Tulsa Church Sets Up Store For Afghan Refugees
A Tulsa Church is transforming its old sanctuary into a shop to help Afghan Refugees.
People from all different backgrounds and religions are coming together to do Something Good and help hundreds of families feel at home, here in America.
"This is not just charity- that this is an example of what we might call justice," said Fellowship Congregational United Church of Christ, Reverend Chris Moore.
One of the slogans at Fellowship Congregational United Church of Christ is- God is still speaking.
"What you see here is not the work of this congregation, it is certainly not the work of its pastor- it is the work of a community," said Moore.
Reverend Chris Moore believes this room- is an extension of that promise.
"Come in and not just be handed clothes but could have a sense of agency and dignity and come in as a family and shop," said Moore.
Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, which is made up of religious leaders from around the community- stepped in to help Catholic Charities get more than 800 Afghan Refugees settled in Tulsa.
"That is a Muslim Executive Director of Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, a Christian President of the board working with a Jewish congregation to help Afghans get resettled in our city," said Moore.
Reverend Moore is the President of the Board, and his congregation is transforming the old sanctuary of the church into a store for refugees.
Donations came from organizations all over the community.
"These are folks who have in many cases spent weeks or months in on military bases- who they have left behind family members in some cases their spouse and children who could not come with them," said Moore.
Organizations are still working out how to get refugees from their current homes- to spaces like this store where they can pick up things they need- for free. They are looking for people who will help with transportation and volunteers to help run the stores.
"We will need to replenish at some point, but we simply do not have the space for any more clothes right now," said Moore.
Rev Moore believes God is Still Speaking- through this community that is coming together for families they have never met and providing them with as much stability as possible as they get used to life in America.