Jonah's Graduation

Jonah Salim is one of my best friends in the world and I am truly blessed to know him. A native of Iraq, Jonah fled to the United States three years ago as a political and religious refugee, escaping violence and persecution in his war-torn country. He found a new life of peace in Bay City, Mich., in late 2007 and was granted asylum to stay in the United States as a refugee in June 2008. This past Saturday, we celebrated his recently earned doctoral degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. He currently serves as a missionary in peacemaking at the First Presbyterian Church of Bay City, but is now looking for a full-time pastoral gig and trying to overcome the hurdles of finding work as a Middle Eastern man in America.