Community Conversations -
Welcome and Belonging
by Darci Asche
On a beautiful fall day in late September, members of the Fargo/West Fargo/Moorhead community gathered with guests from Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) from Baltimore, MD, to have a conversation about "Welcome."
As part of a new strategic plan, LIRS intends to conduct 12 of these community conversations across the United States in 2011 and 2012. Their goal is to hear from each community what welcome looks and feels like. New American Services in Fargo was the second such conversation to occur; the first being in Philadelphia a week before. Check out www.lirscc.org.
We gathered at small, four-person tables, brightly decorated with colorful tablecloths, vases of flowers, sticky note pads and a small hand-held game for each participant. We were asked to contemplate the concept of "welcome", and what it meant to each of us. How we receive it; how we give it.
The drawing was done by Sue Keely, a graphic recorder who completed it during the discussion at the Community Conversation event on Sept. 30. http://www.suekeely.com
The conversation quickly turned to another term, "Belonging." Caliton, a former refugee from Burundi, told us, "I was well-served by my case manager. She did her job in providing for me and my family the short welcome. When I met my church family and became connected to them, it was then that we experienced the long welcome. Luma told of being able to speak English when she came, and how it was taken for granted that her family could survive easily, but it wasn't just being able to ask the questions; it was knowing who to ask.
Another participant, not a refugee but someone who came to the Midwest to serve an internship, talked of not really knowing where she belonged. That comment sparked a lot of reflection and comment.
Welcomed or not welcomed, it's belonging that really matters.
Kevin, a strong supporter of the resettlement program and a wonderful volunteer, said in an email this week, "I hope all of you find the way that is right for you to be involved with new Americans in Fargo. Betsy and I learn so much from our friendships with them and the many people they have introduced us to. We learn about their countries, customs, and their views on America, but we also learn about the American social service system (or lack thereof at times); we see the educational system through different eyes; we see the organization of work, life and family in completely new ways. And while it might look like we give up a lot of time to support families, we are energized by the work and inspired by the people we have met. We always know that the time spent with our new American friends is time well spent."
So, the question that we are left with is, how do we make sure that people feel not just welcomed to our community, but also that they belong? Resettlement agency staff, service providers, volunteers and others have been asking that question for the last couple of months. Connecting newcomers with members of the community who would be their friend as well as their guide is one way. The New American Services program of of Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota will be working on that over the next several months. If you're interested in joining us as a mentor, community development volunteer, family mentor, english language learners' (ELL) tutor, please check out the Lutheran Social Services of ND website, www.lssnd.org and register under the Get Involved tab. We'll be looking for you.
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