250 Congolese Coming to Orlando
We made friends with two Kenyan brothers this week who
attend Streams of Life Worship Center, an African-style church that was founded
by a Masai to reach the diaspora of Africans in Central Florida. We met Pastor
Kippeen only a month ago and we were asked to share our vision at the church in
the future.
Our Kenyan friends told us about two Congolese families who
received refugee visas to the US and were resettled in Orlando only one month
ago. They were working to help these families get situated with the proper
necessities for living.
Their stories about bringing the families from the refugee
camp to places like Wal-Mart and Publix were absolutely amazing.
“These children went from having not one toy to having a
room full of toys donated by members of the church,” said Frederick, one our
new Kenyan friends.
250 more Congolese would be resettled in Orlando this year,
according to Lutheran Services Florida.
Refugee resettlement is not anything new. Nations like the
US, Canada and Australia often partner with the United Nations and
non-governmental organizations to resettle refugees in concentrated areas. For
instance, there’s a huge population of Somalis in Minneapolis, Minn. from
resettlement. Why they chose to bring the Congolese to Orlando is a reason we
can’t explain any other way than God ordained it.
When we the family from Congo, we shared a of encouragement
with them. We told them that this was not the end—it was only the beginning and
that they were blessed to be a blessing to their brothers and sisters in Congo.
“Never forget where you came,” said Andrew.
We prayed for their new home and shared a meal with them.
We don’t know how we will work together with these 250
Congolese in the future, but we know that it wasn’t by accident that they came
to Orlando—the city we are based out of.
Andrew and I are believing that these Congolese will be
blessed here in the US and they will partner with us spiritually, physically
and even financially in the future.
“At this time you cannot go back to help your people, because
God has placed your family here for a reason. But we are going back in one month;
we are becoming the bridge to your people back home. And we need you prayers;
we need you to help us learn the language and we need to be partners in the
work of God,” we said.
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