It’s a tough world for female refugees. They face hurdles to education, to healthcare and to even basic safety. Too often, girls and women are considered less needful of educational attainment than their male counterparts.
According to UN stats, for every ten refugee boys in primary school there are fewer than eight refugee girls; at secondary school the figure is worse, with fewer than seven refugee girls for every ten refugee boys.
Even among more educated refugee women, they’ve still experienced significant barriers and hurdles that continue to surprise me. A former criminal prosecutor from Afghanistan confessed that she’d never been allowed to drive or even ride a bicycle. This creates challenges as she tries to learn to drive now in crazy Charlotte traffic.
One in five refugee women has faced sexual violence, including rape, harassment and/or domestic violence.
These sobering statistics are important to know because they inform the work we do here at Make Welcome Sewing School. We seek to be a place of healing from trauma, and so through our weekly devotional time during class this quarter, we’re presenting a different “I am” from the Bible, geared towards the backgrounds and situations these women have experienced.
- I am where I belong. “God…made all the different people who live everywhere in the world. He decided exactly when and where they would live.” (Acts 17:26) – A journey of loss and pain has brought these women to America. We want them to know that God has a plan for them here, that He brought them here and cares about them.
- I am made in the image of God – “So God created humans in his own image. He created them to be like himself. He created them male and female.” (Genesis 1:27) – Women too often face discrimination in the societies from which they’ve fled. Cultural differences often give women lower social status, and place them in a position of dependency to men. We’re emphasizing that as women, they are made in God’s image and reflect a part of who He is!
- I am a masterpiece – “You made me and formed me with your own hands.” (Psalm 119:73a)Lack of healthcare, malnourishment and stress take a toll on many women. Losing hair & teeth, dealing with exacerbated health issues, finding themselves in a culture with different standards of beauty – refugee women need to know that GOD made them exactly the way He wants them to be. They have an inherent beauty as His creation that they can celebrate – they are truly a masterpiece!
- I am not a mistake – “You put me together inside my mother’s body. How you made me is amazing and wonderful. I praise you for that. What you have done is wonderful. I know that very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14) – Disabilities and mental health issues are a struggle, even though we have many tools and therapists to help us. So much more in countries where both are considered a curse and a flaw that makes you “less than” those around you. We want our refugee sisters to realize that who they are is not a mistake, that they not cursed by God.
“Integration and security in the destination country have been reported to help women deal with
previous trauma. Aspects such as language learning, contact with families back home and doing
handicrafts seem to have positive impact.” (Study on trauma informed care for refugee women)
Through sharing encouragement, teaching sewing, providing English conversation practice and creating a safe place to share sorrows, we’re seeking to help refugee women know that they are valuable. These women need to know they matter to us, to God and to their communities.