Welcome Wafa’a to Webster
Sponsors and Volunteers Sought for a Refugee Student.
(an article by Pastor Dave Denoon)
About a month ago, in a conversation with the Rev. Wendy Bruner, pastor of Peace United Church of Christ just up the street, I learned of an effort that a group of churches in Webster Groves were joining, to bring a refugee student from out of Istanbul, Turkey, to our fair city.
Pastor Wendy told me that Webster University is working in cooperation with the Iraqi and Syrian Student Project, which is coordinated by an American couple working in Damascus and Istanbul – Theresa Kubasak and Gabriel Huck – to relocate a young, college-bound woman to Webster Groves. Theresa and Gabe started the project in 2007 as a way to gain college educations for young people whose lives were caught in the midst of war. Since then, they have brought more than sixty students to U.S. institutions of higher learning.
Wafa’a Abu Elula presenting a self-portrait
Webster is offering a Palestinian refugee Wafa’a Abu Elula a full scholarship for four years. Wafa’a is currently living in Istanbul, but she was born in Uganda in 1994 when her father was an instructor at the University of Kampala. Soon after she was born, the family moved to Damascus, Syria, where in 2009, her father, a medical doctor, opened a clinic in the Yarmouk Refugee Camp, a Palestinian settlement.
At her father’s behest, Wafa’a and her mother and sisters relocated to Sayda, Lebanon, in 2012 for safety’s sake. Her father joined them there in 2013, and later that year with the help of friends they moved to Istanbul. Unable to find work, though, her father eventually emigrated to Sweden. He was able to bring his wife and youngest daughter there to live with him, but Wafa’a and the middle sister were over eighteen by that time and did not qualify to move with their family since they were no longer minors.
Through the Palestinian refugee organization Ad.dar (“Home,” in Arabic) Wafa’a was able to connect with others, and eventually met Theresa and Gabe, who – inspired by her ambition and hopefulness – introduced her to Webster University. Webster has since found partners in
- the Sisters of Loretto, who will house Wafa’a for the two years their convent is expected to remain open, and
- Emmanuel Episcopal, Sts. Clare & Francis Ecumenical Catholic, and Peace Churches who, with us, propose to support Wafa’a with other expenses and caring community.
I have shared about Wafa’a, and about the growing effort to be of support to her here in Webster Groves when she arrives, with a few members of the church in addition to the Parish Life Ministry and the Executive Ministry. All are strongly in favor of the church partnering with these other faith communities and Webster University. I look forward to presenting this project to the Benevolence Committee at their next meeting, so that we may officially become a part of the effort.
In the meantime, it would be wonderful to find a volunteer or two from among our membership who would be interested in working with a coordinating committee of representatives from the churches and the university. If you would feel called to do this, I would love to hear from you and get you connected with our friends who also are looking forward to welcoming Wafa’a to Webster.
More about Wafa’a…