Click on the link above to watch a Moment for Stewardship, recorded during Swarthmore Presbyterian Church’s worship service on Sunday, November 9, 2025. In this heartfelt reflection, SPC member Midge Salvucci shares how being in the right place at the right time sparked a life-changing journey of welcoming refugee families, building community, and witnessing the truth that love changes everything.
› Moment for Stewardship: Midge Salvucci
Recorded Sunday, November 9, 2025
Moment for Stewardship: Midge Salvucci
Recorded Sunday, November 9, 2025
S
ometimes you’re just in the right place at the right time. This happened to me one morning more than three years ago while sitting behind the big desk in the church office pretending to be useful to the office staff. Sarah Cooper Searight slid in next to me and in a voice slightly louder than a whisper asked, “Would you possibly be interested in helping with First Place Swarthmore?” I hesitated and to be honest, started thinking of the reasons why I just didn’t have time for that. But perhaps due to divine intervention, I found myself saying “Yes.” Before I knew it, I was sitting across a kitchen table from a family of five from Afghanistan, welcoming them to MY country. I was hooked! Twelve families and 123 people later, my life was changed forever.
By definition, a refugee is a person who is living outside their country and is unable to return due to fear of persecution. Unable to return. They left everything behind, most importantly, deep relationships with their extended family and the only way of life they had ever known. I never experienced anything like that. How could I possibly be of help?
Luckily, I was part of a team of five excellent problem solvers. None of us had done anything like this before but when faced with the need, we suddenly transformed ourselves into a social worker, an ESL coordinator, a repairman, a researcher, and a communication specialist held together by, our spiritual leader, Sarah. We created brochures and provided training sessions, requested clothing donations, found translators and resume writers, enlisted drivers, fundraised, lugged belongings up and down those narrow apartment steps and filled the families’ new apartments with donated furniture.
Although I had a long career in teaching, I had never dabbled in ESL so I needed to research materials and methods that could be used with different levels of English, by non-certified teachers and for a short period of time, somewhere between 6-10 weeks. We quickly enlisted a few dozen “teachers” from our church, and the greater community, including Swarthmore College students. I thrived in the collaborative spirit and dedication to creative problem solving, while deepening friendships with people I only casually knew. How grateful I am to this church for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of it all.
We welcomed families from Somalia and the Congo who had each lived more than 15 years in refugee camps and previously cooked their food on an open fire. From them I learned that modeling truly is our first language. We hosted two sisters from Venezuela who taught me a lesson in tenacity as they walked for miles searching for jobs, which they finally found. I learned about the generosity of our community when free dental and legal services were given to our family from Guatemala. I learned courage from our last family who escaped a devastating war in their homeland, Syria, only to lose everything again in an earthquake in Turkey. Last Wednesday, they welcomed a baby girl. Seven families came from Afghanistan. Because the men worked for the American government before the fall of Kabul, they all spoke English although their wives and children did not. I became close to these families as we drank tea together and they told me of their dreams for their children, especially their girls. From these families I learned first-hand the incredible resilience of the human spirit.
All this came to an end in January when the National Refugee Resettlement Program was ended. We terminated the lease on the apartment on Park Ave and gave away all the furniture to the families we hosted. Before it was hauled away, I sat alone at the same kitchen table and remembered that first family and all the others that followed. There had been a few tears shed at that table, but mostly I remember the deep desire to understand each other and the laughter while trying to do it. It is true. Love changes everything.
Fast forward to today. We couldn’t let this have a sad ending. We had kept in touch with many of the families. We knew that the women still struggled with English since they are mostly a home caring for the children. So, we decided, “Let’s create a woman’s language program.” Since September generous church members drive to the Northeast, Ambler, and Upper Darby to pick up and drop off four women and two children, while others lead English conversation, play with the children or make tea and set up lunch. The women spend two hours gaining confidence speaking English with their teachers and developing friendships with each other while enjoying a lunch catered by one of the women. Again, love changes everything.
I always knew that I felt most moved by the Holy Spirit when involved in service. Over my forty years here, I have enjoyed so many opportunities that our visionary pastors and committed church members have brought to us.
In addition to our strong outreach programs, there are so many other things I love about this church. These wooden angels and the stained-glass windows bring splendor to this room of worship. Beautiful music fills every crevice. Our children are cared for by loving people.
All of this requires our monetary gifts to make it all happen. Next week is Pledge Dedication Sunday. Your pledge allows Session to plan and budget in the coming year in a responsible way. If you feel so moved, there are pledge cards in the pews right in front of you or online through SPC’s website.
Because, you see, we are ALL in the right place, this church, and the right time is now.
Luckily, I was part of a team of five excellent problem solvers. None of us had done anything like this before but when faced with the need, we suddenly transformed ourselves into a social worker, an ESL coordinator, a repairman, a researcher, and a communication specialist held together by, our spiritual leader, Sarah. We created brochures and provided training sessions, requested clothing donations, found translators and resume writers, enlisted drivers, fundraised, lugged belongings up and down those narrow apartment steps and filled the families’ new apartments with donated furniture.
Although I had a long career in teaching, I had never dabbled in ESL so I needed to research materials and methods that could be used with different levels of English, by non-certified teachers and for a short period of time, somewhere between 6-10 weeks. We quickly enlisted a few dozen “teachers” from our church, and the greater community, including Swarthmore College students. I thrived in the collaborative spirit and dedication to creative problem solving, while deepening friendships with people I only casually knew. How grateful I am to this church for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of it all.
We welcomed families from Somalia and the Congo who had each lived more than 15 years in refugee camps and previously cooked their food on an open fire. From them I learned that modeling truly is our first language. We hosted two sisters from Venezuela who taught me a lesson in tenacity as they walked for miles searching for jobs, which they finally found. I learned about the generosity of our community when free dental and legal services were given to our family from Guatemala. I learned courage from our last family who escaped a devastating war in their homeland, Syria, only to lose everything again in an earthquake in Turkey. Last Wednesday, they welcomed a baby girl. Seven families came from Afghanistan. Because the men worked for the American government before the fall of Kabul, they all spoke English although their wives and children did not. I became close to these families as we drank tea together and they told me of their dreams for their children, especially their girls. From these families I learned first-hand the incredible resilience of the human spirit.
All this came to an end in January when the National Refugee Resettlement Program was ended. We terminated the lease on the apartment on Park Ave and gave away all the furniture to the families we hosted. Before it was hauled away, I sat alone at the same kitchen table and remembered that first family and all the others that followed. There had been a few tears shed at that table, but mostly I remember the deep desire to understand each other and the laughter while trying to do it. It is true. Love changes everything.
Fast forward to today. We couldn’t let this have a sad ending. We had kept in touch with many of the families. We knew that the women still struggled with English since they are mostly a home caring for the children. So, we decided, “Let’s create a woman’s language program.” Since September generous church members drive to the Northeast, Ambler, and Upper Darby to pick up and drop off four women and two children, while others lead English conversation, play with the children or make tea and set up lunch. The women spend two hours gaining confidence speaking English with their teachers and developing friendships with each other while enjoying a lunch catered by one of the women. Again, love changes everything.
I always knew that I felt most moved by the Holy Spirit when involved in service. Over my forty years here, I have enjoyed so many opportunities that our visionary pastors and committed church members have brought to us.
In addition to our strong outreach programs, there are so many other things I love about this church. These wooden angels and the stained-glass windows bring splendor to this room of worship. Beautiful music fills every crevice. Our children are cared for by loving people.
All of this requires our monetary gifts to make it all happen. Next week is Pledge Dedication Sunday. Your pledge allows Session to plan and budget in the coming year in a responsible way. If you feel so moved, there are pledge cards in the pews right in front of you or online through SPC’s website.
Because, you see, we are ALL in the right place, this church, and the right time is now.
