Showing Tag: "asylum" (Show all posts)

The Issues Behind the Issue of Family Separation at our Southern Border

Posted by Kaylee K on Tuesday, May 29, 2018, In : Unaccompanied Refugee Youth 
Over this past week my heart has grieved seeing the news of American border officials forcibly removing children from their families at the U.S. southern border. It is tempting, of course, to post responses full of emotion; I admit, I did this a bit on Facebook. However, I also researched to find out not only what is happening, but what got us here. The trail is not straight nor is it crystal clear. But what I continue to see is that we need to recognize the people behind the news, and behind...
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What Can One Church Do?

Posted by John K on Monday, April 2, 2018, In : Response 
As 2017 came to an end, I sensed that I should schedule time early in 2018 with The Sanctuary, a church-run ministry for refugees in Newport, Wales. Kaylee and I first visited last summer and the director, Mark, participates in our MUM Network. My goal was to be a help, but also to witness what one church can do as they go about their day-to-day work with refugees.


I arrived in Newport after my overnight flight and three-hour bus ride from London. Mark met me at the bus stop and we walked the ...
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The Power of Connections

Posted by Kaylee K on Thursday, September 21, 2017, In : Unaccompanied Refugee Youth 


As I reflect on our visits with many individuals and ministries across Europe this summer, I am truly grateful for the connections we have made. I recognize that God has designed John and I both as connectors and He uses this in our ministry work almost daily. Again and again this summer, we were able to see how God wove together new relationships to help build out support programs for refugees...some having nothing to do with our own ministry but for the furthering of other work (which is aw...
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Job Creation to Combat Trafficking

Posted by Kaylee K on Thursday, September 21, 2017, In : Response 
This is an interview with John after we spent three months in Europe focused on collaboration and partnership building with refugee ministries and individuals.



Q, When you headed to Europe, what did you know about the impact of trafficking on unaccompanied refugee youth?
A. When we started our journey in May, I sensed that trauma and the vulnerability to being trafficked were the issues I should focus on and learn about over the summer. I had contacted some global anti-trafficking organizatio...
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Welcome

Posted by Kaylee K on Friday, June 2, 2017, In : Response 
"Welcome." A single word that can transform an experience.

When we arrived at the For Refugees offices on Tuesday a sign awaited us, “Welcome John & Kaylee”. In this one act, the organization that is hosting us this summer in London made it clear: we want you here; you have a place.


And I felt that. Not just in the sign. But also in the smiles that greeted us. In the words shared. In the attitudes of hospitality. And in the considerate acts such as a teammate showing us around the office ...
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More Jungle Stories: Along the Highway

Posted by Kaylee K on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, In : France 


As we travel across northern France we spot jungles. Not what you imagine seeing in Europe. But these certainly aren’t the rainforests your mind may conjure up upon hearing the term either. For asylum seekers, the make-shift camps they are often relegated to on the edges of farms along the tree lines are more like jungles than homes. Urban settings would certainly provide access to more resources and potential community. But it would also mean that the asylum seekers are visible, which is n...

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God's Timing

Posted by Kaylee K on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, In : Italy 
Going to Italy. Why now? Why there? How can this be serving? How can it be ministry? These are questions that sit beneath the surface of my brain as we prepare for our upcoming vision trip with IAFR.

As I read a devastating article (see Refugee News tab) about the recent burning of the refugee center in Lampedusa, Italy, the answers are clear. God's timing is perfect and He knows the work He has prepared us for.

The refugee crisis is causing suffering in Italy and not just for the asylum seek...
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Blog Authors


John and Kaylee Kolditz Kaylee founded Refugee Connect in 2008. John joined the work in 2011 as we investigated the refugee situation in Europe. But our faith and cross-cultural journeys have been a work-in-progress for many years. Much of this blog reflects that. ************************************************ We met in Austin, TX, while volunteering at a serving event at Gateway Church and have been married since 2002. Marriage, parenting and ministry all require a great deal of intentionality, humility and true reliance on God for strength, wisdom, and grace. It is a journey we are grateful to be on together. Ultimately, what matters to us is building into meaningful relationships in ways that, to the best of our ability and by God's grace, demonstrate the love and hope Jesus freely offers to us all. ************************************************ We bring both business and ministry backgrounds into our current work. John started a business in his 20's and helped build several other businesses. He has also served with churches in a variety of roles including as an assistant pastor, director of community development, and missions board member. Kaylee left her marketing career to become the global missions director for our home church in Austin, TX, then founded a local refugee ministry, and became TEFL certified (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) in order to prepare for our work overseas. We have led short-term teams domestically and internationally, and served with a variety of cross-cultural ministries. In 2008, we sensed a call to build into the church in Europe, which was also around the time when God broke Kaylee’s heart for refugees. Since then, God has continued to weave together this heart for refugees, desire to serve alongside the church, and focus on His call to Europe.

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