Christina Liu just passed her fifth month as executive director of New Hope Community Services. She’s tasked with expanding doors for refugees, navigating insurance claims from a fire last year, and providing new energy and incentives for stakeholders moving forward. “Christina brings a wealth of experience from the organizations she has worked for in the past, both in donor engagement and in senior leadership,” says Justin Vaughan, Chair of the Board. “The Board is thrilled to have Christina leading our organization.”
New Hope launched in 2004 and has helped over 800 refugees find a new start in Canada. On September 21, Hope in Motion provided a chance for cyclists, walkers, and other movers to get out on the roads and provide their energy and support for the current residents of the Surrey apartments.
Development Coordinator, Meagan Madsen, states that “Hope in Motion is a family-friendly cycling and walking event that brings the community together for a morning of fun and excitement! It is a chance for our extended network of supporters to join us on-site, experience the welcoming nature of our community, and meet the families that they are fund-raising to support. Hope in Motion is the perfect opportunity to invite our community into a deeper partnership with us as they raise awareness in their own social circles about what New Hope is and how they can make a difference in the lives of newcomer refugees right in their own cities.”
Mindy Kozloff, Director of Programs, shares the experience of one resident. “I will never forget the day I moved into New Hope. I had been wearing the same clothes for six days and I thought that God had forgotten me. But then I arrived here and saw beds for my family, toys for my children, and food in the cupboards. I cried tears of joy for the blessing I found here.” Another resident says “New Hope was like our school. It’s where we learned how to trust again and how to treat people again. Because of this community, we learned how to feel safe again.”
Lui adds, “The residents of New Hope, their stories of tenacity, resilience and their shared desire to find safety so that they might live freely and flourish is profoundly impactful. It means that I am striving to provide more community, more support towards independence, and more homes for more newcomer refugee families. We are doing this by strengthening our team and our processes, seeking out new partners and funding opportunities, and expanding our operations to a second building. New Hope caters to the needs of families with children, and the 26 children who live at New Hope right now are constant reminders of the fact that even in the face of significant challenges, laughter, growth, and indeed hope can be cultivated and emerge.”
Madsen says “Hope in Motion is the best because it is such an easy opportunity to get New Hope’s resident families engaged with our generous and caring network of people who believe in this mission and are invested in building community. My favourite part is seeing New Hope residents walking and riding their bikes right alongside the other participants and building relationships with people outside of our building. That’s what it’s all about! Our goal is to build bridges between our residents and our greater community to encourage greater social independence and integration. Hope in Motion is such a fun and easy way to do that.”
Kozloff shares as well that…Lui has a deep faith and shares the outworking of that in her perspective on this work. “My faith is shaped by the theology of the incarnation. God’s sending of Jesus to become human is an act of downward mobility that demonstrates care and concern for the marginalized and shows how God expresses love through accompaniment and being with the other. These themes connect deeply and directly with New Hope’s work of being with refugee families in community, accompanying them in their early and formative experiences of Canada, and recognizing the vulnerability and marginalization of the refugee and newcomer populations. So, in this way, I look to Jesus as a model. Likewise, the Holy Spirit as advocate is a reminder that as a Christian, I too am called to advocate on behalf of those who cannot do so themselves.”
Madsen says “New Hope truly is a safe haven; it is a sanctuary of hope for both its residents and its staff. To know New Hope is to know community, family, and to live life authentically and in mutuality with people. At the heart of New Hope’s mission is to share the love of Christ in genuine and intentional ways. In order to provide a safe space for newcomer refugees to heal and redeem what has been lost, we strive to be a warm and welcoming place, accepting families just as they are.”
Lui says, “I am grateful for the board’s support and invitation to lead New Hope into its next stage of growth as we pass our 20th year!”
Jack is founder of 1HeartCoaching and former pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Vancouver. His award-winning writings can be found at jackataylor.com and his coaching at 1HeartCoaching.com
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