much for your support and prayers to Phineas and his family!

Refugee VBS 2009

2009-06-25T11:58:00.000-05:00

This summer, our VBS served about 45 refugee children. It was great fun and the children enjoyed it greatly. Thanks to Rachel Ward and Annie Barnes who organized everything and helped us get the materials for us.

The summer is here...come join us!

2009-06-11T10:03:00.000-05:00

The summer is here and there is a lot going on, so come and join us, make this summer as memorable as we can. Here is our summer calendar, if you are interested in joining us at any point please let us know by emailing our volunteer coordinator Marie-Aimee Abizera We are always in need of volunteers.
VBS: June 15th-18th 1pm-4pm (Ages 3+)
Swimming party: June 20th
Summer Camp: June 22nd-July 3rd Mon-Thurs 10:30am-1:00pm
Richland Summer Academy: July 13th-31st 1pm-3pm

Hear From Our Lovely Volunteers2

2009-05-08T12:29:00.000-05:00

My Experiences with the Burundians

By Rob Higham (HS Student)

I can still remember the very first day I went over to Richland Hills to work with the refugees. My mom had begun volunteering with refugees earlier that year and had been wanting me to come help out in the pre-school with her. I had heard many of her stories about how fun and loving the kids were, so I was quite excited to finally meet the kids and work with them. I figured that this would be the type of thing where I would work with the kids a little bit here and a little bit there- something I would enjoy but by no means grow to love. After that first day, however, I realized I was completely wrong.
Since then, I have continued my work with the refugees. I have helped out in the pre-school, an elementary school reading program in the summer, and in an after-school homework/tutoring program. I have come to work with most of the kids here, and I love each and every one of them. I enjoy and appreciate every second I spend with them. Aside from mentoring them, I have learned so much about them, their past lives, and their culture. In working with them, I have made countless friends. In doing so, the barriers that inevitably exist where they view me as their “tutor” and I view them as “the kids I’m working with” have been broken. In its place stands a mutual friendship that will last longer than I ever thought possible.
I have been working with the Burundians for the past eleven months now. Even though I have been helping them, they have been helping and teaching me, as well. In mentoring them, I have learned countless lessons. I have come to see that no act of kindness, however small, goes unappreciated. The kids will love you no matter what, and they genuinely appreciate everything you do for them. Whether you are helping someone with their math homework or playing soccer with a group of kids, the kids will appreciate it. I have also seen firsthand just how far the small things go.
I cannot imagine where I would be without my new friends. I feel I have grown as a person through my work with them. What began for me as a small opportunity has become something much more than that. I cannot describe how it became such a big part of me, but one thing is for sure- deciding to go help out with the kids on that early June morning was the best decision of my life.

Summer 2009 Calendar!

2009-05-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

Join us this summer for a chance to serve the kingdom and the African community here in Nashville. Here is our calendar of events. If you would like more details please email our volunteer coordinator Aimee Abizera at aimee@africanleadership.org

We are looking forward to having you with us this summer.

May 2009:

*May 14th, 2009 > Aimee on Vacation for two weeks

*May 15th, 2009 > End of after school tutoring.

June 2009:

*June 8th-11th, 2009 > VBS preparation week with Volunteer meeting. Specific date to be announced.

*June 15th-19th, 2009 > VBS for Refugee Children 1:00pm-4:00pm (If you wish to volunteer, you can just do one day or the whole week depending on your availability)

*June 20th, 2009 > Pool Party for refugee children (date subject to change)

*June 22nd -July 3rd, 2009 > Summer camp for Refugee Children

July 2009:

*July 5th - 10th > A little break

*July 13th - July 31st > Summer Academy ( to help children prepare for the fall start)

August 2009:

*August 1st, 2009 > Volunteer Luncheon

* August 8th, 2009 > Back to school Picnic (If you would love to donate school materials it will be appreciated)

*August 14th, 2009 > First day of school for Davidson County Metro schools

* August 17th, 2009 > Fall semester After school program starts (Daily schedule to be announced)

Hear From Our Lovely Volunteers!

2009-05-02T09:17:00.000-05:00

Refuge on the Horizon

Annie Hallquist

The Oxford American Dictionary defines a refugee as someone who “has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster.” On the surface, that is exactly what a refugee is, and yet it is hardly a complete picture. Defining refugees this way is like observing a painting of a sunset. It may be an accurate representation, but it only shows a small representation of a greater truth. A painting with all its color and emotion pales in comparison to the ribbons of magentas, alizarins, tangerines, cornflower blues and all the colors in between that expand in a moment of mayhem over the placid horizon. It will always fail to express the moments that leave us grasping at glimpses of heaven.

Refugees are no more defined by their displacement anymore than the house in which I live defines me. Living circumstances are situational, they are not who we are. The identity of people, displaced or not, goes much more to the core of being than to what one does or a place where one resides.

My name is Annie. I grew up in small town Minnesota. I have never endured a civil war, never been persecuted for my beliefs or my heritage, never had to leave my home in the middle of the night. No one would ever tag me a “refugee.” So what do I have to say on this topic? What authority do I have, if any? Maybe none at all, these are just thoughts on a page about what refugees have meant to me.

My first significant encounter with a person labeled as a refugee was during college. I lived in Boston in a house with a group of Liberians displaced after the civil war conflicts and the reign of dictator Charles Taylor. When I first moved in, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but after many late nights filled with good food, hearty laughter and passionate discourse I learned things that forever changed my working definition of the word refugee. Nasche taught me to cook, Bonah, about the perils of politics and greed. One housemate, Torli Krua, once taught me that to extend your hand to a refugee is to hold hands with the whole world. Another man I lived with, Taiwan Gongloe, has since returned to Liberia and is now acting Solicitor General. He was quoted as saying, “I always say that I have a responsibility to make Liberia right. I don't say that 'others' have, I don't say 'we' have. I say "I" have. I always ask what I am doing to fix this situation, to change this situation.” They all taught me so much about what it means to be responsible with the short time we have in this world. Years have past since I lived on Drayton Ave, but the relationships I gained still hold firm today.

My first set of experiences in Boston were educational and eye opening, but my journey had just begun. In 2005 I met a young Rwandan woman named Marie-Aimee Abizera. We met at a bonfire in Nashville, but it wasn’t until 2007 that my life would change forever. Aimee and I met for coffee one day and the rest is history. Aimee is the kind of woman I hope to be; passionate, driven, accepting, loving, forgiving, hard working, kind, bold, compassionate, the list could fill this page time and again. I laugh the hardest when I am with her and miss her when life takes us apart. She is a sister to me. Her family, immediate and extended has taken me in and I am grateful everyday for it. We have traveled as far as East Africa and Nashville coffee shops together. We share our dreams, our hopes, fears and frustrations. We share life. Our pasts are a part of us, but in this present moment, we are learning the fine art of living together.

When the press reports on refugees, it sends this air that we should take care of them because we are from Western societies and it is our duty. We have SO much to give them. We could help these “poor unfortunate people.” While there is some truth to this, it is so very egotistical. We present ourselves as the so very important “saviors” of the world. If this is so, we have failed horribly, yet we also fail to see that refugees have so much to teach us. They have seen the very definition of hell on earth, and lived to tell the tale. Their lives are living testimonies that there is much pain and heartbreak in this world, but also there is much to rejoice and much to love as well.

Where I have the ability to help people that have come into my life by way of displacement, there is so much to learn as well. I can offer help in learning my native language, help finding employment or housing or the grocery. I have found though it is often in the words or deeds of my friends who have come from the other side of the world the help to learn the language of the heart. They have taught me the steps to the dance that we call life.

The word refugee’s origin comes from the French word refugie meaning “gone in search of refuge.” I know that I seek refuge often. Aimee often acts as my shelter from life’s hurricanes. My friends from my Boston home have acted as my protection from ignorance about the plight of refugees. I could never thank them all enough.

So what to do with all of this? Open our arms to the world, our hearts to our neighbors and our eyes to the sunset. Beauty is all around. Pay attention. We have much left to learn.

Spring Break at the RTC!

2009-03-19T12:23:00.001-05:00

I hope that the first day of spring finds you in good health. I am very ready for the weather to start warming up and to see the flowers blooming and the harshness of winter fading day by day.

This past week, we had the privilege of having a mission team of young adults from Mississippi join us for spring break. The team drove in Thursday night and left on Tuesday afternoon, it was a few days of great fun and great fellowship with the refugee families in West Nashville. Several projects were accomplished by this group of 17 young adults, we cleaned and painted a few houses for the refugee families, they prayed with the families and got to hear their stories as well. And of course we had to curve in time for arts and crafts with the children, who enjoyed working alongside the team. It was a very fascinating week, most of the children saw people painting for the first time, of course they had to join in and let's just say that some of their clothes and body parts were a little bit stained with paint!

On Saturday evening, each member of the team spent time with a refugee family and had dinner with them and it was an amazing experience for both sides, and the team members have amazing stories to tell ... Katie Kyle wins the award of the most amazing dinner story. (You'll get to ready these stories soon). The team also got a chance to pray with Phineas and his family the whole day on saturday, it was an amazing experience.

For the rest of the spring break, we are taking it slow, just spending time with the children and trying to get them ready for the next half of the semester.

Keep Phinias and his family in your prayers.

Where did she go?

2009-03-05T09:58:00.000-06:00

I am sorry that I haven't updated the blog in a long time. I lost track and before I knew it february was over and we are desperately waiting for the spring to warm us up again!

Alot of things has been going on here with our ministry, I would like to give you an update on several programs starting with an update on our friend Phinias.

Phinias underwent surgery after two radiation treatment, his pain was too much for him to handle because the cancelous tumor was enlarging and almost attacking his spine. So the surgery was to maintain the spread and to make sure that it doesn't do any damage to his nerves. After his surgery, Phinias had a few complications with some infections that has taken a while to get out of his system. Phinias should be released from the hospital today or tomorrow, please keep him and his family in your prayers.

In the Fall of 2008, First Presbyterian Church started an ESL program that catered to African refugees. It was a great moment of witness for both the refugees and the tutors. The children absolutely enjoyed being a part of the choir eventhough they were not used to the songs that they were learning. The families learned a lot, and got a different view of the christian community. This class has come to an end, it was a sad evening full of tears and shared memories.

Our after school program is still moving, and it's almost spring break, the students can't wait and neither can we! It's time to take a little break from the math and geography and kick the ball around a little bit. If you are on spring break and staying around come and join us in the afternoons as we'll be enjoying afternoons of soccer and other outside activities. The spring break is March 16th - March 21st.

This spring break, we have the privilege of having a mission team from Mississippi join us for a few days. It will be a week of great fun and service to the community.

Come join us for your spring break!

In Need of Your Prayers

2009-02-09T11:24:00.000-06:00

This past year has been a year full of trials and blessings for our ministry and for those that we serve as well.

Phinias Nyabyenda is one of the young men that were blessed by being settled here in Nashville in 2007. Phinias and his family had been living in the refugee camp in Tanzania, he is just 19 years old. This past fall, Phinias was diagnosed with cancer in his hip. In the beginning, he complained of back pain and he was treated for back problems at SILOAM health clinic. After a few treatments, they realized that it was more than the back, because the pain was just getting worse with time. One day on a friday evening in September, this young man ended up in the emergency at Vanderbilt hospital, the pain was too much for him, he couldn't take it anymore. That weekend, Phinias was diagnosed with Cancer.

Phinia Nyabyenda moved here to Nashville from a refugee camp in Tanzania the summer of 2007. He is here with his family; his parents and 4 siblings. There are a few siblings that were left behind but this family was happy to start a different life. As Phinias was turning 18 years old before school started, he did not get a chance to go to high school so he took on a job to help his family. His younger sister however, got a chance to attend high school, she is currently in 10th grade and one of the sweetest souls I have ever met.

Phinias has undergone Chemotherapy and Radiation but none of these treatments seem to help with the cancer. At the moment the doctors are still evaluating their options and what the next move ought to be. Saying that his family is overwhelmed with what's going on will be an understatement, they are more than overwhelmed. By the grace of God, we have been blessed with amazing volunteers that have been helping with the doctor's visits and the hospital trips, and for this we are forever grateful for them and their families.

Please keep Phinias in your prayers as you remember him, I'll keep updating you on how he is doing.

This week at RTC!

2009-01-17T10:00:00.001-06:00

After the great tragedy that befell this community, it seems like everyone is starting to recover slowly by slowly. Please keep the family in your prayers as they are going through many different things and many different emotions.

This week has been a week of freezing cold weather but it seems like we all survived. Am praying that none of the kids get sick because then we all get sick :) Alot has happened this week, we have gained a new group of volunteers from Covenant Presbyterian Church, their youth group will be volunteering with us on Thursdays. We also had a group of senior girls from Brentwood Academy come help us clean the RTC (Refugee Training Center) this past Friday. This was for their service day which is done once a semester and this was their second time, they were with us this past fall and we enjoyed having them back.

Our After school program picked up after the holidays with 25 children attending daily. It has been a great experience and we hope to get more volunteers involved as we are absolutely short of volunteers.

Our ESL Classes picked up as well after the holidays, and we have gained new classes as well. Our first class at Baptist Church on Charlotte pike started as well and the attendance was great.

There is also one more ESL class starting this coming week at Christ Church on Old Hickory, this class will be taking place on Mondays and Wednesdays 6:30pm-8:00pm

Have a blessed week my friends.

A Tragic Story!

2009-01-08T13:30:00.000-06:00

I am sure that you have all heard through the news about a family in East Nashville that lost their mother. This family is new in the US, they just got here in October of last year, though some of their children have been here since August 2007. The mother's funeral will be on Saturday. Please keep this family in your prayers and the whole community as well. This is not an easy thing to deal with. We are working with a therapist in town to meet all the needs of this family, especially for the children. If you would like to make any kind of donation to this family, please contact William Mwizerwa at African Leadership either by phone or email; 615-430-5609 or email him at william@africanleadership.org

Watch the sad video news here: http://www.wsmv.com/video/18424844/index.html

2008 in Review

2009-01-05T00:01:00.001-06:00

What's going on in 2009?

2009-01-04T22:23:00.000-06:00

There is so much going on this year we are absolutely looking forward to God's plans for us this year. If you need a place to volunteer or hang out with people that might be a bit different from you, do not look any further. This year there are very many different opportunities for you to volunteer with us, whether you are a student or a family looking for an activity to do as a family. Here is the list of what's going on this year, please do not hesitate to ask for further information.

Are you interested in Teaching English?

Our ESL classes are geared towards adults who don't speak english. I call it the survival english because this is very essential to survive in this country. Our English classes are held all over Nashville, we currently have three venues with classes:

1. First Presbyterian Church of Nashville (Franklin Rd): Wednesdays 6:00pm-7:15pm ( this class is closed, only FPC members can volunteer).

2. Christ Church (Old Hickory): 2009 schedule to be determined

3. Refugee Training Center (Off White Bridge Rd): Tuesdays 6:00pm-7:30pm

Homework Club.

It's easy, it's fun, it's absolutely worth 2 hours of your day! You can come alone or bring friends, or your family. This program helps 1st grade-10th grade students, it's amazing how much you can learn from these children. This is held at our Refugee Training Center (5800 Maudina Avenue, Nashville 37209) Mondays-Thursdays 3:30pm-5:30pm

Summer Soccer Camp.

Come play soccer with the african nations! This past summer we had a month long soccer camp which included refugees from different african nations, it was amazing and absolutely great. We are doing it again this summer, so feel free to join us. (Dates will to be announced soon)

VBS.

This past summer African Leadership Refugee Ministry organized a half day VBS for african refugee children ages 5-12. Fifty-five children from different african nations attended, it was amazing and am thankful no child got hurt! We are doing it again this year, and we are hoping to make it bigger. If you are interested please email Aimee Abizera the volunteer coordinator at aimee@africanleadership.org

So you don't have much time!

Sometime you don't have enough hours in your days, we can always use you for just one day or one event. If you would still want to volunteer with us please let us know.

If you are interested in volunteering with us please e-mail or call our volunteer coordinator

Aimee Abizera: aimee@africanleadership.org or call 615-477-0639

Happy New Year of 2009!

2009-01-01T12:42:00.001-06:00

We pray and hope that this year finds each and everyone of you in good health. We are looking forward to what God has instore for us and for this ministry in this year of 2009 as we are counting our blessings. We have been blessed to have friends that serve alongside us in this ministry and we are very grateful and each and everyone of you. We always say that there is room for one more in this ministry and we would be more than happy to have one more. This ministry would not exist without your support and your prayers so we are very thankful for your willing hearts.

HAPPY NEW YEAR OF 2009, MAY IT BE A YEAR FULL OF BLESSINGS!

Refugee Ministry Services

2008-12-26T14:12:00.000-06:00

The mission of the African Leadership Refugee Ministry is to give biblical hope and healing to African Refugees in our midst.

Since 2001, the Refugee Ministry has welcomed and provided assistance to hundreds of refugees' families and individuals as they

arrive and resettle in the Middle Tennessee. The services provided include: Education, Spiritual Empowerement, Refugee Assistance,

and immigration assistance.

Education:

ESL ( Language as a Second Language):

Most of the refugees settled here in the U.S do not speak english. Our first priority is to equip them with the english language.

So we provide ESL classes to help these families and individuals survive in their new homeland.

After-School Program:

This program aims to help the refugee youth attending school here in the Middle Tennessee.

These children attend public schools in their area. the goal of this program is to help them attain the standard level

required by their school which at times can be hard because of the language problem. This program started November 2007

and has been very successful. This program takes place Mondays-Thursdays 3:00pm-5:30pm. If you would love

to volunteer with us please call Aimee Abizera at 615-477-0639.

Life Skills Training:

Most of the skills that most people in the western countries take for granted can be a bit challenging for refugees,

i.e opening a bank account. The refugees need to learn the basic life skills needed to survive in America including:

shopping, cleaning, driving, learning how to use the household equipments, etc.

Refugee Assistance:

African Leadership Refugee Ministry assists families in paying medical bills in emergency situations. We assist new families

financially to meet the basic needs before the families start working; and this includes paying at least one month's rent

and buying school supplies for the children.

If you would like to donate to this ministry please send your checks to:

African Leadership

Refugee Ministry

P.O.Box 682444

Franklin, TN 37068

or visit our website: www.africanleadership.org

African Leadership-Refugee Ministry

2008-12-26T13:45:00.000-06:00

Dear Brethrens,

Welcome to our blog, we pray and hope that all is well with you and your loves ones. Thank you for being a part of this ministry and for being the faithful friends to the African refugees here in Nashville.

African Leadership was founded by AL President Larry Warren, who has been involved in missions since 1986, and began working in Haiti, India, and Nepal. Since 1990, he has focused his efforts on the continent of Africa. The mission of African Leadership is to provide Christian education both here in the United States and in Africa. The Refugee Ministry here in Nashville is an extension of this mission and vision.

The Refugee Ministry provides biblical hope and healing to the African refugees here in Nashville, and provides Christian education to the African refugee youngsters as they integrate in the new culture.