Help Refugee Family of Eight: 2-year-old in Hospital with Serious/Chronic Health Conditions

I have become very close friends with the J. family over the past 2 years. We met through World Relief, through which I volunteer as an English tutor for the mom.

[***Please note that I’ve had to modify names and unfortunately cannot provide photos, for the family’s security.]

This beautiful, extremely hardworking family of 8 are officially designated “Refugees” according to the UNHCR, meaning they were forced to flee their home country (Sudan) due to credible threats of deadly persecution, and they cannot return home.* After fleeing Sudan, they spent 2+ years in a refugee camp in Egypt, after which they came to the U.S. where they’ve lived for about 3 years.

Over and over, I’ve witnessed this family working so hard to do everything right, at every turn!

Please read all the way to the end for full context, but in case you need the short version, I’ll get right to the “ask.”

The family’s 2-year-old girl, "Anna," suffers from very serious health conditions. She has Cerebral Palsy and other diagnoses. She's almost three, but cannot walk, talk, hold her head up, sit up on her own, or eat. She’s had a feeding tube for as long as I’ve known the family and has been increasingly struggling to breathe, resulting in several multiple-day hospital stays recently.

When she goes to the hospital, "Maggie" (Mom) and "Matthew" (Dad) must juggle the care of the five kids at home while making sure Anna is always accompanied at the hospital. Maggie does not drive, which complicates things further, and they have a 4-month-old infant who’s completely dependent on Maggie. Severely limited finances and limited English increase the stress and complexity of the situation.

The final kicker is that whenever Anna goes into the hospital, Matthew cannot work. Thankfully, they do have some state assistance for healthcare, but given that Dad usually works long hours every day of the week, missing several days is catastrophic to their ability to survive.

Anna went into the hospital on April 30, where she and Matthew remain. (I don’t know how long Matthew will have to miss work, but every day is significant—as of this writing, we’re on day 9!)

So my question is, can you help this precious family? They continue to be so patient, strong, grateful, and enduring. But they are facing difficult odds and horrible obstacles! Any amount would truly be a huge help.

Thank you for reading this far and considering donating. Here is some additional background for a more complete picture:

The two parents and six kids live in a tiny, 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom rental house (which they keep incredibly spotless and tidy)! They are trying to find a more suitable home, but they also want to keep the older kids in the schools they’ve acclimated to, and the cost and availability of homes in general is extremely limiting. The six children range in age from 4 months to 12 years.

Dad has THREE JOBS that I know of and works tirelessly to provide for his family. When he is not at one of his jobs, he continues to work nonstop at home to help care for his family.

They are extremely thoughtful and generous, usually serving coffee and treats for me when I tutor, and always asking and caring about my own family. If I’ve ever brought them something to help, they’ve tried to insist on reimbursing me. They have also been humble to accept gifts at times. (Some neighbors and friends threw a baby shower for the arrival of their 6th baby in January, for example, and they were so grateful. Maggie expressed that we are like their family away from home.)

Maggie is an incredible mom. As we sit through my English lessons, I watch her care for her children with such strength, love, discernment, and astonishing amounts of patience. She knows EXACTLY how to tend to Anna, relieving her pain as much and as fast as possible, and deftly operating the medical equipment. She strikes an incredible balance of being fun and playful with Anna when Anna’s doing okay, and compassionately meeting her every need when she’s struggling (which is most of the time). Now she also has baby "Andrew" whom she feeds and cares for at the same time, all while working with me to learn English(!).

Four-year-old "Lizzie" usually gets home from preschool during our lesson. She is bright, feisty, and tender, and I’ve seen her English skills grow explosively since starting preschool. The older children ("Marcus," "Simeon," and "Addie") are polite, energetic, and smart. They serve as interpreters for Maggie if she needs to call me, and they are incredibly sweet, loving, fun, and responsible with the babies. Particularly watching Marcus (the oldest) hold, hug, and play with Anna is mesmerizing. That little girl is so well loved by her brothers, sisters, and parents!

I know Maggie desperately wants to find paying work, but at the moment it’s simply not possible.

Thank you for considering supporting this family. Again, any amount would be such a buoy to them! Please feel free to reach out with any questions or ideas. We appreciate you.

(*To understand more of what it means to be a refugee, I highly recommend watching the movie “Hotel Rwanda,” based on a true story. Googling the ongoing crisis in Sudan will also give you an idea of what this specific family has endured.)

“…whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them….”

Jesus said: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”…

“When did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?”…

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.”