How one mother led her family toward flourishing amidst war, violence, and poverty.
Claudine Furaha knows well the joys and challenges that motherhood brings. Being a mother of five children, and having grown up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located in Central Africa, she is an amazing woman, full of hope, joy, and personality.
Life in the DRC
Claudine and her family spent most of their lives around war and poverty. Claudine told us that “life in the Congo was very bad.” Decades of war, violence, and poverty in the Congo have claimed many lives, while displacing and endangering thousands of others. Few have been unscathed, including Claudine.
In 2021, Claudine was shot twice — once in the back and once in the hand. She was immediately taken to a hospital with severe injuries. Upon arrival, she was informed that they did not have the proper medicine to treat her. Claudine received this same message at multiple hospitals until finally being told that the U.S. would have the medicine needed to help her. So, in October 2021, she and her family journeyed to Texas, where they were resettled by World Relief North Texas.
A New Home
Once in the U.S., Claudine was able to get her wounds treated and her family paired with a World Relief caseworker, Taylor. Taylor helped ensure that Claudine and her family had everything they needed during their initial months of resettlement: from an apartment to live in, furniture, how to grocery shop in the U.S., and so much more. “World Relief does good work,” Claudine says. “Taylor helped us with so many things, and she also took us to do things outside of World Relief. She took us to have fun. I love Taylor like my own family and Taylor loves us.” Taylor took Claudine and her family on night drives in downtown Fort Worth to see the lights on the buildings and invited them to Christmas services at her church. She invited them to be a part of her life.
Taylor has been personally impacted by the strength and joy of Claudine and her family. It was sweet to hear Claudine reflect on how World Relief and her case worker set her up to live successfully in the U.S. by using the skills and strengths she already possessed.
Finding Peace
When we asked Claudine to reflect on how her life has changed while living in the U.S., she happily reported that the good far outweighs the bad in her life. “I have found peace here,” she says. Most notably, her children now have the opportunity to go to school, as schooling was not something they could afford in the Congo. As a mother, she is most happy that her children will now have an education.
Self-Sufficient and Strong
Claudine is working hard to learn English herself, and is an example for her children of how to work hard and integrate into life in the U.S. Claudine loves her ESL classes, and every week she arrives with a face beaming of joy and excitement to learn. She and her family are learning how to be self-sufficient and strong. In the future, she is hopeful that she and her children will be able to adjust from the hardships of their past and live an amazing life.
As a mother, she not only exemplifies strength, grace, and love to her children, but the spirit of a life-long learner. Claudine Furaha is an amazing example to her children of how to remain strong no matter the circumstance. We thank the Lord for strong mothers in our lives, like Claudine.
What is Our Response?
We are called to show the love of Christ by helping displaced women just like Claudine. Whether we are caring for their physical needs, like Taylor, befriending them, like a Good Neighbor Team, or simply praying and giving; we are called to join in.
Learn HERE how you can be a part of supporting and serving the most vulnerable in North Texas.