Hospitality

Thi and Pacher gave a report last night (Wednesday) about the ministry First Laotian Baptist has been doing with the refugees in our backyard. It was a moving testimony of how God is working.

Love God by Loving People, Thi stated, restating 'the Greatest Commandment,' which says that the Law and the Prophets can be summed up by the double command to love God and to love our neighbor (Matthew 22.36-40).

We've been there, Thi said, quite literally referring to the struggles of the Laotian families when they came to America--and specifically to Memphis--as refugees.

And you helped us, he continued, referring to how First Laotian started as an outreach to the Laotian refugee community. Pacher emphasized this point, recalling her family's experience.

We want to help them like you helped us, he said, asking for any assistance we could provide in the process.

These are our neighbors, Pacher stressed. There's a huge language barrier, but we speak the language of love.

It was so moving that two members of our congregation went to the apartment complex at which the refugees are staying last night.

You can help--and, if fact, many of us already have. But the needs are great. And the needs are as follows:

• transportation (if you can volunteer to drive people to the store, or if you have an extra vehicle to be shared among the families),
• employment (if you know of any jobs that are available for those with limited English language skills),
• clothes (if you have any extra clothes, from newborn up to adult),
• baby/children's items (if you have any surplus items, the need here is large),
• Refugee Empowerment Program volunteers (if you can tutor children with their schoolwork, or be an assistant for an adult English class).