Each year in March, Clapham School supports the ministry of World Relief through a donation drive to collect needed items for recently arrived refugees. World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church, and their work in the U.S. focuses on helping refugees in vulnerable situations rebuild their lives in this country.
Since 2024, Joseph Tarpeh has served as Clapham’s Athletic Director. As a child, Mr. Tarpeh moved to the U.S. with his family under refugee status through the resettlement work of World Relief DuPage (now World Relief Chicagoland) in partnership with the local church. He then grew up here in Wheaton, IL.
Clapham dad, Adam Beyer recently had the opportunity to interview Mr. Tarpeh.
What brought you and your family to the United States?
We are originally from Liberia, a country in west Africa. We came as refugees fleeing the civil wars in Liberia (1989 to 2003) and neighboring Ivory Coast (2002 to 2007). The violence and instability forced us to leave to survive and find safety.
What was your family’s life like when you were refugees?
Much of what I remember is spending a lot of time fleeing rebel armies and the war around us and having to survive in refugee camps.
During the war, we were constantly running from Liberia to Ivory Coast to stay alive. My parents initially escaped to the Ivory Coast because it was safer for children and was where my dad could find work by brushing palm trees and driving a tractor. We had to be careful not to get caught by the rebels—if caught, they would kill you. Though we lived in Ivory Coast, we sometimes had to return to Liberia to live with family. We were not fully safe in either place. If Ivorians saw Liberians trying to cross the border, they would kill them, and so we had to walk and take secret routes.
Thankfully, in collaboration with the UNHCR, the United States assisted Liberian refugees in Ivory Coast and eventually began to process some selected to permanently resettle in the U.S. My dad registered us as refugees.
How old were you when you came to the U.S.? What was it like for you and your family in those first few years here?
I was 7 years old when my family moved to the U.S. as refugees. We had to learn a lot and make many adjustments. We were resettled by World Relief with the assistance of a local church. Also, a family from the church sponsored us and allowed us to live in their home before we moved into our own apartment.
Coming to America was a complete game-changer. For the first time, we had good housing, were able to eat well, and could move about freely without fear. That freedom meant everything. We finally had peace and security. As traumatic as it was, coming to the United States brought us joy. Since we came from nothing and had only known war for years, my parents felt like coming to America was a dream. For us kids, we did not know a place like America was possible.
World Relief helped us with housing, accessing temporary public aid, finding and retaining employment, improving English and job readiness skills, accessing health care, accessing education and youth programs, the immigration process to become citizens, and finding local resources for clothing, home goods, food, and so forth. World Relief staff and people in the church also helped us through friendship and counsel as we adjusted to American life and culture, with all the challenges and decisions that come with that. Early on, we needed a lot of assistance to start rebuilding our lives, but each year we were able to stand more on our own.
What’s it been like growing up in the western suburbs of Chicago in a family from a different land and culture? How has this experience shaped you?
It’s been interesting! I experienced a big difference between the surrounding culture, especially in the schools I attended, and my traditional Liberian culture at home with my family. I experienced these differences with things like the way people communicate and the kinds of foods being eaten. This was often challenging for me as I tried to balance both worlds.
I asked my parents if my English was good when we came here, and they said it was terrible. Even though we spoke English, it was a different form of English spoken here. Over time, learning the language and adapting to the culture became part of my journey, and those experiences shaped who I am today.
What has your spiritual journey been like since moving to the U.S.?
Challenging, sanctifying, joyful, and the Lord has done more than I could ever ask, think, or imagine!
My faith in Christ began after college when I started to see that I was living apart from Christ and, in some ways, doing the opposite of what the Bible taught. Though I was part of a campus ministry and sports ministry, my delight was not in the Lord, but in what I could selfishly gain. I did not want to repent; I just wanted to go my own way.
The Lord eventually helped me see my sin and my need for his salvation after hearing a message on 1 Corinthians 15. After that, I embraced the gospel and made some important life changes. I’m consistently learning the importance of living a life reconciled to God, not neglecting the great salvation He has provided, and walking in a manner worth of the gospel. I treasure all of who Christ is and all he has done.
"...that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures..."
What led you to teach PE at Clapham?
I was a Psychology major at the University of Indianapolis, where I also ran the 400m for the track team. I worked in a few jobs before deciding to move back to Wheaton. After moving back, someone at my church told me about the open position at Clapham. I thought it was a great opportunity that fit my athletics background and sports ministry experience.
Given your experience, what is your perspective on U.S. refugee resettlement organizations like World Relief? How meaningful is it for you that Clapham has a partnership with World Relief?
My family and I had a great experience with World Relief. Looking back, I now see how important it was to have a resettlement organization, a sponsoring family, and a sponsoring church to help us adjust and start our new life here.
It’s very meaningful to me that Clapham partners with World Relief because World Relief facilitated our resettlement process and all the adjustment support we received. They cared for us and helped us greatly during a time when we needed people we could trust.
What’s something you would like for the Clapham community to know about what it’s like to have to be forced to leave your homeland and to start a new life elsewhere?
It’s not something you feel like you had a choice in. When you are a young refugee, you simply grow up with the challenge and must get used to it. You don’t know what else there is, and so you learn to adapt to survive. I think that can be hard to understand when you are born in a safe and secure land.
How can Clapham families can show the love of Christ to recently-arrived refugees?
What refugees most need are people who genuinely love and care for them in Christ and who are willing to provide support and guidance as needed. Refugees need long-term friends who will journey with them, help them to navigate American life, and help them to grow and learn.
This year, Clapham School will again support the ministry of World Relief Chicagoland through a donation drive from March 16-20. Clapham parent Britanny Bell, in partnership with Parent Council and faculty, is facilitating this year’s drive—please be on the lookout for more details to come!