World Refugee Day – Reasons to Celebrate
Today, June 20, is the celebration of World Refugee Day. Leading up to today, I have been reflecting on what an odd phrase that is. How do we “celebrate” there being more than 36 million refugees in the world and many more millions of forcibly displaced people–half of them children? I think I can “observe” today, spending some of my time to reflect on the very real lives of the millions of people who have fled their homes due to a well-founded fear of persecution or death. But I can hardly “celebrate” it.
So why DO we “celebrate” this day? If I think about celebration, I think about our friendship with one of the Afghan evacuees who has become a family friend and whose wife and children will soon join him here, nearly three years after parting. There–in Afghanistan. Rejoining here–in Billings. I can celebrate his “proverbs” and his cooking, his laugh and his infectious friendship. I can celebrate our profound connection to another Afghan family that spent over a year in Billings but then moved to join a larger Afghan community in another state. When visiting their new home last weekend, we got to see them, hug them, laugh with them, and savor some of their uncommon hospitality. Now memories, that time was precious.
I can also celebrate the arrival in Billings this week of a Spanish-speaking family of refugees and the warm welcome extended to them by many. I can celebrate the arrival next week of an Arabic-speaking family that will be similarly embraced by new friends. I can celebrate the several other families that will arrive here, to begin again. Here they will rebuild a life of safe normalcy, after losing material goods and often loved ones, but not their personal stories. I can celebrate Billings, because I’ve seen my community step warmly forward to welcome, to come alongside some of the least of these.
And we are celebrating the launch of N2N’s Summer Program. Generous partner organizations and around 50 volunteer community members will come alongside these new refugee children and their moms, giving of their strengths to meet a need. We will provide tutoring and important educational activities and engage refugee women with functional language and community connections as part of our Tea, Learning, and Conversation (TLC) program. Refugee women and children arguably face the greatest barriers to integration, and women are most at risk of isolation. Everything begins in July and will run through the end of August. N2N will also run a bike program, linking adults to transportation before they can drive and own a vehicle, and fun for children while they grow.
If you would like to support N2N’s work, but aren’t able to give of your time, check out our Summer Program DreamList. We need several items for the Summer Program, many of which will also meet needs in the fall.
Finally, I am sharing a prayer from my morning’s prayer app:
Lord, I cry out for You to help the millions forced from their homes. I cry out for You to help those facing or embarking on dangerous journeys. I cry out for You to help those who feel isolated and scared. Reveal yourself as their Father and provider by leading them to help and safety.
– from Lectio 365 6/20/24
Thank you for celebrating with us as we come alongside refugees in Billings.
Nancy Van Maren, Executive Director