Many summers ago, I worked at a nonprofit service community in rural northeast Georgia called Jubilee Partners. Located on 260 acres two hours east of Atlanta, Jubilee is actively involved in housing and educating refugees from around the world. If you have ever wondered where refugees go when they first arrive in America, Jubilee is one of those places.
Since 1980 over 3,000 refugees from nearly 30 countries have made Jubilee their temporary home. A major part of the staff’s time and energy goes into welcoming, hosting, and teaching these refugees, who often come from Sudan, Afghanistan, Burundi, and other war-torn countries. These folks are exhausted by their ordeals, anxious about how they will survive in this new culture, and unable to speak much, if any, English. Jubilee becomes a safe place for them to learn a new language, get acquainted with our country, rest from years of hardship, and begin their new lives in an environment of love and support.