Day 2: Mama Amina

After a full night of rest, the team gathered for breakfast and a morning devotion by one of our co-leaders, Joel, where we heard stories of refugees from the Bible and were encouraged to not only recognize God at work in the stories of those we would meet but in our own life through storms as they arise. It was a great way to start the day and begin building a platform for relating to soon-to-be new friends.

We headed out to Clarkston to meet Melanie from Lutheran Services of Georgia (LSG), who would match our team with 3 interpreters who offered us a chance to meet families who have resettled in the USA within the past few months.  Joel, Max, and Torrey met a family from Somalia who had been living in a refugee camp in Ethiopia for 24 years before resettling to Clarkston through LSG recently.  Karissa, Tito, Jesse, and Kim met a family from Cuba who resettled directly to the United States this year after waiting over 10 years for their entire family to be approved to resettle.  D'Anne, Sarah, Kehley, and Mari met a single mom who relocated from Somalia this year with her son.  Her husband is still overseas in Somalia living in a refugee camp and waiting to be approved to join his family.  Our team had a great time hearing from each family and building relationships with new friends from across the world.  It was eye opening to meet so many different people who have resettled in Clarkston, GA with such varied backgrounds and varied reasons for seeking refugee status here in the United States.  Throughout each story, our team was able to put into perspective how varied stories can be, yet deep community can be built through the shared experience of resettlement.  It was great to hear the stories of our interpreters as well and how they became connected to LSG - whether being a former unaccompanied minor seeking refugee status or a graduate student completing an internship.   The language barriers were difficult for some, but it was also a great reminder of some of the struggles those we were meeting encountered through their resettlement process.

After this, Melanie offered to show us around Clarkston through a driving tour of many of the businesses, service agencies, and community locations many refugees own and utilize each day.  We were able to see community colleges, restaurants, shopping malls featuring over 10 nationalities, ESL classes, and even a church that hosts services for 7 different nationalities/languages!  Our group had discussed the book Outcasts United before arriving in Atlanta.  Today, we were able to see the buses used by the Fugees Family Soccer Team!  It was great to see some of the discussions our team had before arriving in Atlanta come to life through the driving tour by Melanie.  During the tour, Melanie pointed out several shopping areas where local residents owned and worked that she suggested we check out if we had time.

Milam park became our lunchtime destination for the team to have sandwiches and unwind for a bit.  We even tried to find a Geocache but the spiders kept us away :)  After lunch, we opted to head to Thriftown and the surrounding shopping area.  The team was surprised to see so many different types of food under one roof!  German chocolate, Takis, Thai tea, White Castle burgers, and many other different ethnic foods all on the same aisle.  Walking out of the store, two of our team members met Amina - Clarkston's Mama.  Amina moved to Clarkston four years ago and LSG helped her resettle in the area.  Since resettling, she has made it one of her missions to help other refugees resettle successfully and become part of the community.  She immediately welcomed us and offered to give us a tour of the shopping center that featured an Ethiopian restaurant, a Korean clothing store, a hair salon featuring 5 different stylists from 5 different countries, and a global pharmacy.  Throughout each visit, we were welcomed with open arms into a new family who offered us food and advice and answers to questions about their cultures and stories.  At the Ethiopian restaurant, the owner even made us traditional Beef Tibs for the group simply as a gesture of helping us explore the community!  Each person we met wanted to share as much of their culture as we had time to hear about.  It was truly humbling and eye opening to re-learn the meaning of true community through each individual we met.  Despite being from different cultures and speaking different languages, each person we met genuinely wanted to welcome us and new refugees with open arms and do everything possible to make life successful.

After the amazing but spontaneous lunchtime tour, we headed back for a second afternoon with the students at Clarkston Community Center.  Our team was welcomed with smiles and excitement and many of the students we met on Monday remembered our names and greeted us with enthusiasm!  Throughout the afternoon, basketball games were played, nicknames were assigned (Bella Gaga and Taylor Lopez to name a few), homework was completed, and friendships were deepened.  Our students were challenged again by the students' energy level but were able to keep up with students for most of the afternoon until everyone's sugar crash hit from lunchtime snacks.

Taco Tuesday was properly celebrated by our dinner crew and a game of Pass the Pigs celebrated the end of a second long day.  After dinner, our team had a great discussion about the meaning of community and hospitality and how we can take the feelings we've experienced back to Portland after the week commences.

Tomorrow, our team will spend time with LSG helping in an ESL Employment class with resumes and getting email accounts setup in the morning, check out the MLK historic site over lunch, and spend time with the Clarkston Community Center in the Community Garden and with the students again.    We are so grateful for your thoughts and prayers and are grateful that the storms held off for our day.  Hopefully they will hold off again tomorrow as we plan to venture into Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta for a Wednesday Wind Down concert series after dinner.