Six years ago a core of families left their homes and jobs from around the Northeast and moved into an under-resourced neighborhood in Syracuse, NY. They took big risks, but were compelled by a deep faith and wide-eyed hope. Desiring to live an authentic missional life, they began to explore the needs and abundance in their city.
Francis Schaeffer talks about The Glorious Ruin and we've experienced the glory and beauty of our city but we've also seen the ruin.
In our own struggles to find jobs with livable wages, we've discovered that this is the norm in a city where 30% of the population live below the poverty line.
As strangers in a new place we began to meet other strangers; strangers with greater challenges than our own.
We encountered Refugees attempting to resettle in this city from Burma, from the Congo, from Somalia, from Sudan and from Cuba.
We listened to their stories and our hearts were broken open to their struggles.
Many refugees struggle to find ways to survive. These struggles are as basic as finding a minimum wage job, learning how to drive, acclimating their children to our school system and most importantly finding faithful friends that will walk the journey with them.
We've become bonded friends with those struggling to make a new life here; walking the path with them in anyway that we can. In our work we've discerned the need for a designated space for pressing into this local issue.
In the The Renewal House we envision 5 initiatives:
1. Developing ESL opportunities
2. Developing job coaching opportunities
3. Developing adopt a refugee family opportunities
4. Developing child care/tutoring opportunities
5. Hosting faith-based worship gatherings.
Our goal is to raise $110,000 which will fully purchase this house and provide renovations to the building. Our partner Salt City Coffee is financing and outfitting the first floor of the building with a quality coffee shop.
We are seeking to raise $110,000.
This Renewal House will provide ongoing support and services for local refugees equipping them to discern next steps toward sustainable roots. This space will also host monthly worship gatherings and provide a connection point in our city through our first floor neighborhood coffee shop.
Please consider how you can support our cause.
Watch our video to see our story!
