For a family of twelve from the Democratic Republic of Congo, their journey to safety was long and uncertain. After fleeing tribal conflict that took the lives of their parents and spending years in a refugee camp in Burundi, they arrived in the United States in November of 2024.
When we finally arrived in Minnesota, a doctor was found for our two sons who suffer from anemia. We felt relief and we felt good here in America,” said Kalunda.
That relief was strengthened by the coordinated support of Arrive Ministries staff; a team effort that wrapped the family in care.
Khamis, their first point of contact, greeted them at the airport and helped them settle into housing, enroll the children in school, and connect with English classes and employment.
Danielle, their case manager, soon became a trusted guide through the complicated world of medicine by coordinating critical medical appointments for the two boys. The specialists treated the family with compassion. “Before, their anemia came with pain. Now they no longer experience pain,” said Kalunda.
Danielle also supported Tunza’s pregnancy and celebrated with the family when their baby girl was born in July. “They sent me a text the same night,” Danielle said. “It was so touching.”
She really took good care of us,” said Kalunda. “Through Danielle, our experience in America has been smooth.”
“She really took good care of us,” said Tunza. “We love working with Danielle.”
The family even brought their 3-week-old baby to the Arrive Summer Picnic in August. That same month, the family was matched with a Good Neighbor team of volunteers from Roseville Covenant Church, who are walking with them in friendship and practical support for a year.
The teamwork didn’t stop there. Arrive’s employment counselor, Gabe, helped Kalunda’s oldest sons secure full-time jobs at the Minneapolis airport. “I hope for my kids to get a good education and good jobs,” Kalunda said.
Hannah, an Arrive staff member, recently hosted a training workshop to create email accounts and USCIS profiles, helping the family take another step forward in their green card process. Meanwhile, Tunza continues to study English in the evenings. “It helps because I can now understand a bit,” she said.
What once felt overwhelming is now possible.
At first, everything seemed impossible,” Kalunda said. “But every day we learn more and more, it’s easier to get out and about.”
With the Arrive team by their side, the Kalunda family is finding their footing in a new world, one filled with healing, hope, and a caring community around them.
The Kalundas’ story shows how Arrive’s team-based approach – medical, educational, relational, and spiritual – transforms uncertainty into belonging, one caring connection at a time.
