No Husband?!!!!

Teacher, You married?
          No?
Teacher, No Husband? What? Why?
          Just hasn't happened yet.
No Babies?!!
           Nope, none of those either
What? No Boyfriend?
             Nope...
Oh...I know someone....

The women in my class are wonderful.
Even when they think I'm going to be a single old maid. 

Teacher Teacher

"Push me! Push Me! TEACHER!!!" The frantic yells of children fill the air as they beg  for their swinging to continue. "Push yourself"- I cry, Exhausted after pushing them for what feels like a million times. The saddest face follows. As if I have just crushed their dreams. How can I not push them? It makes them so happy. They've already lost so much and they are just children, so I push on. Time and time again. I glance over to the baby swing where a 3 year old little boy from the Congo is swinging. Only when I turn to look I find him fast asleep. My heart just melts. I go to the swing and carefully lift him out. His eyes open just for a few moments, enough to see that I am not his Momma, but that doesnt matter, he snuggles up to me anyways. His head on my chest, his dreams running wild, I fight the urge to cry. He stays cuddled up on me for awhile. I've covered him with my jacket to keep his little body warm and just sit on a swing. Taking in the moment where I am trusted, I am seen safe by this little boy whose life has been lived in a refugee camp. These are the moments I will remember from Jubilee, these are the moments that make me want to stay here forever. The moments where Love is present. 

Burma

The Country of Burma or officially the Union of Myanmar is a country smaller than Texas.

It is from this country that many of the refugees are from. 

My entire class is from Burma. 

The most wonderful people I have ever met.

Their struggles are like none other. 

Their faith so strong.

This is their story. 

The ruling military regime in Burma is one of the world’s most oppressive and abusive. Currently, the Burmese government is involved in a military campaign against the largest indigenous ethnic group in Eastern Burma, the Karen. The Karen practice Christianity, whereas Burma is a mostly Buddhist nation. The militarized government has developed plans to eliminate those who do not fit in to what is thought of as being “Burmese.” Many Karen accuse the Burmese government of “ethnic cleansing” due to major counter-insurgency campaigns that have led to widespread mass atrocities against the Karen people. Such atrocities include summary execution, severe torture and rape, as well as forced labor, extortion and displacement. Aid agencies estimate that more than 200,000 Karen have been driven from their homes during the decades of conflict.http://worldwithoutgenocide.org

Imagine having to flee your home. 

Imagine having to run for your life. 

You finally cross the boarder into a new country. 

You find a refugee camp.

You register. 

You wait for your name to appear on the list.

The List...

Your ticket to a new life. 

Less than 70,000 refugees get that new life a year in America. 

Every year you hope and wait. 

Your children grow up. 

Their childhood is spent in a cramped camp. 

Hundreds of thousands of people. 

In shacks. 

Tents. 

Makeshift towns. 

You wait. 

And Wait. 

Years. 

Your children are Teenagers. 

Its been 17 years. 

Still waiting in a camp.

Till that day....

The day when your name is on the list. 

 After years of waiting. 

You are granted safety.

People don't often stay in refugee camps for a few months. Not even a few years. I've met people from Burma who have spent as long as 23 years living in a camp. Thats longer than my entire lifespan. Think about the life you have...and then being forced into a camp to live like that for 23 year...

Pray for our world. 

Pray for the people in Burma. 

 

Seriously...WWJD

What if a stranger knocked at your door?

What if it was 1Am?

Raining?

It was a rough looking man?

A scene out of a horror movie?

What if he had ragged clothes?

What if his feet were bare?

A dirty face?

Greasy hair?

What if he was crying?

What if he was shaking with cold?

Or fright?

What if he picked your house?

What if...

What if he knocked on the door of Jesus?

Picture that for a moment...

Would Jesus be scared?

Would He turn him away?

Would He slam the door?

Would he hide?

Would he call the police?

Of course not.

What would Jesus do?

He would welcome him in. 

He would Wash his feet. 

He would dry his tears. 

He would fill his stomach.

He would make His home...his. 

What would I do?

I hope I would be like Jesus and welcome anyone in. But it is scary, it is hard, there is a risk. But Jesus told us to help the ones who have little. Who are broken and poor. To feed the Hungry and to make the weak strong. So how could I not help?

 

Update

Sorry to those of you who read this blog in attempt to keep up with my life.

Sorry to those of you who read this blog in attempt to understand Jubilee. 

I have been slacking.

So. News. 

Things here are getting really busy. It seems like every week there is something major occuring. 

This week not only did we have our silent retreat 

Sunday we are going to a protest. 

SOA

School of Americas

Basically where they teach South American Governments how to kill their citizen. 

Crazy stuff. 

Seriouly. 

http://soaw.org/

Click that link.

Read all about it. 

THEN THANKSGIVING!!

Silence

Echoing footsteps
Silent halls
Green grass when there should be none as all
Chilly rooms
Whispered words
Old books
Unknown faces with welcoming looks.
 Silence like a knife
Sharp and cold
Yet so peaceful.
Take me back
Its too loud here
Take me back to a place to dear


Thats my attempt at poetry. 
Trying to sum up my time at a Monastery where I spent most of my time in silence.
Boy was it wonderful.
I really needed that.

God was there. I felt time close by.

Out there...

Jubilee can sometimes be a bubble

You forget that there are other people and opinions out there...

It is a feeling that reminds me of college...

Like you dont remember what 'normal' people think.

I was on Facebook the other day.

And my Uncle who is a very devoted Christian posted a picture saying

"The United States should cut foreign aid to any country that supports Illegal Immigration."

BOOM. That ticking time bomb that was hiding in the shadows of my mind blew.

WHAT? I thought he was a Christian. Hasnt he read the Bible. Did Jesus care about where you were from when he DIED FOR OUR SINS!!!

All these things flooded through my mind.

I was mad.

I was sickened.

I was hurt.

Why is this an issue when Jesus said!!

Woah. Danger...Judgmental Danielle coming through. 

It is going to be hard for me to remember that there are so many people that will disagree with my beliefs. 

And If I am going to be the hands and feet of Jesus...

I have to love them 

Its been awhile.

Sometimes in this place that is so simple...

A place that allows you to slow down. 

I get lost and forget about time. 

Sometimes I forget things...

Like eating

Or blogging. 

Whoops. 

Sometimes I just sleep.

A lot.

Thats a hard habit to kill. 

My pillow and bed, Even when covered in laundry draws me in. 

I get stuck in dreamland. 

And days pass...

My time here, is going to come to a close quickly. 

And now all I want is to slow time down. 

Even when I am longing for home...

I am wishing to stay.

If all the people I loved were here...

I'd have no reason to leave.

I'm struggling...

Struggling with what my next move is...

And as the Clash once asked...

Should I stay or Should I go?

Maggies

Comer, GA is small.
One stoplight small.
Normal to me.
I like small towns.
It reminds me of home.
And like home Comer has one hopping resturant.
Only this place isn't China house...
Or even Corner cup.

It's Maggies.
Nestled in between to closed stores sits the only escape I have within biking distance.
Sometimes I forget there are other people on this world.
My life is all Jubilee.
Except when I'm at Maggies.

The food is overpriced.
But the wifi is free.
The service is kind and they always greet me.
They say y'all and call me sweetie.

It's a nice escape.
They even have wine.
Which makes it a fun escape sometimes.
They also have pie.

It's a sometimes place that I like to go to by myself to remind myself that I have a choice. I can live my life in so many different ways. It's nice to have that reminder. That I have choices. 

Break

Jubilee is not always easy.
Especially for me.
I miss my family.
I miss my friends.
I miss normal.
I miss movies and cuddles.
Country roads
Barking dogs

So I took a break.
I booked a flight and headed north.

Home.

Home is love.
Home is comfort.
Home is the smell of clean laundry and long days.
A place where my mom makes me coco and my sisters encourage me.
Home is a church filled with people who care.
Home is friends who laugh with you.
Home is where I always want to go when I'm down.

I'm heading back to jubilee.
But I will always be wanting to go home.

The Wardrobe

The crunching of a leaf.
The touch of a spiderweb on my face.
Pebbles stuck in my shoes.
Dirt on my toes.
Notebook in hand.
Tweet of a bird.
Scurry of a critter.
Walking.
Waking.
Walking.
  In Woods.
  On a narrow path.
  Through a wardrobe.

Entering a new world.
One of many...
languages
Faces
Cultures
Laughs
Tears
Struggles
Hugs

But unlike Narnia, I enter into a world full of Love.



 "All shall be done, but it may be harder than you think.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Sunday

7AM milk chores

The rest of the day I intend to stay in my PJS

Drink coffee
Sit by the fire
Read
Look at old Pictures
Be Happy
Be Thankful

5pm Worship my Amazing Lord

Scary times

Hayrides
Pumpkins
Bonfires
Sweaters and Scarfs
Scary movies

I love this time of year.

I really love Halloween.
I love the thrill of being scared
And I really love candy.

Volunteer outings are always a blast.
So we decided to go to Watson Mill ( The local state park)
They had a scary hayride and movie

The hayride was not scary
and the movie was weird

But that didnt really matter because we all had a blast just being together!

Echos Through the air

Bang.
Bang. 
Bang.



Bang. 
Bang.


Rebels?

Here?

Coming??


How do you explain to someone who has faced so much that a shot in the distance is nothing to fret?
How do you explain to someone whose face is contorted with fear that all is well?

No. No No.
Hunting.
Deer.
Meat.
NO danger.

It's hunting season now, and we are here to explain that it's nothing bad.
But what about the 4th of July?
What about a lawnmower backfiring?

What about all the other things that are going to strike fear into these people who have already feared too long.
My only hope is loving neighbors who will explain. 

CC

CC
Child Care
10 Babies.
Screaming for their moms.
Some walking.
Some talking.
Some just learning to hold their heads.
This is usually a rough time.
Someone is always crying.
It's hard to keep all of them happy.
You play.
You read.
You tickle.
Sometimes nothing works.

BUT

Today was just fantastic.

Babies were happy.
All Smiles.
I even got a few laughs.

 It made me remember why Jesus said let the little children come.

This must be normal...

Hot.

Cold.

Very easy right?

Well here is a funny story.

For the first 2 months of being at Jubilee I was taking cold showers.

Let's just say my showers were not frequent...

Every time I would get in the shower I would turn the knob to Hot.

And I would wait.

I would hope.

Please get warm. 

It never would. 

So I would grit my teeth and jump in.

This must be normal.

This is the Jubilee way. 

Cold Showers.

Eco Friendly.

Saving Water!

In and out. 

Quick. 

Sometimes I'd find soap in my hair.

I wasn't getting back in. 

 Then, after talking about cold showers and how awful winter was going to be with another volunteer I got the best news ever.

______________________________

Oh You didn't know the Knob is backwards.

Backwards?

Yeah, hot is cold and cold is hot. 

WHAT??

________________________________________________________

Yes, this came as a shock. 

Why wasn't there a note.

Why didn't I question that more!

I just thought it was normal. 

>> Since then, I've had some of the hottest showers I've ever had just to make up for all my chilly showers .

Leather and Ink

Leather cover.

Thin pages.

Black and red ink fill the pages. 

His miracles take over the chapters.

His love fills the entire book. 

My Bible.

My lifeline.

My direct line to Him. 

Here at Jubilee my faith and my relationship with God has been getting stronger.

I'm in two bible studies right now.

One going through Mark

One going through John

Jesus is so awesome. 

I feel so blessed to be able to read His word.

The things he did..

The Things he is still doing. 

In my heart.

In the heart of others.

I am sometimes overwhelmed by Christianity.

So many "Rules"

So many expectations

So many things that I feel like I have to do.

But really the only thing I have to do 

is remember that I am loved.

I am loved by an amazing Heavenly Father.

A Heavenly Father that wants what is best for me.

He will never break me.

He will always listen. 

He will always be there.

How amazing is that. 

Praise God.   

 

Clothes line

No dryers.
Clothes pins and line.
Isles of twine.
Clothes fluttering.
Empty baskets waiting to be filled.
A sock on the ground.
It's mate never going to be found.
A friend.
Chatting at you over unmentionables.
How's life?
What do you believe?
Do you miss him?
Are you happy here?
Questions.
Questions asked over the clothes line.
sweet
Wonderful
Relationship building
Brief
Short
But enough.

Sickies

The sickness has hit.
No, not ebola.
A stomach bug.
It's picking it's victims
One by one.
Living in community means sharing germs.
Living in community also means that when you're sick people bring you toast and tea in bed.

I have yet to get this bug.
I fully expect to receive the nasty thing.
My only hope is that it's before I have to go home!

Fire master

At some point during my time here I gained a nickname that has stuck.

Firemaster.
This because even in the rain I built a fire.
My fingers have been licked by flames but I still build on.
I sometimes welcome the heat on a cold morning.

I'm hoping I can change it to firelord so I can pretend I'm a fire bender.

Nerd up!!

Change

In community change is hard.
Difficult
Impossible

A task that takes years.

Jubilee has to Learn that change is going to happen.

Change has to happen.
Just because jubilee doesn't change doesn't mean the world doesn't.

How are we to properly help them if we are behind.

Football

Soccer to us.
Football to them.
Flashes of black and white.
A ball kicked.
Up
And
D
O
W
N
A green field.
Smiling faces.
Laughing.
Cheers.
Cheers for a team they don't know.
For white people they can't understand.
They don't cheer for the players.
They cheer for the sport.
For normalcy.
Something familiar
In a foreign land.
Refugee children
And adults.
Side by side in the stands.
Yelling for every goal.
Spanish.
English.
Karenni
Burmrse
Indonesian.

All yelling in a beautiful song.

Taking the refugees on a trip to see a UGA girls soccer game was magical.  They loved it do much, I was blessed just taking them. 

Back to the 706

Drip.
Drip.
Thats cold.
Why are my socks wet.
Oh I'm cold.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
What is that noise.
Drip.
What time is it??
 Where is my watch?
5AM? Sleepy time.

8AM.

It's pouring.
My corner of the tent is sopping wet.

A decision is made to pack up quickly.
The rain has killed all plans of pancakes over a fire.
It also hindered our sunrise hike.
The disappointment in the air soon lifted as soon as we decided to go to Waffle House. 

Pack.
Pack.
It's all wet.
Oh well.
We will dry it out.
Lets get on the road.


Peanut butter waffle and coffee.

Great way to end a happy weekend.
Back to work tomorrow. 

Black Mountain

Black Mountain, NC.

Crazy thing was I just finished reading a book that took place in this tiny town. 

It was a great book. 

It was about a terrorist attack but thats besides the point. 

Anyway....

Saturday we decided to go into town. 

It was a great little place.

Lots of little shops.

First things first.

Coffee.

We walked around to all the little stores.

Looking for nothing really.

Some stumbling upon must have items.

Christmas gifts to family.

Much deserved gifts to self. 

By the end of the afternoon we found ourselves sitting outside a small restaurant sipping drinks, listening to a great folk band.

Some got wine.

Some got water. 

Some got beer.

Psh, I went for a jack and coke.

With our spirits high we headed back to our sites.

With a roaring fire going we made dinner and settled in for a night of hymn singing, card playing and happiness.

North Carolina 336!!

Beautiful.
Breath taking.
Damn, God is so amazing.
The view from Main St. Black Mountain was stunning.
The Autumn colors.
The mist.

All of it was pure beauty.

After 3 long hours in a car we finally arrived at the campground.
Site 13.
Site 17.
Just down that long wooded road.

Site 13 was a stunning sight.
You had to hike down a small trail.
Bubbling creek on one side.
Canopy of trees surround the valley.
Vibrant colors of fall in a 360 degree view.

Pitched a tent.
Made a fire.
Made some delicious pizza.
Devoured some S'mores.
Enjoyed being together.

It was dark by 8.
We were sleeping but 10.
At 11:15 I scrambled out of the tent to get water.
Screamed because I saw a critter.
Fell on top of my tent mates.
Fell asleep by 11:23.

We must retreat!

Retreats are something very important here at Jubilee.

They only occur once a month. 

Just a few hours of no work.

You can pray.

Sleep.

Get away.

Whatever you may need you can do.

As a volunteer group we are gifted a weekend retreat.

We can do whatever we want as a group.

Go anywhere.

We decided to go camping in the mountains of North Carolina.

In a small town called Black Mountain. 

At Montreat Camp Grounds. 

There was a bit of tension when planning.

I like to to have lots of plans.

I love lists.

Double checking.

Triple Checking.

I was the only one who felt that way. 

But we overcame that. 

And for a few days prior we got gear together.

Tents.

Sleeping Bags.

Pots.

Pans.

All of it. 

We were ready to go and so we went. 

 

Food 2

Here's just a quick peek at a traditional meal of Burma.

Closed doors, open hearts

When in a community like this conflict happens.
You are with the same people all the time.
It's difficult to have your space.
Your own time.
Sometimes you can't take a shower without someone knocking on the door.
But that's all part of it.
You learn to accept things.
Learn to love things.
And Learn how to keep your opinions to yourself sometimes.


I am stubborn sometimes.
I'm sarcastic. 
I can rub people the wrong way when I dont get my way.


I can be a hard person to love.

But here. People understand.
They understand that sometimes you need that
Space.
Time.
Silence.
People here...
They Accept.
They love.

And that's the best part of living in community. 

Josina.

Josina is my partner pair.
 We meet on Wednesdays right before lunch.
At first she terrified me.
She is so knowledgeable in so many things.
Matters of justice.
Writing.
The Bible.
Refguees.
Jubilee.
So many things!!
I didn't think Id be able to talk to her every week.
But then...
Something happened.
We decided to use that time to have a mid-week bible study.
Reading through Mark and discussing the word.

Wow. What a wonderful way to connect.

Let me just say God Is so good.
                        ALL THE TIME! 

Vocab Lesson

I've noticed that I say words with the expectation that everyone knows Jubilee lingo. My Bad. This should help clear things up.

Here are just a few. Ill add to this as I think of them.

K-House- (Koinonia House) Where the magic happens. Also where I live.

Partner Pairs- Every volunteer gets placed with a long term partner and once a week they get together and chat. 

Welcome Center- Where the Refugees live.

Seatbelts everyone! Please dont let this be another field trip!

(Sorry, not sorry for the Magic School Bus Reference!)

************************************************************************************************************************************

Clarkston, GA

Did you know that if you travel just outside of Atlanta you can leave the United States?

No passport needed.

All you need is smile.

 ***

Many of the refugees that come to Atlanta get resettled into an area called Clarkson.

Apartment complex after apartment complex filled with refugees.

 From all over the world. 

Burma. 

Congo.

Sudan.

You drop a pin on a map and I bet we can find a family from the country.

I was given the opportunity to not only visit these places

BUT share a meal with a refugee family.

---------

Zen was her name.

Burma is where she hailed.

2 little ones crawling on the floor. 

She didn't know me.

She could hardly say my name.

But she made me dinner.

Prayed with me.

Ate with me. 

Shared with me.

She inspired me.

My experiences in Clarkson extend far more than this. I'll will share more soon. 

 

A spoon full of sugar and a dash of cream

“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” 

 John Lennon

Coffee Worth was born in October of 1919.

That makes her 95 years young. 

Daughter of a preacher.

Wife to a preacher. 

She is a teacher.

A mother.

A grandmother.

Devoted Lover of Christ.

Coffee drinking,

Cake eating, 

 visionary. 

                                                                                                                                                                 

My Mornings start at 6:30.

And they start with Coffee and a cup of joe. 

Though Coffee is still mostly independent it's nice for her to have some help.

That help comes in the form of me. 

I make her breakfast. 

Toast. 

Jam.

Juice. 

Coffee.

...The same way.

...every morning. 

I help her in the shower. 

Nothing Major, Just making sure she doesn't fall.

Light Cleaning. 

Making sure trash is empty.

Dishes.

Making her bed.

But you know what the best part of my job is?

The friendship I'm getting.

 

 

 

 

Room 4

In the Khouse up the dark wooden stairs is a balcony.
In the balcony sits a sewing machine.
Next to the sewing machine is a door.
Through the door is a hallway.
In the hall you will find...
     Worn yellow carpet
     Spiderwebs
     White walls
     Doors.

The third door on the left.
Room 4
That's mine.
Its next to the bathroom.
Small.
Closest like.
Cave like.
Cozy.
Messy.
Home.

Home Base

The Khouse.

The center of all activities.
Devotions.
Meetings.
Mail.
Lunch.
Dinner.
Games.
Canning.
Reading.
Music playing.
Living.

It feels like the heart of the community. Constant flow of people in and out, all doing various job to ensure the whole community runs.

Difficult Students

My students are wonderful.
That being said I got to experience first hand what a difficult student was.

It must be hard. To be a full grown man, married with children, knowledge and experience to be taught by a young 20 something woman. I have no formal education in teaching. I did a short training but nothing really extensive.  I'm also not oblivious to the different roles women play in other cultures. 

With all of that being said, I didn't think I'd see the day when I would have to dismiss a student from my class. Especially an adult.

Learning English is no simple task. Heck, It's my first language and I screw it up on a daily basis.  It does require focus and a bit of seriousness, both of which this student lacked. He would joke and poke fun, both of which I can deal with to a point. But add that to disrupting the learning of other students, lying and not participating in activities it became too much. I also could have dealt with it if it were once or twice. ..but everyday.  Wowzer.

Finally I lost it. Asked him to step outside...He didn't like that very much and to be honest nor did I. It's so vital for our students to learn English that having him leave class is detrimental. 

So now this man, who us a wonderful person, is taking a break from classes.  It's hard to think about him not coming, especially when the language is so important.  I'm praying that he will feel comfortable enough in the future to return to classes.

*more on this later.

House Night

We eat as a community. 

That means at 6:20 the bell will ring. 

At 6:30 a smaller bell will ring. 

We circle up.

We sing our prayer.

"Hands hands hands thank you God for hands. Food food food, thank you God for food. Friends friends friends, thank you God for Friends. AAAAAAMMMMEEENNNNNN"

We eat.

Monday nights are different. 

Monday dinners allow individual families to eat in their homes.

But what about Volunteers? They have no families near?

HA! 

We are like a little family and we treat Mondays as such.

House nights are just wonderful.

2 people make a meal for everyone.

We sit around a table, laugh, talk and eat.

We do highs and lows of the week.

It gives us time to bond as a group.

It also allows us to eat good food that isn't rice based. 

Food

I have to take a moment to tell you all about the food here. 

Rice. 

Beans.

Peppers.

Veggie I don't know.

Homemade bread.

Repeat.

Refugee Program

Our primary on-site ministry is the Refugee Program, which began in 1980 when the first fourteen Cuban refugees arrived. They have been followed by many more from war-torn countries in Central America, former Yugoslavia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Over 3,000 refugees from more than 30 countries have come to Jubilee, eager for a new beginning but often scarred and exhausted by their ordeals, anxious about how they will survive in this new culture, and frequently unable to speak much, if any, English.

We feel privileged as a Christian community to be able to host people from all over the world and from many religious and ethnic backgrounds. Jubilee becomes a safe place for the refugees where they can study English, get acquainted with their new country, rest, play, regain their health, and begin their new lives in an environment of love and support.
While at Jubilee
We work together with sponsoring agencies in Atlanta to place refugees at Jubilee who will especially benefit from the extra assistance Jubilee provides, such as people who need English, those who are making a large cultural leap, or single mothers with children. We provide a residential program to these newly-arrived refugees, who typically live at Jubilee for about two months. During that time we provide:

•     A comfortable house located next to our English school and playground
•     Intensive English language classes
•     Childcare for small children while parents are in classes
•     Assistance in obtaining Social Security cards, initial health screenings, and other medical care as needed
•     Transportation and assistance with weekly shopping trips
•     Practical, Cultural, and Information Classes, such as:  Cooking, Household Care, Banking and Money Management, Working in the U.S., Apartment Living,   Legal Rights and Responsibilities
•     Field Trips:  local zoo, public library

All of these services are joyfully provided to refugees without cost to them, the sponsoring agency, or the U.S. government. We are able to do this because of the generous support of the many "partners" who support our work.
Hospitality

While all of these services are important and necessary, we believe that the greatest gift we give to the refugees is our hospitality. We welcome them to a peaceful place where they can recover from the stresses of war and refugee camps, make friends with North Americans, and feel hope for the human race again. We build strong bonds of love and understanding in both directions. It's a good process, in which we help the "broken victims go free" while they help us to "recover our sight".
Beyond Jubilee...
For many years we have collaborated with two resettlement agencies in Atlanta: the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services Agency (RRISA). After a two month stay at Jubilee, refugees move on to Atlanta where IRC or RRISA has a furnished apartment waiting and will assist the family in finding work, enrolling in school, and the many other needs that permanent resettlement involves. In recent years many Karen and Karenni have chosen to resettle in and around our small town of Comer. We are so thankful to have long-term relationships with these neighbors.  Some of these neighbors are a part of our ESOL classes and help with translation.

Current Refugees
From 2008 - present, Jubilee has hosted a steady stream of refugees from Burma (Myanmar); they have been mostly of the Karen ethnic group, with some Karenni, Chin, and Rohingya families.

In the past several years there have been refugees here from several African countries: Somalia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzaville, and Central African Republic.

You're doing what?

Intentional Christian Community.

No, it's not a cult.

Yes, we share responsibilities.

Yes, we eat meals together.

Yes, we worship together. 

No, we only worship Jesus. 

Yes, we do all live together.

No, not in the same room.

Yes, we share many things.

No, it is not a hippie farm.

People ask me very strange questions about Jubilee. Just because something is different does not mean that it is bad.

To better explain this life I am currently living here is a piece from the Jubilee website. 

Jubilee has a staff of about 30 adults and 12 children. Most of the adults are long-term staff, with a commitment of a year or more, and for whom this is a year-round home. The rest are seasonal "volunteers," who may live and work at Jubilee anywhere from three months to a year. In addition, there may be up to 20 or 25 refugees from Burma, Africa, or other war-torn areas.  And finally, there is a steady stream of visitors from near and far, several hundred a year.

We live, work, and worship together here, sharing our resources and our hope. 

We all have various work roles that include but are not limited to teaching English language classes, providing refugee childcare, gardening, food processing, animal chores, cleaning refugee houses, office work, help with medical appointments, and light maintenance, such as painting or grounds upkeep.

Living at Jubilee is holistic experience - here you don't finish your workday and then leave and go somewhere else that you consider home.  At Jubilee the work and non-work parts of the day all blend together into a rich (and full) experience.  Here you work, play, eat, and worship with all the same people - that's what living in intentional community means. So at 5:30pm when you're done with work, there are community meals to be prepared and cleaned up after; there are often activities or meetings in the evenings; people may enjoy making music, playing volleyball or doing crafts together as a way of building relationships.

The color yellow

Teaching English is not easy.

It takes so much to get a successful program started that it's impressive that Jubilee has one.

The reason why it works is because there is a system.

This is that system.

When a new refugee family comes to Jubilee they have an English test.

This is not with a pen and paper. 

That wouldn't work.

Many refugees come in to the states with little to no English.

Some can't read in their native language.

Some can't write in their native language.

The test is all verbal. 

So is our program.

We focus on speaking.

Because that is what they need the most.

We only have two month with them...we have to prioritize.

After the test they are placed into a color coded class.

Kids Class- Hence the name, for children.

Red Class- Low. Here we may be introducing them to the ABCs

Yellow- Middle. Speaking in full sentence (at least thats the goal)

Blue-   High. Conversational

Green- Advanced. Reading, writing, maybe even GED lessons.

I teach the Yellow class. 

Currently I have 5 students all from Burma. 

Some days it is not fun.

Most days I think I learn more than they do.

I don't think they know the impact they have on me. 

9

I am one of 9.

9 other people have dedicated a short period of their life to this place. My words will do these people no justice but I hope that you will understand just how great they are.

Every day they amaze and humble me.

Every day I learn and grow from them and their past experiences.

Every day I thank God to have such great new friends.

Mia.
A fellow Hoosier.
We had Ihop the first morning we met.
We discussed our fears of Jubilee being a cult.
(it's not)
She smiles all the time. 
Her handwriting looks like a child's but the words she writes are fierce. 
She is so lovely.

Kate.
A familiar face.
Goshen grad.
Queen of the garden.
Lover of books.
Master of stories.
She has a huge heart. 
Always will to give a hug. 

Jess.
Sweet as a doe. 
So on fire for Christ.
Skinny with Grandma clothes (a student of mine said that to me)
Wise beyond her years.
Musically talented, Oh her voice.
Strong. 
Grounded in her faith. 

Phoebe.
The girl from Jersey.
Spending her 2nd term at JP.
A born writer.
Lover of all things Baseball.
Player of games.
A true warrior of a woman.
Night Owl who loves LOTR and HP

Philip.
The lone man. 
The Sweetest guy ever. 
Extremely thoughtful. 
Snake catcher.
Punny.
Makes some killer Mac and cheese
UGA football. 

Bea.
Aka. Jessica #2
Lover of animals
Does not love BOBBY!! 
Beautiful artist
Wonderful with children
So spunky.
Hands and feet of Jesus.

Cristy.
Makes me feel at home.
So caring.
The mother of our group
Published author
Beautiful singer
Family and faith focused.
NPR listener 

Kat.
Jester of the group
 Laughing
Rapping
Filling the room with love
So strong
Hint of southern twang
Rebel.

* Kat decided that it wasn't in her best interest to stay at Jubilee. Last week, after a month of being here she left us. It was a heart breaking time for us and we all miss her so much. It was my honor to get to know her. But don't you worry, this is a see ya later, not a good bye.