Seeking God as an HFR Intern

By Abigail Schweizer

As an intern for Home for Refugees’ Family Reunification Program, which serves to reunify children of Central American asylum-seekers with their families, I am in regular contact with most of the program’s 36 families. I began in October 2020 with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. Most of my conversational Spanish came from the classroom. Now I’d have to apply that to real situations, and I was nervous. My excitement stemmed from an eagerness to learn about the journeys of asylum-seekers in the United States, and has since morphed into deep gratitude that I get to expand my worldview.

When my internship with HFR began last October, my conversations with the families were short, but by early 2021, the initial ten-minute conversations grew longer as my growing investment in the families’ lives paralleled the growth of my list of questions. I was eager to hear about the progress they’d made involving work permits, jobs, secure housing, and health care, hoping that the original “no’s” had turned into “yeses.”

I found that while many of those who’ve lived here for about two years respond with gratitude, their voices are also layered with exhaustion. Before ending each call, I ask the same question: “What is causing you the most stress at the moment?” Each time, they repeat the issues they’ve experienced with meeting basic needs.

Some time ago, after a few hours of calling the families, a thought slipped into my mind, and I regrettably let it run wild.  I thought, “Most of these families have no community support, no Home Team to guide them through life in the United States. Andrea (my supervisor) and I are the only ones who can and are helping them. Tomorrow I should start looking up dental clinics, food banks, churches, and other low income-resources for them so that they can find support in their community. But if I take the time to look up resources, I won’t have time to call the other families, or work on social media to educate the public, or complete my other projects.”  These thoughts ran through my head, and I could feel my brain physically tightening.  The only solution was to pray.

After time had passed, through prayer I was able to return to my monologue with a clear mind, ready to correct the faults in my thinking. On an earthly level, to think that I am the only one who supports these families is false. There are many other people and organizations who seek to come alongside displaced families, just like Home for Refugees.  My thinking was also incorrect on a spiritual level. In addition to removing agency away from other HFR staff, other organizations, and from the families themselves, I was taking away God’s agency.  By believing I have to do everything for the families, I take away His love, providence, and desire for justice. I take God’s strength and the power of prayer and give in to fear and anxiety.

Correcting my thinking has brought me hope, and my prayer has transformed: “God, the odds are stacked against these families. Fill them with supernatural hope and joy as they struggle to survive in a new country in the middle of a pandemic. Give compassion to those around them, and surround them with people who can guide them. Give me the wisdom to figure out the most effective way to serve each of them with my knowledge, time, and resources. Help myself and the families to continually trust in You through everything.”

Through encouragement, discouragement, and anxiety, I am anchored in the hope of Christ. While earthly happiness is fickle, my rooting in the Lord allows me to have a surpassing supernatural hope. Philippians 3:20-21 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Even if earthly kingdoms deny us passage and our bodies are harmed by sickness and injustice, we can look to heaven for eternal hope and rest in the security provided by Jesus.

Following the Lord's Leading

By Dorothy B.

Since we started our Monday Night Women’s Bible Study last summer, I’ve been struck on a number of occasions by Barbara B's willingness to be vulnerable, and by her wisdom, her gentleness, and her readiness to offer her time and experience to help the other women in the group when needed. I met with her recently to learn more about these aspects of who she is.

Barbara likes being part of the Bible Study group because she loves connecting with others and because “I want to learn everything I can about being a Christian. I’ve attended other studies throughout the years as well, and I just want to sop up the knowledge, hear other’s insights, and keep my brain active. It’s simple, but not easy. The Bible is so rich, but I could study forever and still not get it all.”

But it goes beyond that. Barbara believes that her purpose is to serve the Lord “wherever he directs me. I want to do everything I’m physically able to do, and being open about my life experiences is one way I can serve.”

Barbara shared that she was a difficult child. She was told early on that she had a high IQ, and that led to arrogance. She also respected authority, which caused her to be, in her words, obnoxious, telling others how to live their lives. She was bullied in school for her arrogance, but found she related to the other “picked-on kids” and would find herself looking out for them and their interests. “They were the ones I played with. This was really the beginning of my purpose to serve people. When I was bullied, my parents told me what I could do, but they didn’t intervene. I had to figure out situations for myself, which, for me, was the best thing that could have happened. But I was still bossy, controlling and judgmental! It didn’t bother the picked-on kids because they had someone looking out for them.”

“Growing up, I had two wonderful aunts who depended on the Lord, prayed for me and served as great role models. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I knew they were special. I went to Sunday School, but my parents didn’t talk about God. They just lived their lives the best they could, always working hard. As a teen, I drifted away. While in nursing school, I went to chapel every week, but slowly got into drinking, and that became my god. I took my own children to Sunday School, but I didn’t talk about God with them either. One morning, after many years of being an alcoholic, I had a hangover, and I got down on my knees and said, ‘God, I don’t want to do this anymore. Please help.’ It was not long after that my daughter said to me, ‘Mom, you have a drinking problem. I will support you if you get help, but if you don’t, I may never speak to you again.’ Looking back, I know Jesus was in the car with us that morning.”

“I really didn’t learn how to do life until many years later when I got sober and was taught how to relate to others and get along in the world. I stopped giving advice and telling others what they ‘should’ do. I learned it was more helpful when called upon to share my own experiences to help people think through their situations. I began to understand the faith that my aunts had and how God was working on me all along through others in my life like them.” God later gave me my husband, Dale, who brought out the best in me and eventually gave his life to Christ as well.”

“Jesus is at the center of my life along with sobriety. I need both. I’m eager to keep learning. I feel like I’m still missing something – not sure what, but I’m leaving that up to God and will continue serving him wherever I’m able.”

To end on a fun note, I asked Barbara what she looks most forward to when we are freed from pandemic restrictions: ”Going to Disneyland or to an Angel’s game!”

Being Where God Wanted Us

By Lori and Sam

If we could pick just one word to describe our recent, one-day mission trip to the Tijuana Christian Mission (TCM), it would be “refreshing.”  From beginning to end, the trip was a great experience.

One reason the trip felt refreshing was because of the fellowship we experienced with Ed, Letty, Juli, Jose and Leticia. 

On the drive down, we shared stories of how we came to faith and marveled at the ways God has used strangers in our lives to speak truth and point us in the right direction.  Even though our stories are uniquely different, they share common themes.

 The other reason the trip was refreshing was because of the wonderful people at TCM.  There, the youth eagerly participated in a worship rehearsal with Ed teaching guitar, Letty leading singing, and Jose at the drums.  We especially enjoyed watching the singers and tambourine players become more confident as they progressed. 
 
This was Sam’s first time in Mexico. For him, the highlight of the day was realizing that even though the cities of Irvine and Tijuana are drastically different, the people are still the same.  The young people at TCM that we saw laughing, singing and socializing were no different than him and his friends.
 
For me, the highlights were: (1) sharing this experience with Sam and (2) taking a small step of faith out of my comfort zone. For that one day, I was able to set aside my worries about a stressful job situation and concerns about my aging parents to connect with God’s people.  I felt like I was where God wanted me to be.

Boys & Their Toys

By Jack G.

Saturday, February 1, 2020 saw the men’s breakfast gathering at an unusual location: The Orange County Modeler’s Association (OCMA) flying field just East of Irvine Lake, about a mile off of Santiago Canyon Road (in the sticks).  OCMA is a consortium of local radio control model airplane clubs that leases the field from the County of Orange.  In the radio control hobby, one controls his/her airplane from the ground via a transmitter tuned to a particular airplane.  All control features common to a full-size airplane are available to the hobbyist via the transmitter.
 
The gathering at this unusual location was due to a breakfast that Ed and I enjoyed a couple of months ago.  As we were leaving the restaurant, I showed Ed the model airplane I was taking out to the field to fly.  Ed was amazed at the size of the plane (89 inch wing span, 17 pounds) and that I flew such a thing.  Immediately Ed seized on the idea of what a great experience it would be to hold one of the men’s breakfast gatherings at the field to watch me and others fly.

While I was concerned about the iffy weather that we might experience in February, luck (God?) would have it that it was one of “one-those-days” we in the model airplane hobby wish for; low wind speed, perfect, clear blue sky, and warm but not too hot.  Chuck and Ed arrived at about 8:30 a.m. to set up the coffee and bagels, with others arriving at 9:00 and after.  Of course, most of the gathered eleven men were completely unaware of the radio control hobby or at least not aware of the things possible with modern technology. 

There were probably about 25 others flying a wide assortment of airplanes.  From the excitement and the questions asked, it turned out to be an even more positive experience than either Ed or I expected.  There were several other models there similar to mine as well as jets, scale models, and sport types and all levels of flying skills. Set in a canyon with a large flat area and large hills in the background and abutting wilderness, the beauty of the site was not lost on the men.

Of course, with this being a new experience to most, there were many questions.  Among the most asked are:

How far away can you still control the airplane?  Answer: As far as you can see it and after that it doesn’t matter.

How much does it cost? Answer: How much have you got?

How did you get such beautiful field? Answer: Careful planning, good dedicated leadership, and lots of luck.

To show how new this experience was to the gathering, they even clapped for my flying and landings.  If only they knew.  I love them all.

Everybody enjoyed themselves, but the greatest takeaway was that a group of Christian men could share such a positive fellowship experience in a secular setting.  I understand that many men don’t often have the opportunity to enjoy the Christian fellowship that we all shared.  It was a treat for me to help provide such an opportunity.  Thank you, Spectrum men, for making my day.  I had a blast!

More Than We Could Imagine

The story of Kathy and Norm all started way back in 1962, when a series of lifelong connections began that led to their recent engagement!
 
Kathy met Julie in junior high school in 1959, and they later became college roommates at San Diego State University.  In 1968, Julie met Norm and they became engaged and eventually married.  Meanwhile, Kathy met Sam on a blind date and married in 1972.  Over the years, Kathy, her five roommates (including Julie), and their spouses stayed in touch, often vacationing together – calling themselves the “Cruise Group.” 
 
Fast forward 46 years.  Norm’s wife, Julie, was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, and Kathy’s husband, Sam, died suddenly on New Year’s Day.  Kathy and Norm had known each other their entire adult lives, but neither one saw their relationship as anything more than “the spouses of friends.”  In fact, on Super Bowl Sunday that year when somebody said to Kathy, “How about you and Norm getting together?”, Kathy’s response was, “Are you nuts?” 

Then God stepped in! On New Year’s Day 2019, the anniversary of Sam’s death, a friend asked Kathy, “What’s your word for this year?” Her response was “companionship.” “My life was so full. I didn’t anticipate or even want a man in my life.” As far as Norm went, “I still saw him as Julie’s widower. He was in a deep, difficult mourning that was not part of my life.”

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” Ephesians 3:20

Surprisingly, on January 12, Norm called Kathy to say he’d like to get together to just talk with her. At the end of what turned out to be a three-hour talk, Kathy knew that God had orchestrated this meeting. “ I didn’t think about him as Julie’s widower anymore. I was startled how easy it was to be with him. This led to a God-centered relationship that I’d not experienced before.” For Norm, “We’d known each other for so long. There was no mystery. We were at each other’s weddings. But I realized how lonely I had been, and now with Kathy, it felt like the beginning of the end of a monstrous grief journey. It was the first time I felt willing to open up to the feeling that gave me shivers. This was different! She was my safe harbor.

God responded to Kathy’s desire for companionship and Norm’s desire to get back into “real life” in a way that was far more than either could ask or imagine. Their story has now come full circle.  

Please continue to pray for Norm’s health.

Blessed to be a Blessing in Egypt

It is hard to explain a mission trip like going to Egypt in just a short paragraph. So much goes into a trip like this and so much is received. It was a fast one—we arrived very late on Sunday night and left the following Saturday night, but we did a lot in six days. Our team from all over the US bonded immediately. On Monday morning we travelled from Cairo to Minya, about 4 hours south, to work in Manhary, a mainly Christian village of about 35,000, but tucked into a very small area. Since there was no room to build the playground on the ground anywhere, we built it on the 5th floor of the church that we were partnering with. This church also works in partnership with Healing Grace, an Egyptian organization that with the help of people like you and me, sponsors over 1,700 children in Egypt so they can get better schooling and health care. Because Manhary is a Christian village, we were told they get the “not so great” teachers. The best teachers of course, go to the Muslim villages, so these students are often lacking in their education. Being a very poor village, there is often not much health care going on either. We fell in love with the staff from Healing Grace, young folks, many who have dual citizenship in Egypt and the US, but who have chosen to work in their own country to make things better.

Being that there were no holes to dig (since the playground was going to be bolted into the cement on the 5th floor), we quickly finished the work. It was pretty cool playing on the playground and looking out over the village and the surrounding countryside.

We got to help clean another church in the village, and on Friday, we had a fun field day, playing games on the soccer field that one wouldn’t even know was tucked into the middle of the village, surrounded by 3, 4, and 5 story buildings. A highlight of the trip was going on eight home visits to kids and their families that are in the sponsorship program. We were able to deliver small gifts sent from donors in the US to their sponsored kids. We spent about 15 minutes at each home with a worker from Healing Grace and a translator. We asked the kids all kinds of questions about school and their participation in the local church programs, then we got to pray for each family! What a gift to know that even though we are now worlds apart, we can still be praying for the many needs of these sweet kids and their families, many of whom had suffered tragedies with fathers’ injured on the job and now unable to work for a living. (Talk to me if you would like to sponsor an Egyptian child!)

We did get to do a few fun touristy things as well, which was cool being that we were in EGYPT! We took a sunset cruise on the Nile while imagining the baby Moses floating among the reeds. We visited the Giza pyramids outside Cairo and even rode Camels!

This trips puts a different spin for us on the Christmas Story. As we read about Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus having to flee to Egypt, we can envision what that might have been like (well sort of). It does make us think in a different way, but it also makes us realize that God is at work all around the globe whether here in the OC or in faraway Manhary.

Thanks for you support and prayers,

Julie and Erin

Leaning In

If you’ve met Donna, you will immediately be drawn to her smile, the kindness in her eyes, and a certain glow on her face. When asked where this natural glow comes from, Donna shared her story.

My joy comes from the Lord. I believe you can have joy even in bad or hard times. I’ve always been a Christian, but I wasn’t always like this. In my early 20’s, I was attending San Diego State University and met a guy that I soon married. Three months later, we were divorced! He had to make a choice between me and another woman, and he chose her. I could no longer afford to attend school, so I went to work for Air Cal. I was very sad, and this sadness last several years. But God wouldn’t let me get away.

When you’re a flight attendant, a certain closeness develops when you’re seated next to another attendant in the jump seat for long periods of time. Hearts open up. Conversations become deep. God moves people to speak for him. Through my co-workers and close friends, I learned that God had something better for me.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3: 5-6

God is so good! He’s gotten me through so many hard things in my life. Each time I went through pain or difficulty, he walked me through each step. I learned to lean into him for strength, courage, comfort, and hope. I had to lean away from my own understanding, which would only bring unnecessary worries and struggles. I could choose joy instead. I read scripture, prayed, and talked with other people. This didn’t take away the pain and hurt, but God gave me other things. He filled my emptiness and hurt with something new and helped me grow.

I have no doubt that I can fully trust him. I have learned through all my life experiences that I can rely on his goodness, because he will never let us fall. And in that process, He’s given me a love for other people. I believe my countenance is a gift from him to draw others to me so I can share Him. It’s all Him!

Building a Playground in Armenia

Chuck W. and Bruce C.

“At the last minute, my work calendar cleared, and the next thing I knew, we were on a plane and off to Armenia.” This began Bruce’s journey along with Chuck and some other men to build a playground with Kids Around the World. Here’s what they experienced:

We began our time in Armenia in the village of Sadunts, which sits at about 7,000 feet of elevation in a fertile valley. The people of the Yazidi villages that line this valley live a simple life, mostly in farming, working hard to live day by day. This is still a part of the world that burns their animals’ dung for heat – we hope this gives you a picture of where we were.

We found immediately that language was our biggest barrier. They speak no English and we speak no Armenian. This made for lots of hand signals and pictures drawn on the ground. But despite this, we felt very welcome in the community.

We started off the project as we always do, with a blank canvas. The problem with this canvas was that it was a lot smaller than expected! Only by God’s grace did we learn that the playground would fit “exactly” in the space. With much hard work digging and assembling, we were able to accomplish our goals.

The highlight of the afternoon was an unexpected invitation to a 3 year old’s birthday party. One of the boys that attends the kindergarten at the church where we were building wanted to celebrate with his class, and we were fortunate enough to snag an invite! It was great to be able to share this special time with the children.

In addition to the playground build, we were blessed during our time in Armenia to visit Mt. Ararat, join in worship at a vibrant evangelical church in Artashat, and participate in the ordination of five pastors that will serve and administer at that church.

Bruce commented, “What a privilege and joy it was to be able to participate in the project with a fine group of men! God gives each of us gifts. There are times when you can apply those gifts with a simple effort – perhaps the simple effort of digging holes and building a playground for children.”

Disciples Making Disciples - in Egypt!

By Julie W.

From the time our kids were little, we have tried to instill in them that the world is so much bigger than our little hometown, the OC, California, and even the US. We have tried to show them that how we live is not the norm. Most people in the world do not live like us. Whether it was on a road trip across the US, traveling down to El Niño, Mexico, or traveling as a family across the world to South Africa, we have wanted our kids to be aware of how blessed they are, how easy their lives are compared to some others, and how they in turn can be a blessing. Isn’t that what it says in Genesis 12? We are blessed to be a blessing to others, whether that is in the form of passing out food, building a house or playground, or just hanging out with people different from us.

Each of our kids has had the chance to go on a special trip during their last year of high school. Emma went to Israel, Zach went to Jamaica, and now Erin has chosen to go to Egypt. Each of these trips has involved building a playground, but also so much more. Once again, it is the chance to remind ourselves that the world is a big place, that people are different in some ways, but similar in others: the need for relationships and food, the need for some fun and creative outlets, the need for Jesus!

While in Minya, Egypt, we will be working with a local ministry called Healing Grace. We will build a playground at a local church, experience a couple of the 37 StoryClubs in Egypt (StoryClubs are where the children learn the word of God through storytelling, with over 850 children attending daily), do home visits, and just be with kids! We will be delivering toothbrushes and fun bracelets to the kids, and notebooks and pens to the staff. We will also be laying out a strategic vision for the next five years to reach more children for Christ in this beautiful country. From what I hear, we will be traveling with armed guards along the way, but meeting some of the nicest people who may be looking for Jesus! Erin and I will be traveling November 9-17. Keep us in your prayers!

Saying Yes to God

By Jaleesa

Even growing up in the church and knowing about God all my life, I found my faith being tested this past summer.

I grew up in Los Angeles with a dad who was a minister and a mom who taught Sunday School. Church was a big part of my life. But as I grew older, in my teens into in my twenties, I began to realize that I had known God on a factual level, but now I was beginning to actually see and experience him in my life. It was the difference between knowing about God and knowing him personally.

This spring, I received my Masters in Psychology from Vanguard University. In my mind, my first call was to find a job. When that didn’t happen right away, I began to feel somewhat anxious and inadequate. I’m a planner. I’m uncomfortable not knowing what’s next in my life. But here I was, graduated, and didn’t have the next thing set up. I was happy that I graduated successfully, but also felt a loss amidst the uncertainty. It was during this time that Letty was planning Spectrum Nights and asked me to lead a small group. I was very hesitant, but I took a leap of faith and agreed to help out.

Of course, I asked myself, “Is this the right time?,” but I looked at it as a step of obedience. I wanted to do what God asked me to do, and he responded. Summer came, and still no job, so even though I had some anxiety, I took a vacation to Hawaii. I heard God telling me, “Go. Relax. I’ve got this. Enjoy this time of peace.” I led the small group and felt the joy of new relationships and helping our youth grow in their knowledge and their faith. And then, a job offer came! I started work a few weeks ago at a teenage group home.

Everything came in God’s timing. I was reminded that God is present in every season in my life. Even in the midst of uncertainties, weakness, or struggles, he is always there. I am so thankful that I said yes to God!