I work for a non-profit that serves the refugee and immigrant population in the community, and I am daily challenged, encouraged, and deeply moved by these wonderful neighbors I get to meet. I get to hear their stories, that include some depths of pain that I have never experienced and likely never will. I love getting to know these friends, to know them in their sorrows, in their joys, and in their many transitions.
World Refugee Day was at the end of June, and some of my friends and co-workers decided to share why they choose to welcome, why they choose to keep welcoming our neighbors — those who are already here and those who are not yet here. Amidst a heated and divisive political climate, these people teach me again and again to keep welcoming.
*the opinions shared on this site are not affiliated with any organization