Posts by John Heiser (Page 3)
Inside Matthew 25 at SHPC
South Highland has now completed two years as part of the Matthew 25 Initiative. The goals for this initiative are described on the Presbyterian Mission website. Our group of Matthew 25 Initiative advisors are known as the M25 Ambassadors. In-person and Zoom meetings occur quarterly. At the 2016 Together for the Gospel Conference, historian-theologian-author Jemar Tisby spoke of the essential elements of all genuine racial reconciliation, an A.R.C. of Racial Justice (also economic and social justice). Tisby said there must…
New Year’s Resolutions
Are you looking for ways to keep your New Year’s Resolutions? The Matthew 25 Initiative suggests you consider volunteering to assist migrants arriving in Birmingham in January. Trinity West in Homewood expects to receive and assist these migrants in arranging their travel plans from Birmingham to other cities to unite them with their sponsors. Trinity West Homewood is the location. Volunteers will greet the migrants, provide them with food and warm clothing, assist them in contacting their sponsors in other…
A Year of Resettlement in Alabama
South Highland’s Matthew 25 team partners with Inspiritus Birmingham to minister to refugees who have relocated to this area. Here is an update on the team’s first year of service in this important mission. The Inspiritus Alabama Refugee Resettlement Team is celebrating ONE YEAR since the arrival of our first client ever on December 3rd, 2021! We have welcomed 112 refugees and Afghan allies to Central Alabama since launching our refugee resettlement program. We have also grown by two new…
Family Gratitude
On December 10, 2021, Nasir, Gul Bakht, Omid and Arman Akbary arrived in Birmingham, having fled Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 25th. All they wanted was a chance – for safety, work, education, and a home. As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of their arrival here, Nasir and Gul Bakht wish to thank the many South Highlanders who are easing this transition. Your ongoing donations of time, transportation, goods and money are so greatly appreciated. South Highlanders have been driving instructors, car…
Welcoming the Stranger to Alabama
Since December 2021, eighty-six special immigrant visa holders, humanitarian parolees and refugees have some to Alabama from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sudan and Yemen. Supported by Inspiritus, SHPC’s care team walks with one family as they adjust to life in America after fleeing Afghanistan last year. The Akbary family now has stable housing, employment for the father, kindergarten for the older son, and transportation. The family has come a long way since December but they still have lots of new things to…