“Compassion” is why I support A La Source. Not my compassion for them, but rather the genuine compassion I see that they have for others and the charity (love in action) I see in the staff and volunteers under their leadership. A La Source is truly making a practical difference in people’s lives.

It’s why as a successful business owner, I personally make time to volunteer and financially support A La Source.

A La Source founders, Joseph and Angeline Nsabimbona are survivors of the genocide that occurred in the country of Burundi.

I have to admit that when I first met Joseph 6 years ago, I had no idea where Burundi was – I knew it was in Africa, but nothing more than that.

Its neighbor to the north is Rwanda. Thanks to the 2004 movie “Hotel Rwanda” the world became aware of the desperate plight of the people of Rwanda, but most have not yet learned of the similar issues plaguing Burundi. A La Source understands the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of refugees and immigrants- because they have been there.

Joseph and Angeline are both from Royal bloodlines in Burundi – they know what it’s like to have it all – in terms of material wealth and prestige. They also know how greed and political corruptness ruin people and countries – during the Burundi genocide every status and security was stripped from them, family members disappearing, never to return, many died – Joseph and Angeline were fortunate – they fled to new countries. But in the process of fleeing, they have experienced significant challenges including homelessness and financial desperation. The great news is they survived and are teaching others how to do the same – finding joy and stability in the journey – giving hope to those that feel hopeless.

I say all this to help you understand that A La Source is the real deal. Joseph and Angeline sacrificially help all who come to their offices, regardless of their religion, country of origin, status etc. In-fact, due to the difficult economic times they are also helping natural born American citizens who are in need. Beyond meeting the immediate financial and emotional needs, A La Source gives the refugees a practical roadmap and the essential skills to navigate the local, city, state and federal programs available to help them survive and grow into stable contributors in the American culture.

I encourage you to investigate A La Source as a place for you to contribute your time, talent and financial resources – call Joseph or Angeline and they will share their heart with you. If you are in the Denver area, ask about attending one of the weekly events they have. It will bless you more than you can imagine.

As a very motivated young man, he was seeking employment. Due to a lack of confidence in his English and him having only basic English skills, he really needed help. When I first met him, he had three job application forms and did not really know how to fill them out. The immediate need was filling out applications, but he really needed a boost in his confidence for the job interview process.

My approach was to coach him in the American culture’s way of finding a job. We filled out the applications together.   I also tuned him in on what American employers want to see in applications and interviews. He was amazed at how much we put into the application and why we used certain phrases and descriptions of his qualifications, skills and values. We also had two different sessions of role play where I was the interviewer and he the interviewee.

One of the applications was for a job with the Mile High Youth Corps program. I counseled him to put most of his efforts toward this one application as the program provided GED training, work & training on a construction site, and finally, the promise of a real job at the end of 9 months. There were several interviews and a long orientation process before he could be accepted in the program. With his great attitude, hard work and our assistance, Alex made it. We give praise to our God who through it all gave us strength and courage.