Refugees

D was busy supervising the kids in the bath and I thought I would take the opportunity to go and pick up some veggies from our produce guy and some ice cream from our favourite ice cream store before it got too dark for me to walk alone.  On my way I was approached by a family; a man and wife, a small girl in a stroller and a baby.  It is not uncommon to be approached several times during an outing by women and street children wanting change, food or clothing and I decided early on in our time here that rather than ignoring them, I would try to always, at the very least,  greet them or have a brief conversation in my often-flawed attempt at showing love and restoring dignity.  This decision has already led to 'regulars' that have become friends.  

So, even though I was in a rush to beat the sunset, I fought the urge  to keep walking and stopped to talk.   As I heard their story, my heart broke (as it often does here).  They were not from here.  They had arrived two days ago from Syria. Damascus to be exact.  Refugees in a new land.  There were looking for something, but I wasn't quite sure what.  I was trying to decipher through my limited Arabic and their slightly different dialect.  I did understand though that they had arrived two days ago and they introduced me to their two daughters, the eldest one and a half years old and the youngest seven days.  That's right, seven days old.  They fled their country with their five day old child.  She looked so tiny in that little blanket.  They had no place to stay and were wandering around looking for someone to help.  They didn't want my money, they needed more than that.  They needed someone to help them settle into a new land so they didn't have to live on the street.  He wants to work. But, in the meantime, they wander.  There are many like this family in this land, fleeing from war, leaving the only home they have ever known to arrive to uncertainty, to a country that is also facing hardship.

Last week we were able to visit an organization here that works with refugees primarily from Sudan, Syria and Somalia.  It was wonderful to hear of how they set up employment, help provide food, shelter and clothing, do community health teaching and medical clinics, adult education, counselling, youth programs, and assist refugee schools.  It was extremely encouraging for us to see the other side of these heart breaking stories.  The side of hope.

Refugees from Darfur at a baby wellness clinic.

This little girl is from Darfur, Sudan.  She desperately needs heart surgery.  The organization we visited is working towards fast tracking her official refugee status and providing funding so that she can have the needed surgery in a local hospital .

As the nightly fire crackers are heard going off outside my window I can't help but think of these refugees who, instead of fire crackers, have been awakened by guns and bombs exploding.  May Peace surround them in this land tonight.