| Hello jay,
In honor of World Refugee Day, over the course of this week I’ll be sharing with you conversations I had with four of our team members who traveled across the globe to speak to refugees who are living in the reality of the Global Refugee Crisis. The following is an excerpt from a conversation I had with Stacy Barnes, who traveled with us to Jordan. Stacy is a human centered designer who consulted with American Refugee Committee, helping us shape the questions we asked, and understand what we might do with the answers we received. -Daniel ***************************************************************** Can you tell us about a certain individual, story, or something that you saw that particularly moved you? On one trip to Jordan I visited a man whose family had experienced extreme terror and suffering. Yet, I was incredibly moved that he insisted upon only engaging in positive uplifting conversation. Not because he didn’t want or need someone to hear his story but because we were his guests and with guests you talk about happy things and make sure they enjoy their visit. He and his family were dressed in their best clothes and offered us glass after glass of special tea reserved for honorable guests. He wanted nothing from us but to been seen and remembered as proud, upstanding citizens – not people to be pitied. He wanted us to remember his family as people filled with pride, care, and concern for others. I absolutely will. How has this experience changed the way you look at this crisis and your life back in the U.S.? I have always believed people are people are people. Regardless of where you live or the background you come from there are fundamental truths that we all share. Talking with asylum seekers and refugees who had to leave their homes, their professions, and much of their identity behind, this truth has never been more clear. When faced with tragedy you need someone to feel with. When reduced to the memory of what used to be, you need a purpose to keep you going. And when you feel dependent on charity, you want the assurance and the ability to provide for yourself. What was the most inspiring thing you saw, or most inspiring person that you met? I am inspired by the small things individuals use to make progress towards relief. A man offering to go to counseling with his wife, a woman who began a sewing business to make up the family income, a young girl finding a safe, trusted place to play outside of her home. These examples are achievable in the face of so many things that are not, and it's inspiring to work with people to try and provide even more of those opportunities.
[stay tuned this week for more conversations: http://www.arcrelieforg/wrdqanda]
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