Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

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#Run4Refugees Day 5: Another mile, another reason

I’ve logged 14 miles now on the quest to 20, with two more days left in the week. That means some longish runs over the next two days, but today was chock-full and my body needed a little bit of rest anyway.

And that allows for more attention to the next reason I’m doing this challenge. (If you missed them, you can catch up on the previous reasons: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4.)

14. Not all refugees are fleeing war or poverty. Some are forced to flee because of discrimination: their sexual orientation or religious practice or even genetic differences like ablinism. Discrimination of any kind is detestable to me. So, I’m running (and walking) to raise money that supports safe spaces for refugees who have been discriminated against. CWS has programs in Kenya and South Africa specifically dedicated to welcoming, protecting and standing up for LGBTQI refugees.

According to the organization: “There are very few safe spaces around the world that protect someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity; in many countries, homophobia is still the norm, even to the point where same-sex activity is considered a punishable crime.  And unfortunately, some of the worst hate comes from communities who claim faith. It means that these refugees live in constant fear for their lives wherever they go, even in the sanctuary of a church.” 

One component of their Safe Space program is a training center for faith leaders where pastors and community leaders are challenged to break down their own internal barriers that add to the daily dangers faced by LGBTQI refugees.

I believe my faith and the affirmation of LGBTQI individuals are not at odds, so I am proud to support this work with my miles and my money.

Donations are still being doubled through the end of the week, and thanks to you, I reached my next goal of $500 raised in support of refugees! That number can always go higher, though!

#Run4Refugees Day 4: I’ve got FIVE more reasons I’m logging 20 miles this week

Yes, that’s right. Five. More. Reasons. I’ve logged more than 13 miles on foot this week in support of CWS and their work with refugees around the world. Ten of those miles have been running miles. When I first set out to do this, I had no idea if I could really pull it off. That’s part of the “fun” of a challenge.

Do you know how hard it is to take a selfie with one hand while you’re walking? Hard!

So, here are my next five reasons I’m participating in this challenge and raising money for refugees.

9. Because you can’t judge another person’s journey. As I’m out running, I often pass other runners. Sometimes when we pass each other, I’m walking. Or running slowly. Sometimes I wonder if other runners are judging my progress, even though I can’t recall a time when I was judging someone else’s progress. The truth is, I don’t know anything about any other runner’s or walker’s journey. Maybe they’ve been running for decades and that’s why they’re fast. Maybe they’re just getting started and that’s why they’re walking. Maybe they had an injury and they’re recovering. In this life, we’re all on a journey and some of us have been given a head start. Or we haven’t been sidelined by a catastrophe. We can’t judge the journey of another human being. But we can come alongside and journey together.

10. Related to that, I am drawn to the African philosophy of ubuntu: “I am because you are.” Or “my humanity is wrapped up in your humanity. I believe if one part of humanity suffers, we all suffer, so I’m striving for a world where all can thrive. I believe it is in our best interest as a global community to seek the thriving of every part of humanity rather than hoard wealth or exploit the poor. So, I’m running because I believe refugees are worth my attention and care.

11. I know this because refugees aren’t much different from me. I’ve had the privilege of meeting refugees in person. Most are trying to take care of their families the best they can. Sometimes that means they’ve been separated from the ones they love. Most want to have a safe place to call home, for their kids to have an education, and to use their skills to provide for the things they need like food, shelter and clothing. They have dreams and have suffered and find joy and are doing the best they can. We might come from different cultures and our skin might look different but we have more in common than is sometimes obvious.

12. I run because I can’t forget the internally displaced people (refugees who move within their home country) I met in Kenya. These people were displaced during an election. (No matter how divisive our election get in the States, we do not fear displacement.) My feet touched the dirt where they lived, and I watched children eat hard-boiled eggs and bananas like it was the only meal they’d had recently. (And it might have been.) I stood in the dirt homes of women who wanted us to pray for them (and I felt inadequate to do so). I crossed a dry riverbed to see where they lived. Months later the same riverbed would overflow with water and threaten to destroy the dirt homes sitting too close to its banks. I can’t forget that to build one house able to withstand the floods costs the same as the rent I pay each month. A donation in support of refugees is a small, small price.

13. Because I believe we can create a world where people don’t need to flee their home countries because of violence or hatred or disaster. But doing so will be harder than running 20 miles. It takes endurance and persistence, but it starts with a single step in the right direction. Maybe that’s naive, but I’d rather do a little bit of something than nothing.

More to come! Thanks for joining the journey. And if you haven’t donated yet but want to, you can do so here. If you’re reading this on Sept. 30, donations were being triple-matched until the match pool runs out or midnight Eastern time. Why not make a triple impact?