Walking together: Healing and hope for Colombian refugees

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context, how to discipline and raise the children. Sometimes families come here with a series of problems
that they bring with them from Colombia and they need help to manage and heal their problems here. I
could go to the church every Sunday, but if my soul isn’t healthy, then it doesn’t help. It would be nice if the
church would organize regular activities and times for us to do things together.” - Felix
“You come from Colombia with many frustrations, with many problems in your head, and it is very hard
on you to feel alone. If the churches really want to accompany refugee families not only in the economic
sense, they could show the families that it is really a pleasure that they have arrived, that someone really
was waiting for them. Families come with many affective needs - we are very affected by our pasts and we
feel very lonely here - I got really sick, I had a lot of physical symptoms. The personal connection is very
important. In our church in Colombia there was a warmth and a closeness, there were many activities. Here
everything changes - everyone has their own life and they don’t seem to care if you are ok. The changes are
terrible, changes of environment, friends. You feel frustrated. There are changes of mood in the family. It is
important that the church pays attention to that. Families can sink down into problems, and that quickly
creates disunity in the family. You try to take care of things, but at the beginning it’s very hard. You don’t
know what you are up against. I’d recommend to churches forming friendships, paying attention to the
affective and emotional needs of the families, making sure that have someone to talk to, people who will
listen to them and offer genuine friendships. It would be interesting if the churches wouldn’t only focus on
the economic part, but also something more profound.” - Dora
“It is important to accompany the family, visit them once a week, help them integrate, give them counsel and
advice, always be attentive to them and don’t forget about the spiritual aspect. I would advise churches to
counsel families on how to maintain family unity. Some families begin to receive money and they begin to
believe they are big, independent people, they become self-sufficient if they don’t know the word of God. The
children don’t consult with their parents, they go out and get into bad habits. Churches could give counsel
about money management - there are some families where the husband controls the money and the wife
doesn’t have access, and this causes problems. I’ve seen many cases. There are many divorces in Colombian
families, and much of it has to do with money management.” - Laura