Madison Faith Communities Connect to Help Refugee Family
Pacifique, Francine and family
By Brian Rust
Collaboration Project Story Team
“It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.” We’ve all heard the saying, typically in reference to finding a job.
But when it comes to serving others, sometimes it’s both what and who you know that makes a world of difference.
The story of Pacifique, his wife Francine and their four young girls is a wonderful example.
The two parents were recent refugees from the Congo, resettled in Madison last year after spending years in a refugee camp in Burundi. The girls were all born in the camp. All had become Christians through a missionary witness and regularly attended church in the camp. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees arranged for them to settle in Madison, using Jewish Social Services (JSS) of Madison as their official agency to assist.
Once settled into an apartment on Madison’s west side, Pacifique and Francine wanted to find a church. But they had no idea where the churches were or what they looked like. They asked a new friend from Burundi to drive them around their neighborhood in search of a place that “looked like a church.” They spotted a building with a cross on a steeple and decided to visit it the following Sunday.
“They suddenly appeared on our doorstep,” said Jan, wife of Roger Roberts, the pastor of Dale Heights Presbyterian. “Only their girls spoke some English. Neither they nor we quite knew what to expect. But God did.”
Several in attendance tried to communicate with the family during the fellowship time following the service. One gentleman used his smartphone to do word-for-word translation. Another woman offered to take them out to get groceries.
“We wanted to get involved in their lives,” said Jan. “But they and we found it hard to communicate. So we began thinking of people we knew who could help.”
Roger contacted other Madison church friends who might know someone who could interpret conversations in Swahili and English. He asked for a reference from a friend at Christ Presbyterian Church who works with internationals. That person made contact with an assistant pastor at a Swahili-speaking church of primarily African immigrants in Sun Prairie.
That pastor also happened to work with JSS, and knew the family’s caseworker, Becca. He put Roger in touch with Kimathi, a UW-Madison graduate student from Kenya. Kimathi agreed to help interpret, and has done so on many occasions since.
The family continued to attend Dale Heights every other week. In between times they also attend the church in Sun Prairie. Jan and Roger both began to wonder if another faith community couldn’t provide more, or at least more appropriate help.
“We were making some progress helping them with some needs,” said Jan, “but as a former social worker in the Madison school district, I began to wonder what more we could do to help the girls get settled in a good school.” The girls are ages 5, 7, 13, and 14. The oldest was to attend middle school, a challenge for any student, but perhaps even more so for someone totally new to American culture.
Jan turned to her network. She contacted a neighbor who told her about Lighthouse Christian School. The friend contacted Tia Sierra, the principal of the school, and soon both became convinced that all four girls should attend. The pastor of Lighthouse Church, Marcio Sierra, also agreed and said he could raise the money needed for their tuition.
Soon after, the girls were taken on a tour of the school with their parents. After hearing and seeing how the school was run, and how the girls would be taught, Francine was tearful. “Tears of joy and thanks,” said Jan. “All of us were standing together after the tour. I really felt that Jesus was there.”
The girls have settled in well at the school. Their teachers are helping get them to and from school each day. The school even briefly hired Kimathi to teach basic Swahili to the girls’ teachers. They learned the basics in order to show concern and communicate. This was very important for the girls and the school.
Temple Beth El synagogue also became involved with the family through their contact with Becca at JSS. Members helped with the family’s apartment, furniture, and as language tutors for the girls. Beth El invited Roger and Jan to attend a special presentation on immigration. Roger was even invited to read scripture as part of the event.
Through Kimathi, Francine said that, from early on, they have received “overwhelming help” from contacts in local churches. People help their girls go to church and school. Others helped them learn English.” It is impossible to explain all that has been done and has happened for us,” she said.
Pacifique and Francine have also received help finding jobs. Again, through Kimathi, Francine expressed that they have found warm, helpful people at work. People who listen and demonstrate to communicate. They both feel gratitude for their employers and coworkers’ help and patience as they learn the language, tasks and cultural norms.
The family also found a local group of new friends from Kenya. They hang out and help the girls with homework and conversation.
However, Pacifique and Francine aren’t the only ones grateful for what has happened. A sense of wonder comes over both Roger and Jan as they talk about what meeting this family has meant to them and their congregation.
“Our church is a very small, older congregation,” said Roger. “Much of the church has been touched by this relationship. We are all blessed and encouraged by them. The church has been very generous with them. This has opened eyes as to how we could be spiritually involved in a refugee family’s life. Not just socially and with donations.”
“They are certainly God’s gift to us. God brought us a ministry that helped us get beyond ourselves.”
Note: Lighthouse School, like all Wisconsin schools, was temporarily closed as a precaution for the COVID-19 virus. Pacifique and Francine’s service jobs are also on hold as all of us await the end of the threat of the virus. We invite you to partner with us in telling stories highlighting how God is working in and through the local church by supporting Collaboration Project today.
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