When faced with a challenge, Resurrection Lutheran School readily accepted. Resurrection Lutheran School, a small private school, emphasizes Christ-centered education through eighth grade. The challenge was to furnish an apartment for a family of refugees in two weeks instead of the typical six.

Over the past few years, North Carolina has become a major destination for refugees. The N.C. state refugee office works with other nonprofit organizations such as Lutheran Family Services to help provide English language training, employability services, interpreter services, and orientation to the American community. Housing, furnishing, clothing and food are also provided for the first 90 days.

In order to help, Resurrection students, parents and teachers provided two weeks of groceries, a month of toiletries and a fully furnished apartment. Everyone helped from mopping floors to washing dishes in preparation for the families’ arrival.

Families of RLS also helped to move the donated items into the apartment. Donations included beds, chairs, tables, couches, and kitchen appliances. The finished apartment looked beautiful, and the staff of LFS was very complimentary about what Resurrection had accomplished.

The family has arrived, but it is a different family than expected. This happens quite often because of sickness, fear of leaving family behind, or other reasons. Within a few hours after delivering the news that our original family was not coming, the U.S. Department of Refugee Resettlement called to see if we could accept a replacement family. The furnished apartment now belongs to a family of five. Everything worked out.

How can you help the refugees? You can help welcome refugees to the Triangle area by assembling welcome kits or donating larger items such as furniture, bicycles or cars. Contact the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants at 334-0072 or Lutheran Family Services at 832-2620. Also needed are volunteers who can pick up and deliver donated items.

The project was an overall success thanks to the help of the parents, students and teachers at Resurrection Lutheran School.

A student stated, “It was exciting to be part of furnishing the apartment for the refugee family.” Now that the family is in the apartment, everyone is hoping that they enjoy their new home in Cary.