Welcoming the Stranger  –  Part 1

At Grace, we continue to find ways to assist and encourage our new refugee neighbors who come to Wichita under the auspices of the International Rescue Committee, IRC.

• This winter some of the warm coats you may have donated to Economy Corner could be helping keep a new neighbor from Africa warm.
• At Christmas time, many generous Wichitans bought gifts for individual refugee families.
• Grace’s Economy Corner team partnered with our refugee team to sponsor a family, providing them a set of lovely china dishes and gifts for each child.
• Then, some of Grace’s refugee team members joined more volunteers from other churches and groups to wrap the gifts.
• Several IRC offices became wrapping centers full of enthusiastic youth and adults who wrapped each family’s gifts – lots of warm hats and gloves, art supplies, games, toys and more, in bright papers – and tucked them back into individual family bags for delivery later.

– Carolyn Benefiel

Welcoming the Stranger  –  Part 2

Several days later more volunteers gathered at the IRC office and toted the packages lining the hallways to their cars and made a caravan to a large apartment complex. A staff person accompanying each group knocked on the door to announce who it was and then the presents had been deposited in the family’s living room. Usually other family members would appear to see what was happening.  Several children were assisting in these deliveries, and though there were obvious language barriers, they quickly found ways to communicate. When a five-year old in one group spontaneously surprised the resident mom with a giant bear hug, she quickly grabbed her phone and directed her children to pose on the porch with the gift-bearing children.

-Loretta Phares

Welcoming the Stranger  –  Part 3

My first day of volunteering at IRC was August 18, 2016. On that day, I drove a Congolese mama and her two young children to finish their health screenings.

Since that time, I have transported people to the social security office to apply for their green cards, to elementary schools to enroll their children, and to doctor appointments

I have interacted with people from the Congo, Sudan, Eritrea, Iraq, Syria and more. I have heard many foreign languages, but I somehow managed to communicate at least the basics.

Today, I helped with an English class where students learned to answer questions like, “How are you feeling?” “Are you sick?” and “Where are you from?”

On every occasion, I am filled with awe at these incredible people who are starting their lives over in Wichita, Kansas.  People of every skin color, nationality, and religion come together in one place with the goal of arriving from “Harm to Home” (IRC’s motto).  It is my firm conviction that the least we can do, as Christians and residents of Wichita, is help welcome them to their new home.

-Erin Mae Lewis

Written by Loretta Phares.

The December 5th Holiday Dinner for area refugees at Grace, in partnership with the IRC (International Rescue Committee) and Lorraine Avenue and Zion Mennonite Churches, reminds us of the title from an 80’s movie, The Trip to Bountiful.

Certainly the food offered was abundant. In addition to the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, donated home-made salads and desserts spanned several tables. Around 150 people were served. Leftovers were delivered to Inter-Faith Ministries and the Union Rescue Mission.

Even more impressive was the number of volunteers who made a plan, set up the Great Room, greeted, cooked, served, put together centerpieces and gift bags, assisted in arts and crafts for the children, washed dishes, tore down, vacuumed, and much more. Working-teens lent their enthusiasm, and several members chose to make it a family event. Thank you all.

Volunteers had an opportunity to visit with guests at their tables. Serendipitously, two people who had first met each other in a refugee camp in Kenya, re-connected at the dinner. Neither knew the other was in Wichita. I’m not sure who felt more blessed that day – the guests or the hosts. It was a bountiful day for all.

Laundry Love Reflections: Fran Belden

I had hoped to be involved with Laundry Love from the time Grace first started the mission project, but our life got in the way, and October was my first opportunity to do so.

Catherine provided valuable advice by suggesting I work the second shift as first is usually “pretty hectic” (her words).  I arrived early, assuming I could watch the others, gain my bearings, and be completely informed by my time to start.  Let me just say it wasn’t quite that simple.

There were a total of 35 people,, and while I only had a small portion of those, I was still quite awkward remembering each person’s name, where their washer was and how close they were to finishing and thus needing a dryer, especially since most dryers were still in use. After a while I learned to balance the plastic butter tub holding the quarters entrusted to me, along with slips of paper, each with a name identifying “my people”, and a writing pen. (A word to the wise: always bring lots of pockets as hands must be free!)

I’m finding it hard to express why I enjoy this type of ministry so much. The people who brought in their laundry were largely appreciative, patient, and delightful to get to know.  I didn’t have one person assigned to me with whom there wasn’t an some type of connection and a desire to know better. From their ease in conversation I believe that feeling was returned.They asked about Grace and seemed extremely interested that this is one of our missions.

I was tired afterwards, but it was that really good type of tired.  I mean the kind where you think “Wow, I was ready to be through.”   That thought was almost immediately followed by “I can hardly wait to do it again.”  A little over two hours of my time provided some of the best therapy I know where to find.

The Grace Mission Distribution Team met in September. $7,250 in funds were allocated to the following places. This is in addition to the ongoing support of Missionaries Katie Rhoads and the Hurd Family, Wyldlife in Wichita, and the bus ticket ministry.

There are many ways to “do mission.” Some people give their time by working hands-on in mission or behind the scenes. Other people participate in mission by praying, while others are active in mission by giving financially. I firmly believe that God has a mission in the world, and that we have the opportunity to participate in that mission. Our participation takes many forms.

There are formal mission initiatives that we take on as a congregation such as tutoring, Economy Corner, and Love Wichita. Then there are the mission opportunities within our church such as the garden team, the lawn team, office volunteers, choir and band members, and on and on.

In addition to all of that, each of us leaves this place and goes into the world to be part of God’s mission. For some that takes the form of being parents, spouses, friends, and neighbors. Others answer God’s call through vocations, whether teaching, or medicine, or engineering, or any sort of call.

What I’ve noticed is that more and more, you aren’t waiting on your church to plan your mission activities. You’re getting involved on your own. You volunteer at Botanica, with the Scouts, at the Lord’s Diner, and countless other places in town. You find something that excites you, and you do it. You are missionaries, which is wonderful.

Sometimes people in our community get excited about things that cost money. For instance a few years ago several people in our congregation traveled to Haiti to work on clean water installations. These trips were costly, and the church was able to help with some of the expense.

During that time the Board of Trustees established a policy that allows for members of our community to apply for money for individual mission initiatives or congregational projects. An individual mission initiative might be a mission trip or a mission experience in town. A project that was funded through this was the Kids Day Out program that provided a day camp experience for children during public school in service days.

If you feel called to some sort of mission within our congregation, our community, or our world, and you’re worried that money might be an impediment, know that there is some funding available to help with this. Each year the Board of Trustees designates a portion of the Mission and Ministry endowment for this purpose. Please talk to me with your questions or ideas, 684-5215 or catherine@mygpc.org. Thanks!