Immigrant receives gift of gratitude

Minasie Theophilis came to the United States from Ethiopia as a young man in 1984. For a while, he was a student at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and in 1989 he took a job at the school as a custodian. He loves the college and has worked there ever since, with a passion. Few know this better than the ice hockey team. "Beyond his faith, positive energy and daily smile, the Ice Arena is spotless," says hockey team member Christopher Johnson, adding that "the pride Minasie takes in his job is contagious."

                                                                                                                                   GoFundMe
But during all his years at Augsburg, the janitor has never had enough money to return to see his parents in Ethiopia. Recently the ice hockey team learned that his mother had passed away, and they wanted to reunite him with his family. They started a GoFundMe page, hoping to raise $3,000 by the end of the hockey season. Instead, their page raised $5,000 in nine hours! The team gave him a check the next day. Minasie's widowed father is visiting Minasie's brother in Norway, and Minasie will soon fly to Norway to be with them both. "We feel that after all the time and energy of Minasie serving us, we would like to return the favor and unite him with his family," said Johnson.