Beginning this past May, we had the privilege of hosting a young couple with a six year old boy from Venezuela. Before leaving Jubilee, they recounted the grueling months it took to get here from neighboring Colombia – the intense exhaustion, sickness, hunger, fear, and discouragement – but also the hope they found in the multitude of people that stepped in to help them along the way. One man gave his life jacket to their boy when there weren’t enough, another ran ahead to tell a church refuge that a family needed help, still others shared food and water with their son in vulnerable moments. After a long trip to Atlanta and a night spent at the bus station, a security guard helped get them in contact with Casa Alterna in Atlanta.  

This family is some of, according to the U.N., around six million Venezuelans that have fled their country since the economic crisis there began in 2014. Many are choosing the difficult journey to the US through jungles, up steep cliffs, through gang-controlled territory, just to avoid extreme hunger and lack of medical care that have spiraled out of control. Please join us in praying for this humanitarian crisis!

The newest family to join us is originally from the Horn of Africa and includes two children born in the U.S. They are sharing a duplex with a staff family whose children are similar ages. It’s a wonderful opportunity for both families to learn from each other about their different cultures, languages, and experiences as well as to hash out the details of daily life in close proximity – like when it’s okay to cool off with outdoor water play and when the adults might like some quiet!