Lutheran Advocacy

I received this note from Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service today.  God bless the work of LIRS and ELCA Advocacy.

LIRS is proud to stand in solidarity with Thon Chol and Elizabeth Anok Kuch, two former LIRS clients, who will testify today in Congress before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission about their experiences as refugeesfrom Sudan. 


After being admitted to the United States as unaccompanied refugee minors, LIRS placed Thon and Elizabeth into local foster care programs that help vulnerable migrant youth to rebuild their lives.


As young children, Thon and Elizabeth fled their homes to escape the violence of the civil war in Sudan. They became part of a group known as the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan. They will speak today about the violence they witnessed, their journeys to safety, their childhoods spent in refugee camps, and their transitions to the United States. 


Click here to learn more about Sudan's humanitarian crisis.


Thon and Elizabeth will also share recommendations on how to to better protect and assist refugees overseas and welcome refugees to the United States. LIRS is honored to stand with the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan, remembering the hardships these youth faced and celebrating the blessings they share with American communities.


Watch a video of Thon at the LIRS Facebook page to hear about his experience in refugee camps and the welcome he received in the United States.


Urge your member of Congress to support refugees like Thon and Elizabeth by supporting the Refugee Protection Act and other policies that would offer a better welcome to refugees.


Thank you for standing with Thon, Elizabeth, and the world's millions of refugees seeking safety. 


Consider a donation to support LIRS's work with refugee children and others seeking new hope and new life.