Tag: Staff

Shoutout to our featured staff, SJ Holsteen! SJ is our ministry leader here at Jonathan House.

I’m the IAFR Minneapolis-St. Paul Ministry Leader, which means that I’m responsible for guiding and implementing IAFR’s ministry in Minneapolis-St. Paul (including Jonathan House) through strategic planning, partnership, communication, and program and staff development. I also live at Jonathan House Frogtown, our site for women and children, so I’m blessed to share daily life with asylum-seeking individuals who have welcomed me with grace and kindness.

How did you first learn about the plight of asylum-seeking individuals in America?

In 2003, when I was a sophomore in college, I volunteered at a walk-in clinic for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF-AZG) in Antwerp, Belgium. The clinic mainly served migrant populations, many who were in the process of seeking asylum. I learned about what made someone an asylum seeker as well as the many systemic barriers that they face during that process. That experience was very impactful for me, but I didn’t really think about asylum seekers’ experience in the US for many years.

Then, in 2016, I met Sarah Miller, IAFR’s US Regional Director, who was in the initial stages of launching an asylum-seeker housing ministry in the Twin Cities. My experience from Belgium came flooding back to me, and I suddenly wanted to learn everything I could about what the asylum process was like in the US. I learned a lot through my time with Sarah and IAFR, as well as through personal research and attending gatherings of individuals across the US and Canada who were supporting and walking alongside refugees, such as the Refugee Highway Partnership – North America. 

How did you first get involved in Jonathan House?

It really started by meeting with Sarah Miller. When she first shared the vision of establishing safe, stable shelter for asylum seekers in the Twin Cities metro area, I had an immediate sense of affirmation in my spirit that it was something Christ was inviting me into, a path down which He was calling me to follow Him. I was living and working in western Wisconsin at the time, so initially I volunteered as I could in my free time – helping write fundraising campaigns and grants. By God’s grace, the funding came in to launch the first house, and at that point, Sarah invited me to be a volunteer member of the IAFR MSP team, helping welcome the first Jonathan House residents and be part of program development. In 2018, I decided to officially join IAFR as a full-time staff.

What’s something that everyone can do to help the cause of asylum-seeking individuals in the US?

When I first started engaging with Jonathan House, it struck me how little I actually knew about the asylum process in the US. So, I think reading articles, watching movies, or listening to stories about or by individuals who have sought asylum is a good way to give yourself a base knowledge about the many challenges of the asylum journey. I think learning about that journey opens people’s eyes to the injustice and dehumanization of a reality they might not even have been aware existed. When I visit churches to share about Jonathan House, I’m always encouraged how willing and open people are to learn and how ready they are to respond as they’re able with the radical love and welcome we know in Jesus Christ.

Another thing that US citizens can do is keep informed on national policies or laws that impact our asylum-seeking brothers and sisters. Asylum seekers are in a vulnerable position where they do not have access to democratic processes in a country that is making serious decisions that impact their futures. As an enfranchised citizen, you are able to use your voice to advocate for justice for asylum seekers to our government and your elected representatives.

Is there a statistic or fact that has surprised you concerning asylum seeking individuals?

In 2018, the United States received 254,300 new asylum claims, making us the leading recipient of new asylum claims in the world. (UNHCR Global Trends 2018). In the same year, 22,491 refugees came to the US through the federal refugee resettlement program (Migration Policy Institute). Asylum seekers are sometimes referred to as the “hidden refugee population,” and I think this statistic demonstrates that well… most people think of refugees as those who come to the US through resettlement, but each year a far greater number of forcibly-displaced individuals arrive in the US as asylum seekers and do not have access to the system of welcome and support that resettled refugees receive.

What is something asylum-seeking individuals have taught us?

One of my housemates told me once, “If there is life, there is hope.” That was very impactful for me. Because sometimes the past has left us with wounds, sometimes present life feels unbearable, and it can be hard to imagine that things will ever get better or that it is worth moving on. But my sister’s statement encouraged me and reminded me that God does not intend destruction or despair for us; He intends life and hope for us. My asylum-seeking friends have reminded me of this reality again and again, through their stories, their faith, their courage, and their love.

What languages do you speak?

English, French, and Spanish.

Any other line of work you’re in?

Nope.

Hobbies?

I like walking in the woods, reading, and visiting art museums.

Favorite sport?

Does eating donuts count as a sport?

What’s your main role as staff at Jonathan House?

I’m the Jonathan House Program Manager, which means I’m responsible for the day-to-day operations of Jonathan House, including the program and the premises.

How did you first get involved in Jonathan House?

Tom, the president of IAFR, told me about Jonathan House after I had just returned from Italy where I’d been doing volunteer work with another organization. At that time, Jonathan House was just an idea; it didn’t exist yet. After my time in Italy, I was looking for a way to continue working with displaced people, and the idea of working here in the Twin Cities with Jonathan House appealed to me. It just felt like a good fit.

What’s something that everyone can do to help the cause of asylum-seeking individuals in the US?

I think it’s important to be well-informed. There’s a lot of misinformation out there because the immigration and asylum-seeking issue has been a fairly hot and trendy political topic for some time now. It can lead to false perceptions of people. I think it’s important to hear firsthand experiences from asylum-seekers themselves. There’s plenty of that stuff that can be found online, in podcasts, and in books. If I were to make a shameless plug, our website is a good place to start.

Is there a statistic or fact that has surprised you concerning asylum seeking individuals?

Concerning asylum-seekers in the United States, something that surprised me is how long they need to wait before they can get a work permit. It’s a minimum of 180 days, and that’s a minimum. It can take longer than that.

What is something asylum seeking individuals have taught us?

Gratitude. Just an appreciation for life and other things that I too often take for granted. I distinctly remember a friend who, every time he prayed, he always thanked God that we all woke up this morning, and he’d continue to say, “because some people went to bed last night and never woke up.” And I knew that that had been an actual reality for him. Those weren’t just empty words, and that’s something that’s always stuck with me: an appreciation and gratitude for just being alive.

Hobbies?

I love outdoor activities. This time of year, I spend a lot of time at the family farm making maple syrup. Really, anything that gets me out in the forest: backpacking, camping, rock climbing, canoeing, snow shoeing, etc.

Kelsey is our Community Coordinator here at IAFR Jonathan House.

“I oversee our trainings, volunteer system, and overall engagement. I also work pretty closely with our residents regarding some aspects of our programming, such as goal meetings. During this time, I meet with residents to discuss their ambitions for the future and together we work through steps to get where they want to be.

I really like this aspect of the work because it is a tangible way to provide support (and maybe some hope), and it gives me a chance to get to know our residents better. It has also become a way to just share life. We all have hopes, dreams, disappointments, insecurities, and so forth, and when our residents are willing to take time to share those intimate feelings with me, I feel a deep sense of connection and joy. I hope they do too!

How did you first learn about the plight of asylum-seeking individuals in America?

I don’t remember exactly, but the first time I was really struck by the situation I was interning with a Boston based nonprofit. Through my work there I ended up becoming close friends with a displaced family that was in a really horrible situation at the time. Even in the midst of it, they were constantly taking time to care for me physically, mentally, and spiritually and I was touched by the mutual benefit of sharing our lives.

How did you first get involved in Jonathan House?

I first got involved with asylum seekers in Rome, Italy. I was studying there and volunteering at a drop-in center, which I later learned was run by IAFR. I ended up really loving the work there and went back to Italy for a time with IAFR before returning to the United States to work with Jonathan House. In between my two stints in Italy I was interning at a nonprofit in Boston where we were exploring community style housing options for displaced people and I connected with Jonathan House at that time to interview them for a research project. I never would have imagined I would end up working with them at the time!

What’s something that everyone can do to help the cause of asylum-seeking individuals in the US?

I guess I would say that all people who have been displaced are far more than people in need. There is a temptation to label people in a certain manner when we read only one part of their story. At Jonathan House for example, our residents are not only seeking asylum, they are also doctors, language gurus, international finance managers, parents, expert knitters, basketball and soccer fans, incredible chefs, curious, funny, bright, and a million other things. They are full humans who have, due to circumstances out of their control, found themselves in a hard spot. 

Something everyone can do is be aware of both of those things when they meet an asylum-seeker. Sensitivity to the fact that seeking asylum in the U.S. genuinely puts you in a very vulnerable situation that sometimes requires tangible help, and sensitive to the fact that “asylum seeker” is one title of many.

Is there a statistic or fact that has surprised you concerning asylum seeking individuals?

I think one thing that is surprising is that, according to the most recent statistic I have seen, asylum seekers are waiting an average of 1,000 days to have resolution on their cases. That is nearly three years of living in uncertainty, sometimes with lack of access to services to help meet the most basic needs, let alone sustaining “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

What is something asylum seeking individuals have taught you?

I have learned a lot from the willingness of my asylum-seeking friends to open their lives to me. They have shared stories and wisdom that they have collected along their lives journeys, they have shared practical advice and perspective in my moments of difficulty, they have shared hugs and tender moments of laughter, they have fed me, given me clothing, then given me more food! I guess to sum it up, they have taught me a lot about what it means to love someone openly, and without condition, in a way that invites you to let your guard down, knowing you are safe enough to come as you are.

What languages do you speak?

English and Italian. I also studied German in school, but it would be a stretch to say I speak it now. I also have built my Oromo vocabulary to a solid 5-10 words, so it seems that should count for something.

Do you have any hobbies?

Reading, studying Italian, yoga, going to the gym, and cooking.