Any one of you, if your a mom or dad, can identify with what I am saying. That is, if you have a mission, a dream, a goal you are realizing. When you spend time on that mission or dream, it's a family thing. You simply can not do it without the backing of everyone in the family --no matter how young.
The same is true in my life. I started The Welcome to America Project, but my whole family lives it. In a day there may be donations in the garage from surprise donors stopping - phone calls in the grocery store from a reporter, a refugee family member, and a social worker as I try to figure out with my 8 year old which box cereals are on sale and most yummy - emails to read at 5am so that I can put time in before the children get up for school (only to find them an hour and a half later) getting ready on their own as I finish up a note... My family is wonderful, and our commitment to refugees takes all of us. They don't complain, and they are growing up to be compassionate people and leaders. They are independent and verbal in their thoughts. They care about people.
My children are my behind the scenes HEROS.
Carolyn Manning
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
The boy who did not ask
Two weeks ago I went to visit a family that I check on periodically to see if they are doing ok. I received an invitation to visit by the daughter who called me. Her English is the best in the family and her parents rely on her to relay messages. At their home, after visiting with the parents for a while, I asked the daughter if she had a specific reason for calling. She said that she needed shoes -hers were too small. I had a little time, so I told her mom that I would take them to Payless to get her a pair of shoes. As we stood up to go, her brother, just a few years older, smiled and said goodbye.
It occured to me that I did not know what his shoe situation was, so I asked him if he needed shoes. He said he was ok at first, but then I turned and asked his mom. His mom said that he could use shoes, so I told him to come with us to Payless.
When we arrived, neither child knew their shoe size so I asked them to remove the shoe they were wearing and step on the measuring ruler. Much to my surprise, the son had shoes on that were 2 and a half sizes too small. No complaining, this boy did not even ask for shoes and he really needed them.
I told both of them to pick out a pair of sneakers and a set of flip flops and that they could wear one pair home. When they asked me what to do with their too small and very worn shoes I told them to throw them in the trash. This act of throwing shoes in the trash made them both giggle and I wondered if this just seemed all to frivilous to a pair of children with so little. They were THRILLED and kept saying, "Thank YOU!"
Up at the cashier's counter, I felt pretty good. I guess you could say I felt pretty proud of myself. That was when I looked down at the boy's feet and saw he was wearing the flip flops. I looked a little closer and I noticed that his toenail was split down the middle of the big toe of both feet- actually deformed looking - obviously from wearing shoes that were so small for so long.
I left wishing I could give him a lifetime of shoes and not so proud of myself after all. And he did not even ask for shoes...
It occured to me that I did not know what his shoe situation was, so I asked him if he needed shoes. He said he was ok at first, but then I turned and asked his mom. His mom said that he could use shoes, so I told him to come with us to Payless.
When we arrived, neither child knew their shoe size so I asked them to remove the shoe they were wearing and step on the measuring ruler. Much to my surprise, the son had shoes on that were 2 and a half sizes too small. No complaining, this boy did not even ask for shoes and he really needed them.
I told both of them to pick out a pair of sneakers and a set of flip flops and that they could wear one pair home. When they asked me what to do with their too small and very worn shoes I told them to throw them in the trash. This act of throwing shoes in the trash made them both giggle and I wondered if this just seemed all to frivilous to a pair of children with so little. They were THRILLED and kept saying, "Thank YOU!"
Up at the cashier's counter, I felt pretty good. I guess you could say I felt pretty proud of myself. That was when I looked down at the boy's feet and saw he was wearing the flip flops. I looked a little closer and I noticed that his toenail was split down the middle of the big toe of both feet- actually deformed looking - obviously from wearing shoes that were so small for so long.
I left wishing I could give him a lifetime of shoes and not so proud of myself after all. And he did not even ask for shoes...
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Justice
I read the best quote today. Here it is: "The Pearl of Justice is found in the heart of Mercy." It is a quote by St. Catherine of Sienna.
Justice is not revenge. It is not making someone else hurt because you hurt. It is putting right what is wrong. It includes forgiveness, so that the one with the hurting heart can move on into peace. Mercy does not let evil off the hook, it recognizes that we all need to have a chance to redeem ourselves.
We must show mercy to those in need and pray that those who inflict pain on others redeem themselves and live their lives in good and just ways, for all of our sake.
Merry Christmas. Carolyn
Justice is not revenge. It is not making someone else hurt because you hurt. It is putting right what is wrong. It includes forgiveness, so that the one with the hurting heart can move on into peace. Mercy does not let evil off the hook, it recognizes that we all need to have a chance to redeem ourselves.
We must show mercy to those in need and pray that those who inflict pain on others redeem themselves and live their lives in good and just ways, for all of our sake.
Merry Christmas. Carolyn
Monday, November 19, 2007
Question from a reader
Anonymous said...
A group of friends and I are about to welcome a Burmese family and I'd like some advice - we need to furnish their apartment and help them settle in. What should we avoid? what if we can't get enough furniture for their apartment? how much time will it take? how can we best welcome them? bit overwhelmed. Helen
November 17, 2007 7:58 PM
A group of friends and I are about to welcome a Burmese family and I'd like some advice - we need to furnish their apartment and help them settle in. What should we avoid? what if we can't get enough furniture for their apartment? how much time will it take? how can we best welcome them? bit overwhelmed. Helen
November 17, 2007 7:58 PM
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Am I getting through?
Each week, there are 15-25 people who come with me on a delivery to three new families. Often times, these are students who go with their parents. I wonder each time, am I getting through? You see, it is as important to me that my volunteers understand the beautiful impact we are having in our community and in our world, as it is that we welcome these families who have suffered so much.
The picture on the front page of our blog here is a couple who have lived in refugee camps all of their lives since the terrible fighting and persecution between the Hutu and Tutsi in Burundi in 1972. This will be the first time in their life that they are living in peace and safety. The gentleman pictured in this photo lost his father in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Look how happy they are to be sitting on the couch we gave them!
Blog me back and tell me your story of going on a delivery. The world needs to hear your thoughts, and so do I. Thanks for beings a part of The Welcome to America Project.
The picture on the front page of our blog here is a couple who have lived in refugee camps all of their lives since the terrible fighting and persecution between the Hutu and Tutsi in Burundi in 1972. This will be the first time in their life that they are living in peace and safety. The gentleman pictured in this photo lost his father in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Look how happy they are to be sitting on the couch we gave them!
Blog me back and tell me your story of going on a delivery. The world needs to hear your thoughts, and so do I. Thanks for beings a part of The Welcome to America Project.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Today remined me of the movie, "The Miracle Worker"
I have a lump in my chest right now that I have had since I returned from Deliveries this afternoon. I have a story to tell you.
We delivered to a family from Burma with four children, one who is deaf and mute. This son is 14 years old but is the height of my 10 year old daughter due to malnutrition. He was 4 when his family fled his country on foot and traveled for over 2 weeks to safety in a camp in Thailand. They have been in the USA only 2 months.
When we were in their apartment, his father who is 34 and never had a day of schooling, talked through the interpreter about how his son was excited to learn. Until coming to the USA, the only way the son could communicate was through simple gestures he made up. His family understood these gestures, but few else did. He had no way to share or explain his thoughts in detail with those around him. As his father spoke about him, he ran out of the room and into the bedroom. I thought he was embarrassed, and I felt bad we has put him in the spotlight.
30 seconds later, the son reappeared with a brand new backpack. The conversation on the room stopped and all 20 of us stared at him as he dropped the backpack in the middle of the room, unzipped it, and pulled out the contents like someone opening a present. He held a blue three ring binder, quickly shuffled the pages until he came to the one he wanted, and laid it on the floor near his feet.
I was standing next to him and I saw what he had before the other volunteers could see -he had a piece of paper with the alphabet for American Sign Language. I found myself deeply drawing in a breath, for I knew we were about to witness a miracle. In silence, he stood up straight and deliberately signed each letter of the alphabet without one mistake. After 14 years of lonely isolation, he could sign! He would be able to say anything he wanted to say. He smiled, and when he finished the volunteers clapped for him with joy.
Welcome to America, Hsar. You matter so much to our community -may you find peace and many years of education in the USA.
We delivered to a family from Burma with four children, one who is deaf and mute. This son is 14 years old but is the height of my 10 year old daughter due to malnutrition. He was 4 when his family fled his country on foot and traveled for over 2 weeks to safety in a camp in Thailand. They have been in the USA only 2 months.
When we were in their apartment, his father who is 34 and never had a day of schooling, talked through the interpreter about how his son was excited to learn. Until coming to the USA, the only way the son could communicate was through simple gestures he made up. His family understood these gestures, but few else did. He had no way to share or explain his thoughts in detail with those around him. As his father spoke about him, he ran out of the room and into the bedroom. I thought he was embarrassed, and I felt bad we has put him in the spotlight.
30 seconds later, the son reappeared with a brand new backpack. The conversation on the room stopped and all 20 of us stared at him as he dropped the backpack in the middle of the room, unzipped it, and pulled out the contents like someone opening a present. He held a blue three ring binder, quickly shuffled the pages until he came to the one he wanted, and laid it on the floor near his feet.
I was standing next to him and I saw what he had before the other volunteers could see -he had a piece of paper with the alphabet for American Sign Language. I found myself deeply drawing in a breath, for I knew we were about to witness a miracle. In silence, he stood up straight and deliberately signed each letter of the alphabet without one mistake. After 14 years of lonely isolation, he could sign! He would be able to say anything he wanted to say. He smiled, and when he finished the volunteers clapped for him with joy.
Welcome to America, Hsar. You matter so much to our community -may you find peace and many years of education in the USA.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
New Refugee Families to Help in July
Dear Volunteers,
In our upcoming deliveries, we will be helping refugee families arriving from Burma, Burundi (an African country neighboring Rwanda), Somalia, and Cuba. When we visited them recently, we learned that two young families from Burma actually were born in refugee camps in Thailand and have lived in the camps their entire lives. Their parents had to flee many years ago and were never able to return. We also will be helping a husband and wife from Somalia. The wife has experienced things so traumatic that she told us she didn’t want to remember. They had no kitchen table or sofa in their apartment. Her husband was so grateful we stopped by for a Home Visit and we are very excited to fill their apartment with much needed furniture.
Today we met a wonderful family from Burundi. They have 4 beautiful children that I fell in love with! Mr. Gahungo had to flee Burundi with his parents when he was one because of the terrible war. He was in a refugee camp in the Congo for many years. Eventually he went to school in town and became a math and chemistry teacher. Then, in 1999, a missile hit the school where he was teaching. He lost his entire family and he was hospitalized with serious injuries. He then became a refugee in Tanzania and was there until 2006. He met his wife there and his children were born in the refugee camp.
We also met two families from Cuba that are fleeing the poverty conditions they were living in. The economy is so horrible that Mr. Bonfante, the father, was earning $12 a month as a bus driver for the University. His wife earned the same as a seamstress. They requested a bike to get around town. The second Cuban family had a similar story and they also asked for a bike.
We will be preparing boxes of household items for all these wonderful families soon. We are in great need, however, of certain items that the refugees need. If you can help in any way, it would be greatly appreciated.
We are low or out of the following items:
Twin sheets
Full sheets
Towels
Large pots
Large skillets
Rice cookers
Brooms and cleaning supplies
Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, shavers, etc)
Soccer or any type of ball
Lamps with shades
Bikes, both adult and child
And school supplies for the Fall
If you have any of these items you can spare or would like to purchase new, please email projectwelcome@yahoo.com and we'll arrange for you to drop it in our drop box or have it picked up at your home.
Again, thank you for your continued support. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if you would like to volunteer. We would love to have your help!
Sincerely,
Laura White
The Welcome to America Project
Volunteer Coordinator
480.600.4948
laura.white@wtap.org
In our upcoming deliveries, we will be helping refugee families arriving from Burma, Burundi (an African country neighboring Rwanda), Somalia, and Cuba. When we visited them recently, we learned that two young families from Burma actually were born in refugee camps in Thailand and have lived in the camps their entire lives. Their parents had to flee many years ago and were never able to return. We also will be helping a husband and wife from Somalia. The wife has experienced things so traumatic that she told us she didn’t want to remember. They had no kitchen table or sofa in their apartment. Her husband was so grateful we stopped by for a Home Visit and we are very excited to fill their apartment with much needed furniture.
Today we met a wonderful family from Burundi. They have 4 beautiful children that I fell in love with! Mr. Gahungo had to flee Burundi with his parents when he was one because of the terrible war. He was in a refugee camp in the Congo for many years. Eventually he went to school in town and became a math and chemistry teacher. Then, in 1999, a missile hit the school where he was teaching. He lost his entire family and he was hospitalized with serious injuries. He then became a refugee in Tanzania and was there until 2006. He met his wife there and his children were born in the refugee camp.
We also met two families from Cuba that are fleeing the poverty conditions they were living in. The economy is so horrible that Mr. Bonfante, the father, was earning $12 a month as a bus driver for the University. His wife earned the same as a seamstress. They requested a bike to get around town. The second Cuban family had a similar story and they also asked for a bike.
We will be preparing boxes of household items for all these wonderful families soon. We are in great need, however, of certain items that the refugees need. If you can help in any way, it would be greatly appreciated.
We are low or out of the following items:
Twin sheets
Full sheets
Towels
Large pots
Large skillets
Rice cookers
Brooms and cleaning supplies
Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, shavers, etc)
Soccer or any type of ball
Lamps with shades
Bikes, both adult and child
And school supplies for the Fall
If you have any of these items you can spare or would like to purchase new, please email projectwelcome@yahoo.com and we'll arrange for you to drop it in our drop box or have it picked up at your home.
Again, thank you for your continued support. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if you would like to volunteer. We would love to have your help!
Sincerely,
Laura White
The Welcome to America Project
Volunteer Coordinator
480.600.4948
laura.white@wtap.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
