Posts Tagged ‘Chicagoland’

This International Women’s Month, we celebrate the resilience, courage, and determination of women who have rebuilt their lives after displacement. Meet Maria, Kateryna, and Noor—three women whose journeys remind us how strength, opportunity, and community support can help families flourish.

One day in 2007, shortly after arriving in Aurora as refugees from Burma, Pastor Manar Chai found his wife standing in the doorway, crying. Though grateful to be in the U.S., the early months were marked by isolation, bitter cold, and long walks to the grocery store without a car or community. “Sometimes it was so hard,” he recalls, “we thought, ‘Just send me back to Burma.’”

From late-night shifts to early-morning classes, my students show what hope in action looks like. Their stories of courage and perseverance remind me that restoration is possible — even in the most unexpected places.

As families seek refuge from danger and uncertainty, we have the opportunity to embody Christ’s call to welcome the stranger. Your support sustains this work of hope, healing, and hospitality. Together, we can be the light that guides families forward.

For the more than 100,000 estimated refugee and displaced children in the nation, a new school year isn’t just the start of a new grade. It’s a chance to reclaim stability, rebuild routine and rediscover hope.