by Trish Flury, First Lutheran Member
Decades ago in a church of another denomination, I was involved in resettling war-traumatized refugees who arrived in Lincoln. The family’s then-5-year-old son, now an all-grown-up man, and I were chatting recently, reminiscing about their long-ago arrival. He told me that he often recalls a lesson he learned at a time he needed it: that there ARE kind, selfless people in the world. He never forgot that the people of that church did something huge for his family and didn’t expect anything in return.
I admit I was a little misty-eyed, remembering the newly-arrived little boy who hid under the kitchen table when a Life Flight helicopter flew overhead. I didn’t tell him what I’m telling you now – that we didn’t expect anything in return, but we surely did receive priceless gifts.
Among those gifts were these:
- Personal satisfaction being involved in what is essentially a life and death situation; truly making a difference in the lives of people you come to know.
- An eye-opening education about the world they left behind at the same time you open this new world to them.
- New or closer relationships with other members of your congregation.
- After sponsorship ends, perhaps, new friends.
- The opportunity to live out our Lord’s direction to love our neighbors.
Trish Flury is currently accompanying three Afghan refugee families First Lutheran is sponsoring. Read more in the News post on February 1 about how she and so many other First Lutheran volunteers are helping the families settle into life in Lincoln.
