Thank you to all of the volunteers who made donations, shopped, set up apartments, and provided transportation for our refugee family from Sudan.
The ELPC Peace Committee also donated $5,000 to AJAPO for five additional refugee families who recently arrived in Pittsburgh. With that money, we:
- Paid this month’s rent,
- Paid for their state identifications, and
- Left a little extra to open bank accounts for each family.
These families truly arrive with nothing. On a recent, last-minute move-in with AJAPO, the worldly possessions of a family of four were a half-dozen suitcases, a few boxes of dishes and foodstuffs, and two old bicycles for the kids. As snow fell from the sky, the dad and son loaded almost all of this into a U-Haul van—in sandals. But try to imagine, if you can, that everyone was just so happy. Each heaving trip up a flight of stairs to a second-story apartment with that crammed, broken luggage was all smiles. It’s cliché to say it’s all relative, but I suppose it is; $1,000 for this family is a small fortune in their modest start here in Pittsburgh. It’s also cliché to say, “It means the whole world,” but when you finally comprehend the scarcity of the moment, you realize it truly does. Thank you again.
Donation Opportunities
ELPC is continuing to collect donations in support of its missions. We’re in need of:
- Furniture | If you’d like to donate furniture, please call Sister Florence at 412.552.8837 to schedule a pickup, Monday–Friday, after 12 pm. Or, if you’re able to drop off the furniture, you may do so on Friday, January 14, in Brentwood.
- Cash | If you’re able to make a monetary donation, you may do so at ELPC.church/donate. Include a note saying that the donation is for “Mission Board Refugee Assistance.”
For more information, contact Eric Jester at Eric@new-burgh.com.