I'm remembering...

As America remember 9/11 today  – I am remembering as well.  Intensely working with the refugee crisis here in Hungary for the past several weeks has been a constant reminder to me as an American. 
I keep telling people that this a crazy world that we live in…and that is all I can say because my mind is overwhelmed.  It is not the first time people have fled from everything they know in order to live and it probably won’t be the last.  It is however my first time being so close to a situation and working with people who are fleeing.  It is truly mind-boggling. 
To hear people tell that they have been traveling for 2-3 years, or some, just 2-3 weeks. These are educated people – doctors, teachers, engineers, and they left it all – for safety.  And they will – hope of all hopes – make it to safety.  But the journey seems to be a rough one.  Living in tents, or on the ground, walking over not only entire cities but also entire countries, braving the cold at night when they are going from one type of climate to pretty much the exact opposite, eating food given by volunteers of a different culture – what is that food?  Today was rainy, muddy and a poor little boy cried for a very long time while his mom and volunteers tried to find warm, dry clothes, socks and shoes for him.  He has no idea what is going on – and yet his parents left because they want a better life for themselves certainly, but mostly for that little boy.  Another Syrian man joining us picking up garbage around the tent area and his bag became full so he started walking towards the garbage bin and his son came running out scared he was leaving.  He and his son alone – no idea where a spouse or other family members were – what happened to them, if they were to follow later, what was his story? 

So – you can possibly see that I have been deep in this refugee crisis mindset.  Lots of prayer, lots of questions, some anger, some not good/kind thoughts, and of course tears.  It is difficult to write tonight that life is good but it is not difficult to write that God is waaaaay better.  He is the hope…He gives us grace for some crazy reason so that we can have peace.  That is it – grace and peace.  May that spread over all the 9/11 memories, refugees, volunteers, citizens, and the governments this very day.

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