The Journey Together

When Evangelina was fourteen, Ruthie and I took her on weekly visits to the DeKalb County Jail to see her brother, Nick.He sat down on the other side of the glass and looked at the three of us. His hair hung a little longer each week. He looked weary and edgy, worn by the rhythm of sunless days in his cell, unsure what would happen at his trial. When she took up the phone, he asked how she was. "Bored," she said. Her response was the same each time she visited him.After Nick was convicted and moved to a prison...

Thanks for visiting Refugee Beads at our new home! After five years of ministry in this neighborhood, we felt a need to tell our story and give opportunities to be involved in a simpler, more inviting way. If you've followed us from our previous website, thank you. If this is your first time to visit us online, welcome. We plan to keep building this site to include more media, stories, and glimpses into the life of our neighborhood. Enjoy your visit, and remember to contact us if you would like to learn more or offer any suggestions.  

Merry Christmas from the neighborhood, Friend.   A few weeks ago, eight of the youth from our neighborhood sat around our dining room table. Over tacos and cokes, we listened to a pregnant seventeen year old tell us about the father of her baby, who had been arrested and deported. He was trying to get back into the country to take care of his child. She last heard from him during a garbled phone call. He claimed to be in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas. He sounded like he was crying. She searched for his...