To address this, Refugee Connect launched the Mobilised for Unaccompanied Minors (MUM) Network in early Spring 2017. I’ve been involved in the MUM network for several months now and this has been instrumental in developing some aspects of our project.
Refugee Connect combines a deep heart for refugee young people with really effective networking and organisation to encourage a variety of projects to keep informed and connected about each others’ work. The monthly calls, for example, have been a useful form of accountability and fellowship. They have kept us from becoming isolated and have pushed us to make our work more widely known.
Beyond the calls, I’ve found Kaylee and John Kolditz of Refugee Connect to be valuable sounding boards and generators of ideas; for example, identifying gaps in resource needs.
Strategic, encouraging and relational, I honestly feel that Refugee Connect is making a difference that will serve the kingdom here in Europe. In short, they get stuff done! I hope and pray that they can grow their capacity to become even more effective.
-Dr. Tim Davy
Research Fellow And Lecturer In Biblical Studies And Mission at Redcliffe College
Lead of the research project, ‘Meeting the Needs of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) in Gloucestershire: Enhancing the Response of the Local Church'
Over the years I've had a lot of opportunities to interact with missionaries in my roles as a local church pastor, general secretary for the Evangelical Alliance in my country of Czech Republic, and also as a director of a charitable foundation. I found that some missionaries living in the mission field actually never left their home country in their mindset and the attitudes of their hearts. I saw that it is almost impossible for them to connect with local people and communities.
However, I have also met those who, because of different circumstances, did not live physically in the mission field, but because of their commitment to the people of a specific region or country, that mission field is living in their minds and hearts; and distance is no obstacle for them to serve passionately and efficiently! This is the case of my friends Kaylee and John Kolditz.
I highly appreciate Kaylee and John's commitment to Europe and especially to unaccompanied minors among refugees in Europe. What Refugee Connect did, what they do and what the Lord will lead Kaylee and John to do for the vulnerable children of Europe has valuable, positive impact. Impact not only on children in need, but also on the attitude of local churches in Europe.
- Lubo Hlavacka
Director for Regional and Country Development,
World Without Orphans
https://www.worldwithoutorphans.org/