It’s June 20th, 2019. World Refugee Day.
This year people all over the world are joining in unity with families forced to leave their homes at a time when the number of displaced people has broken all records. #StepWithRefugees
My mom used to tell me that the only way to understand someone was to “walk in their shoes”.
Take a moment to imagine what it might feel like to walk in their shoes
Imagine being forced to flee your home in order to survive? Maybe you could pack a few things, maybe you left everything behind? It’s hard to even begin to imagine it, but for over 25 million people around the world, being a refugee is a harsh reality.
What is a refugee?
A refugee is someone who’s fled their home and country because of war, persecution or natural disaster. The United Nations estimate that every minute 25 people become refugees, leaving everything behind in order to escape to safety. Just this year alone, over 13 million people have become displaced due to wars and persecutions.
I’m trying to imagine what could force me to send my children away from home alone…either I would be dead or know that the only way for them to have a chance is to leave without me.
How would I feel?
What would I need?
What could I do?
Many of them are children. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNRA, over half of the world’s refugees are children. I don’t think it’s over dramatic to say that what happens to them today will affect not just their future, but the future of our world.
Children are the most vulnerable of us and each of them need…deserve…shelter, food, medical care, and most of all, hope.
It’s completely overwhelming
The problem is far out pacing the solutions. However, there organizations and people that are working every day to help. If we can help them, they can continue.
This weekend, Copley-Price Family YMCA, sponsored by the San Diego Refugee Forum is hosting a free event honoring the strength and perseverance of refugees.
This will be an event bringing together families and friends to celebrate and recognize our San Diego refugee community.
For the second year Daily Harvest Express is donating fresh produce to the attendees. As a LiveWell San Diego partner, we had the privilege of being invited to last year’s World Refugee Day Celebration and it was a really touching event.
People from all over the world were together, celebrating their both their uniqueness and their commonality.
I left there feeling so spoiled, so privileged, so grateful.
We’re looking forward to it again and want to encourage you all to see what others are doing to #stepwiththerefugees around the world this year and hopefully find a way to get involved.
I cannot fix everything, but I can fix something.
I may not be able to help everyone, but I can help someone.
I cannot change the world, but I can change a life.