Handmade Gifts Made by Refugees

Greetings, C&MA Family,
Salem Alliance Church has the heart to extend the love of Jesus to refugees, our new neighbors. Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their homes because of war, persecution, and violence around the world. We believe the Church is called to be at the forefront of welcoming them to our community, learning from them, and walking alongside them as they establish a new home.
In 2016, a member of Salem Alliance Church noticed two desperate needs unfold in our city of Salem, Oregon: Employment with training opportunities for incoming refugees and a local and sustainable woodworking business that provides for the community's needs. Sparrow Furniture solves these two problems, a non-profit that Salem Alliance launched, which employs while incorporating many services throughout the workday for our new neighbors. Our apprenticeships are 12-24 months of employment for refugees. Our employees are trained by experienced woodworking professionals and complete daily English tutoring during that time. We assist them with job placement and related careers at the end of their apprenticeship. The parallel we love at Sparrow is that we provide new life for old pieces of furniture and wood & provide a fresh start to our new neighbors who have been resettled.
Over the last year, you have likely seen the news of Afghanistan being taken over by the enemy through armed conflict and hostility, attacking innocent lives. Recently, we had the opportunity to welcome Ahmed to Sparrow Furniture as our Sales Associate. Ahmed shared some of his stories with me; he was fleeing from the Taliban and was displaced; apart from his family, he now calls Salem, Oregon, his new home. Ahmed has said, "Sparrow has been good to me. I enjoy coming to work and can provide for my family stuck in Afghanistan, but I hope they come here soon." Ahmed's story is one of the dozens of lives that Sparrow has been able to assist in providing income and helping adapt to the American culture and English language.
As a non-profit partnered with a C&MA church, we wanted to share the mission behind Sparrow and encourage you that God is on the move. Often times it's easy to feel stuck in how we can give to those seeking refuge or searching for hope that seems to be an ocean away. Yet, non-profits like Sparrow open doors to sow seeds of generosity in our backyard.
Salem Alliance Church wants to share Sparrow Furniture with you, our Christian & MissionaryAlliance family, and beyond to present an invitation of partnership with what God is doing in the mission field in our backyard. You can partner with Sparrow Furniture by spreading the word or purchasing a gift that gives back. Purchasing an item means you get a beautifully handcrafted piece and sow into the work that Sparrow is accomplishing.
Thank you for your support,
Sparrow Furniture & Salem Alliance Church