Blog

Since the beginning of the school year, Mrs. Weissman’s 4th and 5th grade students at Anastasis Academy have been wondering about the question, “What is a refugee?” Weissman’s students had heard on the news that some of these people would be coming to Colorado and right away, they wanted to find a place to help. The class thought, “How can we get involved in our own community?” They discovered ACC Denver and got involved in their youth program, International City.

Soccer is a universal language, and when the students learned the kids at International City were in need of soccer balls, they jumped on the opportunity to try and raise funds and provide soccer balls. Wissman and her class reached out to CrossTraining’s Timothy Project. They were able to take 25 soccer balls as well as purchase after school snacks for the children.

Upon delivery, the kids at Anastasis received a full tour of the facility as refugee students began to arrive. Right away, all the children began laughing and playing. Here are some of their reflections about the whole experience:

“[It] was a learning experience because we thought about other people more than ourselves. We had to get what we needed, not what we wanted.” -Ella

“When we brought everything in, it was nice of them to sit us down and tell us more about what they do at International City. When we told the kids we had brought all that, they were happy. When someone else is happy, that makes you happy. Food is good, but what matters most is your attitude. Play is fun and creates happiness. Happiness is important and makes you feel amazing. Everybody needs to play. To get your mind off of life outside those walls, is nice.”

– Brock

“When we got to meet the kids, they weren’t what I expected. I thought none of them would speak English. I remember a girl from Ethiopia that played ping pong with us, and she was so funny and kind! We also played soccer with a lot of the boys. They were really nice to us because they could have scored on us, no problem. We showed respect for one another. People underestimate how valuable it is to get kids loosened up like that. Play, have fun, and not worry about problems at home. I saw International City as their safe place. It was a such a positive experience, and I would like to go again!” – Will

“No matter where the kids were from or how well they knew each other, they all got along. Diversity didn’t matter. It felt like a really great community to be a part of. It gave me a lot of perspective.” – Camryn

It’s amazing how God can use a soccer ball to bring people together! Thank you to all the donors for your generosity and for helping a group of young students make an impact in the lives of refugees in the Denver!