The latest updates of CFNA and friends helping Immigrants and Refugees in St. Louis with Christ-Like Care
The Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens warmly welcomed our virtual trivia benefit on April 9th and April 17th. Representing friends from more than 43 different countries served by CFNA, an online auction that sold 120 items, and a lively game of Trivia including a round of international questions from our facilitators made for a great evening that benefited the ongoing ministry of CFNA!
Less than two years ago, 30 members of the Nepali Anugraha Fellowship were confirmed as members of St. Johns Lutheran Church. Here, we learn how these 30 brought 50 more for a large, vibrant Easter celebration at St. Johns.
Read MoreMore than 20 youth from Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo, IL, came to the Peace Center to serve with smiles during their Spring Break! After a year of COVID restrictions and fewer groups able to serve during that time, the Peace Center was due for some spring cleaning.
Read MoreNEW VIDEO! Jesus said: “Now I call you my friends!” Learn what is happening at Christian Friends of New Americans in 2021!
Read MoreAs a growing number of partners provided an increasing amount of PPE (masks, gloves, face shields, gowns, etc.) the number of visitors to our Health and Wellness program increased! This was due in no small part to our community facilitators, who successfully recruited a growing number of clients.
Read MoreEzekiel Jr personifies what the CFNA Adopt a Student Scholarship Program is all about. Now a sophomore at Lutheran High South, he has received scholarships since he was a first-grader at Word of Life Lutheran School. Ezekiel came to the United States with his family from Sierra Leone when he was a young boy.
Read MoreImmigrants and refugees arrive in their respective countries with virtually no resources to sustain them. This is where CFNA comes in! Learn more about CFNA in this special video presentation!
Read MoreWhile the tutoring center has not had to completely close its doors, it has had to drastically reduce the number of student participants. Nonetheless, efforts have been persistent in keeping the After School Tutoring program running during COVID!
Read MoreRecently, the Community “Carry Out” Fund, hosted by the St. Louis Community Foundation, stepped forward to help tip the balance in favor of needy New Americans.
Read MoreEvery year CFNA seeks to make contact with 200 never previously served New Americans through its outreach activities and service programs. What happened to these numbers during COVID?
Read MoreOlivia Lopez, who was familiar with Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) through her congregation, Ascension Lutheran Church, and wondered if perhaps a food distribution event could be coordinated with CFNA.
Read MoreMore than 70 New American families from a dozen birth nations stopped by the Peace Center during the four-day event to receive items such as hand sanitizer, masks, cleaning supplies, washing detergent, soap, hygiene & dental items, paper towels, toilet paper, clothes, blankets, and more.
Read MoreThe Christmas spirit of joyous generosity and bold faith were on full display again this year. The joy of sharing an extra gift was pointed out by CCLS Executive Director Rev. Dr. Matt Hoehner: “Our families at CCLS loved being a part of the CFNA tutoring program’s Christmas party. The 70 gifts requested were immediately delivered by generous CCLS families.”
Read MoreBorn in St. Louis and now 17 years of age, Amaya is completing her senior year at Kirkwood High School. Her favorite subject is Chinese and in particular the Chinese language, of which she seeks to become a fluent speaker. Not surprisingly, she also serves as the president and founder of the Asian Language and Culture Club at Kirkwood High.
Read MoreDuring these days of virtual classrooms, CFNA continues to receive a steady stream of requests for laptops. If you have one you wish to contribute or know someone who does, let us know!
Read MoreCovid-19 turned our traditional Trivia Night upside down. How could we have a Fun Night for family and friends sitting six feet apart and wearing masks? We had a vision but making that vision a reality meant that like everyone, we had to struggle to learn new skills.
Read MoreThe Peace Center has a new neighbor in South City St. Louis named Selah Textiles. Started as a social entrepreneurial venture, Selah desires to employ young adult women who are foreign-born or under-resourced. The goal is to instill confidence by training them in the craft of screen printing.
Read More1,200 turkey dinners, which included a frozen turkey, stuffing, green beans, gravy, and potatoes—enough to feed a family of five: 6,000 people in all. Recipients included hundreds of individuals, plus churches and organizations, such as Christian Friends of New Americans, Church of All Nations, St. Trinity Lutheran Church, and others.
Read MoreChristian Friends of New Americans welcomed a record 130 golfers to beautiful Greenbriar Hills Country Club for their eighth Annual CFNA Golf Benefit on Monday, October 12. All the golfers appreciated the sunshine and warm, albeit windy, weather as they took to the links for an enjoyable golf outing.
Read MoreOct 25, 2020
(l to r) Rev. Stanish Stanley & Chantal
Oct 25, 2020
Editor’s Note: Previous issues of E-News have featured accounts of New American families who have been the beneficiaries of assistance provided by those who support the ministries of CFNA. Here is another.
Fifty-year-old Chantal arrived in St. Louis on March 4, 2020, having lived for 22 years in refugee camps in Rwanda, East Africa. She was accompanied by her husband and four children ages 6 to 17. Her emotions, still tough to manage, vary between, “anxieties from managing disruption” to “gratefully accepting tangible expressions of support in the midst of many challenges.”
Born and raised in the Congo (DRC), Chantal fled the country with her family when war broke out. They made it to a refugee camp where there was safety but still, there were many difficulties. “Life was hard, and I don’t even want to think about it. We lived on the financial stipend given by the Government there, which was seldom enough. We mostly ate one meal a day and sometimes we slept on empty stomachs.”
Compared to what Chantal remembers of her life in Africa, America is radically different. “Here it is so different. The International Institute brought us to St. Louis and now we have an apartment, my children can study on a computer, and my husband has found work.” Importantly, the big difference for Chantal is the people whom she meets. “There are so many nice people here. They help me when I am in need including many people at the Institute, as well as many American church people. I met CFNA people when they brought us meals for our children four days a week from April through July. They became friends with my children and their help was such a big encouragement to us during that virus time when we did not know what to do and could not go anywhere.”
Chantal, who takes medication for a bone disorder, was recently the beneficiary of financial assistance from CFNA. “Your help means a lot to me. Only my husband is working, and we have to take care of our four children. In addition to my medical condition, there are always bills for rent, utilities, and more. By helping my family with these, we are better able to purchase the food, clothing, and other essentials we need”, she confides.
Chantal is grateful for the financial support, as well as for the After School Tutoring assistance her children receive at the Peace Center. She is even more grateful for the encouragement the family has received through their relationship with CFNA. All this has been made possible because of your commitment to serve those who need His love and support in trying times. CFNA remains grateful to each and every one of you.
By Dr. Stanish Stanley with Charles Nshimiyimana
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Walking Together
We are a mission society and a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Learn more about the LCMS at lcms.org.
Our Mission
Our purpose is to reflect Christ’s love as we walk with refugees and immigrants empowering them to thrive in their new community.
Contact
CFNA Peace Center
5515 South Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63111
314-351-1740
E-mail: mail@cfna-stl.org
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