On October 30, 2008 we welcomed our first refugee family from Bhutan.
Refugees from Bhutan have been living in large camps in Nepal for more than 15 years because of political persecution. Bethany Christian Services is resettling some of these refugees in the Tri-Cities area and each family is adopted by a local church.
As a church, we locate housing and household items for the family before they arrive and offer assistance in acclimating to the U.S. during the family’s first six months.
Imagine what kind of help you would want if you moved to a new country:
- Finding and furnishing an apartment/home in Grand Haven (near the other Bhutanese families)
- Exploring job leads, preparing a resume, practicing for interviews
- Learning how to open a bank account, write checks, pay bills
- Visiting the library and using the resources there
- Studying for a driver’s license
- Helping with English tutoring one-on-one
- Driving family members to doctor appointments, social services appointments, grocery shopping, etc.
- Introducing the family to West Michigan and all that it offers
- Helping with cultural adjustment and learning to live in America
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Jen Boerema.
