Minya's Blessing: Family Found!
Donation protected
Then and Now:
Minya and her sweet girls arrived into the USA from a refugee camp in Ethiopia, some four years after fleeing from her home country of Eritrea - a country high on the list of Human rights violations. Spending almost their entire lives in a desolate camp, little Frtuna and Rahel were delighted beyond words when they arrived to their new home in Indianapolis to find many donated gifts they never even had dreamt about! We celebrated that Minya would no longer have to walk long distances each day, carrying big water jugs for their daily water, or have to eat "wheat and oatmeal". They now had soap, and fluffy towels, and a TV that played Bonanza reruns, or Sesame Street. We worked hard on learning English, and learning American customs.
The Good:
Minya soon met wonderful people who quickly came to love her, as her personality has always been incredibly upbeat, faithful, and so full of hope for her new life here. Not having any family in the US was hard, but we all adopted these 3, and they became our own...as if culture and language had no names, and no boundaries. As a couple of months went by, the hardship reality of a mother trying to single-handedly become totally self-sufficient and support her family began to wreak havoc. Unable to drive, zero English, and no one to watch her kids meant weeks were going by with less and less ability to make the pieces come together, soon enough. Like with all resettlement agencies, the little bit of funds ran out. Minya struggled with the thought of having to rely on friends, but she eventually and gratefully accepted an offer to move in with a friend who offered to help her find her way to independence. Just as this developed, out popped up a miracle! A cousin who had resettled from a refugee camp some six years ago managed to find Minya, and is opening up their modest home in Utah to give Minya part of her real family back. Sadly, Minya's parents died when she was very young, and she had lost her husband to an illness years ago, leaving her to care for her girls on her own.
The bad:
When Minya arrived, she was signed into a 6-month lease at her current apartment. She has had no cash since March, but yet she has to pay $700.00 to cover her lease, ending August 31. At that point, she can leave without going into a bad debt-collections situation where they will tack on $1300 (2 months rent as a penalty) + another $250 in legal fees. In addition, she needs airfare for the 3 of them to fly to their new home in Utah, and to pay off her electric bill. In September, she will have to begin paying off her airfare for her and the girls, coming from the refugee camp to the US (another 3k, which is not part of this campaign). For someone who just arrived with a glimmer of hope, the road is tough.
The Nuts and Bolts:
Hilina, one of Minya's wonderful friends, and I want to help Minya and her girls get to their new home as quickly as possible, and before the girls start school. We have estimated that they need about $2000 to cover airfare, pay off her remaining one month's lease and utility bills, any GoFundMe processing fees, and to ship their very minimal but beloved possessions. We are asking for donations, of any amount, if able. We know so many of you have already generously helped out, and Minya has said today, that she is so thankful and grateful for all the support people have given. 100% of the donations will go to help them, funding air fare first, followed by paying debt, if able. Feel free to share! Thank you for caring,
Laura and Hilina
Minya and her sweet girls arrived into the USA from a refugee camp in Ethiopia, some four years after fleeing from her home country of Eritrea - a country high on the list of Human rights violations. Spending almost their entire lives in a desolate camp, little Frtuna and Rahel were delighted beyond words when they arrived to their new home in Indianapolis to find many donated gifts they never even had dreamt about! We celebrated that Minya would no longer have to walk long distances each day, carrying big water jugs for their daily water, or have to eat "wheat and oatmeal". They now had soap, and fluffy towels, and a TV that played Bonanza reruns, or Sesame Street. We worked hard on learning English, and learning American customs.
The Good:
Minya soon met wonderful people who quickly came to love her, as her personality has always been incredibly upbeat, faithful, and so full of hope for her new life here. Not having any family in the US was hard, but we all adopted these 3, and they became our own...as if culture and language had no names, and no boundaries. As a couple of months went by, the hardship reality of a mother trying to single-handedly become totally self-sufficient and support her family began to wreak havoc. Unable to drive, zero English, and no one to watch her kids meant weeks were going by with less and less ability to make the pieces come together, soon enough. Like with all resettlement agencies, the little bit of funds ran out. Minya struggled with the thought of having to rely on friends, but she eventually and gratefully accepted an offer to move in with a friend who offered to help her find her way to independence. Just as this developed, out popped up a miracle! A cousin who had resettled from a refugee camp some six years ago managed to find Minya, and is opening up their modest home in Utah to give Minya part of her real family back. Sadly, Minya's parents died when she was very young, and she had lost her husband to an illness years ago, leaving her to care for her girls on her own.
The bad:
When Minya arrived, she was signed into a 6-month lease at her current apartment. She has had no cash since March, but yet she has to pay $700.00 to cover her lease, ending August 31. At that point, she can leave without going into a bad debt-collections situation where they will tack on $1300 (2 months rent as a penalty) + another $250 in legal fees. In addition, she needs airfare for the 3 of them to fly to their new home in Utah, and to pay off her electric bill. In September, she will have to begin paying off her airfare for her and the girls, coming from the refugee camp to the US (another 3k, which is not part of this campaign). For someone who just arrived with a glimmer of hope, the road is tough.
The Nuts and Bolts:
Hilina, one of Minya's wonderful friends, and I want to help Minya and her girls get to their new home as quickly as possible, and before the girls start school. We have estimated that they need about $2000 to cover airfare, pay off her remaining one month's lease and utility bills, any GoFundMe processing fees, and to ship their very minimal but beloved possessions. We are asking for donations, of any amount, if able. We know so many of you have already generously helped out, and Minya has said today, that she is so thankful and grateful for all the support people have given. 100% of the donations will go to help them, funding air fare first, followed by paying debt, if able. Feel free to share! Thank you for caring,
Laura and Hilina
Organizer
Laura Finta
Organizer
Noblesville, IN
