Prompted by a request from the International Institute, CFNA put out an appeal to approximately 35 congregations and partner organizations. Within less than 10 days more than 200 coats and jackets together with 400 pairs of shoes had been received and were available for distribution; this due to the quick action of approximately 20 CFNA volunteers. Comments like “We appreciate your gifts” and “We are surprised by your generosity” made by recipients demonstrated that more than shoes and clothing were being exchanged here.

One young lady who arrived from Afghanistan just recently described this CFNA gathering her best experience since leaving the Kabul airport three months earlier. One of her biggest surprises since her arrival was to see all the Christmas lights decorating so many houses and businesses in the area. Among her greatest needs are learning how to drive as well as learning English. Her goal is to become employed so that she might find a job and be able to support her sister who still lives in Kabul.

On Monday, November 15, CFNA organized a “Thanksgiving Give Away” of house-use items for the benefit of recent refugee arrivals. Distributed to 24 recently arrived refugee families, 20 of them from Afghanistan, were a large quantity of the more than 4,000 in-kind donations received from various Lutheran congregations during the past several weeks.

After Afghan refugees discovered the special Turkey Blessing event through Homa Zafer, the CFNA Coordinator for work among Afghans, they decided to take a chance and come. They weren’t looking for turkeys, however, they were looking for friends. Fortunately, while helping to assemble the cartons containing all of the dinner ingredients, they found several.

Sunday, October 31st, was another joyful day at Messiah Lutheran Church! Sam Rai; his wife, Sara Puri; and their daughters, Samiya and Samira, were baptized!

Mission work began among the Kono speaking people in Sierra Leone. However, after civil war broke out, it was the local leaders who the Lord helped to grow from only about a dozen to over 150 congregations and preaching stations throughout Sierra Leone!

The Ninth Annual CFNA Golf Benefit was held at Greenbriar Hills Country Club on Monday October 11, 2021. Many prayers went up during the morning as storms threatened to interfere with the event, but God answered by clearing the skies just in time for the 12:00 pm shotgun start.

Christmas giving?? A tab blanket, a pretty purse, an oven mitt…now is a great time to support and encourage our Afghan ladies by ordering handmade items for family and friends. They will serve as a daily reminder to pray for our refugee sisters and their families.

Thousands of Afghan refugees are presently being screened for clearance on US military bases in the USA and beyond. Within the next few weeks, or even days, many will be released for resettlement in this country. Of that number, approximately 1,400 are expected to arrive in St. Louis and indeed, some already have. CFNA is preparing to help our new neighbors as they arrive! You are invited to partner with us!

CFNA Scholarships are making a difference in the lives of New American Students, more now than ever. In 2021-2022, CFNA will be supporting 13 elementary students and 14 high school students in five different elementary schools and the two Lutheran High Schools.

Since 2019, more than 425 people have volunteered to help at CFNA! On September 15, about 75 of these volunteers were able to join us for a special Volunteer Appreciation event. Volunteer and After School Tutoring leader Amy Zeigler observed that, “There is a certain synergy that happens between these young tutors and the friends with whom they work..."

74 riders and 21 volunteers came out to support the inaugural Cycle for the City charity bike ride held on September 6th!

Approximately 1400 refugees are expected to arrive in St. Louis during the next 12 months. Help us prepare to minister to these refugees upon their arrival so that they might meet Jesus through our hands and feet.

Over the 4 days of this program, the Marquette Recreation Center and Riley Schelp, a previous CFNA intern, provided swimming instruction. It was a great opportunity for our children at CFNA (many who do not know how to swim), to learn how to stay safe in the water and have fun with their friends. Throughout the week many students expressed, “Look, look Lydia! I can swim!!”

What an exciting time of ministry at Epiphany Lutheran Church. In the past few months, six individuals have been baptized into Christ! Praise God! Of those six, three children have ties to the country of Albania. What a joy it is for others to pass through these waters to be forgiven and adopted into God’s family!

We are pleased to welcome Rev. Matt Clark as a Board Member of Christian Friends of New Americans. Rev. Clark serves as the Senior Pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church and Word of Life Lutheran School.

CFNA began with just three ministry partners: By God’s grace, this number has grown to 86; 46 Lutheran congregations and 40 like-minded organizations. Included are seven Lutheran primary and secondary schools, as well as 650 donors and 250 volunteers.

CFNA again participated in Concordia Lutheran Church’s Vacation Bible School, celebrating the theme: “Destination Dig: Unearthing the Truth About Jesus”. The VBS reached 90 participants with 25 of those being New American children from CFNA, “digging deep” with the words of Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

“CFNA is doing really important work for people who otherwise would find it hard to understand things in America. I pray that many more people would be helped by CFNA and that many of those people would also then become involved in helping other New Americans, and helping them to come closer to Jesus.” - Joan Okine

We are pleased to welcome Rev. Dr. Douglas Rutt as a Board Member of Christian Friends of New Americans. Dr. Rutt, together with his wife Deborah and family, has long been engaged in mission-related service under the auspices of the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod (LCMS).