Posts Tagged ‘Spokane’

English language proficiency can be key to a refugee’s success in America. It affects everything from building relationships to job opportunities. That’s why English Conversation Club was formed.

Cultural values simply describe how individuals prefer to navigate life, complete tasks and interact with others. These values vary greatly between age groups, religions and countries of origin.

Joel Arriaga, Director of Resettlement at World Relief Spokane, shares how first impressions make refugees feel happy, blessed and healed.

Nearly 120 million people have been forced to flee their homes around the world due to violence, persecution, economic collapse, natural disasters, famine and drought. (UNHCR Global Trends) It is the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time. What has that got to do with you?

It was a challenge from the beginning. Moving to a new country is never easy – much less so as a refugee family with only three bags of possessions and limited English. But the Villanueva family stayed open to the experience and embraced life in a new city.

They attacked us in the morning. Before the people get out from sleep. So, when we are sleeping, we get people – just shooting the people. We hear the guns. Where are they coming from? 

Spokane is filled with people to learn about and be inspired by. Those chances are only heightened when interacting with people who come from different backgrounds.

Naomi’s family was separated from before she was aware of her own age, from before she could understand why there was war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.