This is the story of the Omasombos, a family that changed my
life, and taught me what it looks like to “be joyful always” (1 Thes. 5:16)…
In 2001, Omasombo, the father of four young daughters
(Deborah, Louise, Dembo, and Esther), was targeted by a group of Congolese
rebels who sought to kill him simply because he worked as a teacher in his
village, and therefore they associated him with the government they
opposed. The rebels came to attack
Omasombo in his home, and he narrowly escaped. In the confusion, Omasombo and his family were
separated. His wife, Poya, was
fearful that her daughters would be raped or worse, so they fled via ferry to
neighboring Tanzania.
Omasombo and his girls were separated for a full year,
unaware that they had all made it safely to Tanzania, out of harm’s way. After a year of wondering if her
husband was even alive, Poya was elated when Omasombo came walking into her
camp one day in search of his family!
They spent the next seven years living together in a tent inside the refugee
camp. During that time, they added
four more children (David, Germaine, Emanuel, and Alan) to their family. In 2010, an American charity
organization offered the Omasombo family a loan, and the whole family (all ten
of them) flew from Tanzania to America.
America promised safety, freedom, and opportunity –the American
dream. So far, it has proved to be
an empty promise.
This is the part of their story where I come in. This past year, I had David Omasombo in
my class of second graders. From
day one, he was the front runner for teacher’s pet. In a class full of eight year olds, David stood out because
of his million-dollar smile, his infectious laugh, and his kind nature. As the year went on, I got to meet the
rest of his family, and I quickly learned that David’s personality is no
accident. I have never met a home
full of people who are so genuinely joyful all the time! The Omasombo home is filled with singing,
dancing, children playing, and laughter…tons of laughter!
The Omasombos live in a government housing project in North
Nashville, TN known to the locals as “Dodge City” (an homage to the bullets
that routinely fly through the air there). They receive about $800.00 in government benefits each month
($80.00 per person) and share beds inside their small apartment. They face racism from the non-African
inhabitants (several windows in their apartment have been broken out by
neighbors who targeted African families), and the schools their children are
zoned for are among the lowest performing schools in Tennessee.
No one would blame them for a second if they complained
about their situation. And yet, in
the year that I have known this family, I’ve never heard a single
complaint. Instead, Poya
constantly says things like “Here we have nothing, but in Heaven we are
rich!” I am not exaggerating when
I say that every single time I go to their home (about once a week) they
will not let me leave until the entire family holds hands in a circle and sings
prayers to thank God for their blessings.
The Omasombos have taught me what it means to truly live a
life of faith, regardless of circumstance. They showed me the difference between feeling happy
and choosing to be joyful.
Despite living in poverty, they choose to be joyful about the things to
come rather than dwelling on the problems of today.
This summer, the Omasombo family is relocating yet again,
trusting that God will provide for their family. In mid-July, we will load a 15-passenger van with a few
bags, the Omasombos, and their eight children, and head from Nashville to
Lewiston, Maine. There, some
family friends, who are also refugees, report much safer living conditions and
better schools.
As you can imagine, moving a family of ten 1,239 miles will
be fairly expensive. We have a quote
on renting a 15-passenger van, which will cost $1,249.89 (excluding fuel). Also, we will need places to sleep on
the three-day trip. Additionally,
the loan that they secured to get from Tanzania to America requires monthly
payments of $159.00. So far they
have paid off about $3,000.00 of the original $10,000.00 they owed on the loan.
All that to say, we need your help getting the Omasombos
relocated and settled in their new home!
We have set a goal of raising $10,000.00 by August 1, 2012. Please consider supporting their family in one of the ways listed below:
Ways you can support:
1. Click the link below and make a donation. All proceeds will go directly to the trip to Maine, and any
additional funds will be used to pay off their loan and get them settled in
their new home.
2. If you have access to a 15-passenger van and would be
willing to let us use it for the trip, you can email me directly at tee.hassold@gmail.com.
3. Pray for the Omasombos, our safety on the trip, and their
continued faith as they relocate their family to their new home!
4. Share their story with family and friends to spread the
word about helping the Omasombo family.
