Today it begins.
Marinda and I (Mike) have been seeking to help refugees within our community in a more meaningful and deeper than we have before. Last Christmas we delivered gifts and food to a family, returned with some coats and boots, and then walked away without any continued contact. It was enjoyable, hopefully a bit helpful to them, and a good learning experience for our children. But, we found it feeling a bit empty once finished. Like – “what have we really accomplished here?” Sure we’d provided some physical goods for people without the same standard of living as us. But, really – these folks come from situations we can’t even fathom. For all I know, they are living as kings here compared to the past years or decades of living in one room tents, in refugee camps, in the brush, fleeing from violence. I’m confident they appreciated the new bed, laptop computer, toys, and gifts. But, we felt that we could, no we should, do more. That set the stage for what followed in the months that followed leading up to today.
Continue reading “Where It All Began”
They are a happy family, even in face of the challenging task of learning a new language, learning new technology, learning a new culture, learning many many things new. Perhaps most importantly, they are safe – without fear of rebels or soldiers coming to rape the women and girls or kill the father or force the boys to be soldiers or something. Everything else – home, job, food, etc. is icing on the cake. How much we take for granted in America! Continue reading “Who needs food?”
