What a Refugee is to Me

According to our reading, refugees are not self-identified; they must apply and then wait for their fate as well as their status to be determined by the government. I cannot say I agree with this system completely, although I understand that it is necessary to prevent illegal immigrants from taking advantage in times of crisis. In my mind, a refugee is simply someone who is seeking refuge, whether mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or physically—it honestly doesn’t matter. A refugee is in need of support, love, and a certain amount of assistance.

I connect deeply with the idea of refugees and the process of determining how to best help them. In the summer of 2011 I spent three weeks in Uganda and Ethiopia with an organization called Visiting Orphans. I was able to live in an orphanage (called Cannan’s Children’s Home), work in child prisons, and simply love and play with children living on the streets. The experience completely changed everything for me.

 In the orphanage I lived in the majority of the little boys had come to them after having been abducted to be child soldiers, and many of the other children had been deeply affected by the civil war. These children lost everything—parents, siblings, homes, schools, and even the few belongings to their name. They were brought to Cannan’s as refugees; so in need of a place promising hope, peace, and love.

When I first arrived at Cannan’s the burden I felt for these children was completely overwhelming. Once you look into their eyes, you experience just a fraction their pain and are overcome with the longing to help them, to give them justice, and to simply love them. To me, those faces are the pictures of refugees, and, to me, my job is to do something about it. Which brings me to the question I spend a large amount of my time pondering: What is our role among refugees? How much do we assist them and how much independence do we leave them with? And how do we discover if we are doing what’s best for them?