MEET THE POE FAMILY

The Access singles group has just started a new form of service with a special link to the region of Asia. In a few months, Deborah from 121 will be on a long flight to a southern country in Asia to minister and work for the next three years. Here in north Texas, a mission trip (of sorts) landed at DFW airport around a month ago. 121 Community Access Singles is working with the refugee organization World Relief to help one deserving family ease into American life. The Poe Family is a family of seven including mom, dad, four daughters, and one very adorable 5-year-old son. This family hails from a refugee camp outside of the country of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). This family has spent the last ten years of their lives inside a refugee camp and for most of the children these camps have been their whole life.

So how does a mission trip show up at DFW airport? World Relief is one of the great organizations that helps transition families (like the Poe family) out of grass hut living and into modest apartments on the east side of 820 in Fort Worth. A group of seven singles had the pleasure of greeting the Poe family off a very long flight from southern Asia. Our group arrived 30 minutes early to learn some words like “Welcome” and “Hello” in the native Burmese language. World Relief had brought a contact person and translator and our group was excited to be able to communicate simple greetings in a native tongue. When the time came, the family of seven was last coming off the plane and we guided them into the baggage claim area. After navigating the huge revolving doors and exchanging hand shakes, we began to say “Welcome” and “ Hello” in Burmese. After about a minute or two the translator informed us they spoke a different language with a much different dialect than his own. Since actions and nonverbal gestures speak louder than words many times, we were still able to welcome them and see to it that they got all their stuff in the van to head to a new home. The situation became all too real to me when we realized they have moved across the Pacific to a foreign land with just the clothes on their backs.

For the past month, I have had the pleasure of getting to know the Poe family and visit with them in Fort Worth a couple of times. The singles group has been able to provide school uniforms, toys, and of course, much needed cookies for the little ones. Two of the four girls are teenagers and have just started school and special English courses. They have already mastered the English alphabet and are hungry to learn and communicate with others. The Poe family is really in need of time and attention from Christian Americans that can help them ease into everyday living. I am excited to see the impact the Access group will have in the next year with the Poe family. Many families are given a window of 4-5 months to assimilate and get on their feet, so this is a critical time for support and a wonderful opportunity to extend a hand for God’s Kingdom. Please be in prayer for Deborah and the Poe family as they tackle these next few months of uncertainty with God’s help.

::Brian Snow

<<Back to newsletter