Month: September 2024

For the last several years, the Jonathan House staff and residents have taken a summer trip up to Camp Amnicon on Lake Superior. It is always a pristine setting to get away for a while and relax. We spend our days there swinging in hammocks, sitting on the beach, kayaking on the river, playing games, and talking around the fire. No work, no agenda, no meetings. It is a time simply meant to relax together as a community and enjoy each other’s company.

Over the years I have watched as the informal setting has equalized power dynamics and allowed people to let down their guard. At Amnicon, we are all simply friends. Sometimes funny stories are told, or old traumas are processed. Sometimes new skills are learned, or old ones are resurrected. Sometimes people share deep spiritual revelations, and sometimes they just sit quietly in the silence of the summer afternoon knitting or sleeping or reading a book. All of these moments seem to flow naturally together, creating an atmosphere of restorative rest in God’s creation.

While I personally was not able to attend this year, I still got a little taste of the beauty of the week as I visited with residents in the week afterwards. I walked into the men’s house one morning to see Salana reclining in a chair smiling and looking more relaxed than I had seen him in the five years I’d known him. I inquired as to the reason for his very different demeanor, and he told me he had not had a vacation for seven years and said,

“I never believed it could be possible to feel so rejuvenated.”

Safety. Stability. Support. Community. These are words you hear from us all the time and for me, this story really captured the “why” behind them. Those are some of the key ingredients that help people to truly recover from all that they have been through before arriving in the United States and all that they continue to face as they fight to establish themselves in a new place. When given time and space outside, with a safe community, and a caring God, all of us can breath a little better as our hearts and bodies find the space they need to mend.

We are beyond grateful to Camp Amnicon for generously gifting us this retreat free of cost each year. If you are looking for a time of rest and rejuvenation for your own mind, body, or soul, take a peak at their website, http://www.amnicon.org/. They offer personal retreats year round in their beautiful, private cabins. You won’t regret it!

Riding the Struggle-Bus

It started at the gym. Jonathan House resident Pascal and volunteer Eric became workout buddies, and while they exercised, Pascal shared about his housemates’ struggles to get to work without a driver’s license or car. He said, “I could see my housemates waking up at 3 a.m. for a 6 a.m. shift” so they could catch the bus. Pascal knew these guys were smart and hardworking; it was a hard to see them spend so much time struggling to travel to subpar jobs.

The struggle hit home when Pascal himself received permission to work and began applying for jobs. Pascal worked with robots in his home country and hoped for a job in his field but was limited to applying for lesser jobs on a bus line. Without a license and car, his brilliance would go untapped. Even grocery shopping was complicated: “You may need to go multiple times a week because you can’t carry much on the bus,” he said.

A Community-Driven Solution

Pascal noticed a lack of driver’s education programs accessible to immigrants. The existing resources were expensive and not tailored to the needs of immigrant adults. This gap inspired Pascal and Eric to create Change Drivers, a non-profit helping new Americans access transportation and career opportunities. Pascal dedicated his time while still at Jonathan House to making Change Drivers a reality. He is now a co-founder and board member.

nspired by Jonathan House, which provided him safe and stable housing, Pascal aims to offer similar support through Change Drivers. “Knowing that I’m helping others in my situation motivates me,” he said. As Change Drivers enters its second year, Pascal has received his driver’s license, purchased a car, begun work and moved out from Jonathan House. He hopes both Change Drivers and Jonathan House continue growing, helping more new Americans offer their gifts in our community.

Uprooted Again

It all began with the garden. It was spring and time to plant. Alamnseh eagerly shared her plans for the garden beds outside, listing the vegetables she wanted to grow.

But I knew something she didn’t – she was going to move before summer was over. Who wants to sow seeds when you won’t be there to reap the harvest?

A church partner was making changes, including selling the property we rented for the women’s Jonathan House. The residents all needed to move.

The church softened the blow, however, by offering us another home they owned. When I broke the news to her, she smiled. She knew the house and liked it. It was larger, newer, and just a stone’s throw away. Best of all, it had a spacious backyard with a large garden plot.

Working Side by Side

The church wanted to make the new house welcoming, so they undertook some remodeling projects. The timing was perfect.

Moving day coincided with the arrival of a church volunteer team – comprised in part by several strong teenage boys – coming all the way from Oklahoma. On the day of the July Jonathan House Community Meal, we gathered, shared food, then got to work. Despite the relatively mild summer day, the lifting, carrying, and constant movement left us all with sweat-soaked shirts.

We embodied the saying, “many hands make light work.” Jonathan House residents, staff, and volunteers worked side by side, quickly completing the move. This experience highlighted the value of partnership at Jonathan House. We seek resources beyond our own, collaborating with churches, local groups, and displaced people in our community.

Partnering to Thrive

The minor disruption of this move pales in comparison to the larger story of forced displacement and transition that Jonathan House residents face. By partnering effectively, we can achieve our goal to be a community of shelter, hope, and healing where Asylum Seekers and Americans thrive together.

Moving day culminated with a prayer circle in the living room. Now everyone is settled, adjusting to the new space, and Alamnseh is reaping a harvest from the garden.

Story by Josh Levin, Jonathan House Program Manager

Sow seeds of hope and healing through prayer

Below are prayer points to get you started. Then subscribe to receive the Jonathan House Beyond Shelter newsletter. Get stories of hope and prayer opportunities straight to your inbox!

– A family took a big step toward long-term stability, finding their own housing and leaving Jonathan House. Pray for them as they adjust and continue rebuilding their lives.

– Asylum seekers work hard to rebuild their lives, but without achieving asylum status it’s like planting seeds in a garden that you’re not around to harvest later. May God grant them favor to win their cases and gain permanent refuge in this country.