Do refugees and asylum-seekers enter the US legally?
The refugees and asylum seekers God Is Good works with are usually placed in our area by the Federal Government and do come to this country legally. Typically, enter the United States after a sometimes lengthy and difficult process.
Are refugees safe and vaccinated?
Refugees receive a short health screening prior to leaving their country. At this point, refugees arriving in the U.S. are required to shelter in place for 10 days. After that, they receive a health screening and any vaccinations which are required.
All refugees which come to America legally are vetted by the Dept. of Homeland Security.
Do refugees speak English and will they adopt our style of dress and culture?
Some refugees do speak English when they arrive in the U.S. For those who do not speak English, God Is Good helps them enroll in English as a Second Language to help them learn. We also pair them with Community Hero mentors to help them practice language as they are learning about their new community.
Some refugees do adopt the dress style and customs of our community. Some choose to hold onto that which they find familiar.
You, as an American, would not stop being the person you are with the customs, like, dislikes and norms of every day life if you moved to a new region with vastly different patterns of dress, language, and culture. Refugees bring with them their own cultures as well.
While adapting to life in the U.S. the customs from their own culture adds to the diversity of the community in which we live and helps Americans grow in our knowledge of other countries.
I’m a Christian, can I proselytize refugees?
No. Just like our schools protect children from proselytization, the federal government protects refugees from this as well.
Many refugees are Christians and have been persecuted for their faith. Others may have been persecuted for the beliefs they hold which are different than those the government or society force upon the people of their country.
We never want a refugee to believe that any service or friendship they receive is contingent on them believing “your belief” or attending “your religious service”.
God Is Good is a Christian organization. We do not compromise our belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We respect the right of every American, refugees included, to have the freedom of religion afforded to them under our constitution.
We conduct our religious activities outside of services rendered specifically to refugees and/or at different locations. The volunteers we place as mentors or have face to face contact with refugees sign non proselytization agreements so that God Is Good Foundation can ensure to the best of our ability that the freedoms of refugees are being protected, just as we all protect the freedoms of our public school children.
How can I help and/or be involved?
There are numerous ways to help and/or be involved.
- Donate. Resettlement and placement activities are paid for in part by federal assistance provided by the Department of State. However, this does not cover all the costs God Is Good experiences when providing the programs and services to refugees or other community members. We depend on your faithful contributions.
- Volunteer. We need you. If you would like more information regarding volunteering with God is Good, please feel free to reach out to our office by email at [email protected] or by phone at 812.490.3184.