'YOU ARE ALL WELCOME HERE'

A pingpong fundraiser with 21 co-sponsors off ered Helena refugees a warm welcome on Oct. 19 at Plymouth Congregational Church with fun matches and conversations of understanding. The event organized by the church's social justice committee went from 9 a.

m. to 1 p.m.



with about 150 attendees throughout that time, according to church representatives. In the Fellowship Hall, three pingpong tables were set up with a filled lineup of participants. The families were given support through the Helena Area Refugee Resettlement Team (HARRT).

All donations of items or money were used to support three refugee families in Helena including two Afghan families and a Congolese family. Some of the donations came from Good Samaritan Ministries, which donated books for the children, the YWCA, which donated books, toys and stuffed animals, Van's Thriftway gift certificates and more. Members of the Helena Table Tennis Club spent hours playing and showing the children of the refugee families how to play, while members of the refugee families made Afghan Bolani, a stuffed flatbread, and salads for attendees.

Children of the three families ran in and out of the building laughing and playing games, while some made art projects like drawings and painted pumpkins. Gus Byron, chair of the outreach and social justice committee, spoke at the event, offering his own sentiments to the families. "Christ said to us, 'Welcome the stranger.

' You are all welcome here," he said. Two of the fathers from the families spoke about how nice everyone has been to them and their kin. "I love Helena so much.

Even if it is a bit cold, I appreciate everything everyone has done for me and my family," Kurubura Lwamba, a Congolese refugee, said. Shamoon Nazari, an Afghan refugee, expressed the same sentiment and showed his thanks and appreciation for Helenans. "I am happy that I live in America because now I have a happy family.

My daughter and my son can study in school and I have a job, I am safe," Nazari said. Both of the fathers have growing families, with Lwamba's wife expecting their eighth child and Nazari's wife expecting twins. Seeing their children mingle together made them happy because each group has made American friends who have helped acclimate them to the states.

Nazari's wife was excited to be in the U.S. because she can go to school and study for her goal of becoming a doctor; in Afghanistan she was not allowed to study, her husband said.

They have been working to grow their vocabulary in English and acknowledged it was not great yet, but Nazari meets with a teacher at his residence to practice. So far they have acclimated well to their new home since the Congolese family was the most recent addition to the Helena area and arrived about three months ago. Lewis and Clark County Commissioner Andy Hunthausen and City Commissioner Melinda Reed participated in a couple of pingpong matches with community members.

"This is an amazing community we live in," Hunthausen said. "We welcome our neighbors with open arms." He added that the community needed to be there for one another and was happy Helena was chosen to assist the refugees n creating their new lives.

Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins could not attend, so his wife Maddie Muna Collins read a letter from her husband. Maddie said she had a personal connection to the event and families since she was a refugee herself. "We come together to support the brave families of refugees from the Congo and Afghanistan.

This event is not just about the sport, but about the community, compassion and making a difference," she read from the letter. The letter said the event was made to emphasize friendly competition and support for residents' neighbors. "Together we can create a brighter future for these families, ensuring they feel welcomed and supported as they build their lives," Maddie read.

Sonny Tapia is a criminal justice and education reporter for the Helena Independent Record. " Andy Hunthausen, Lewis and Clark County Commissioner.