Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

~ The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus

Refugee

Have you ever taken the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment? It offers insight into the strengths which come naturally to you. When I took the assessment for a pastoral cohort, my top strengths were “Learner” and “Empathy.” 

Empathy comes naturally to me. I appreciate talking to folks about their life stories and reading memoirs and novels because I can learn about other perspectives and experiences. I just finished the next Saint John’s book club book, Refugee, and my empathy went into overdrive. Friends, Refugee is for teenagers and young adults, but I found myself hooked at every turn. I was so sad for the families seeking asylum that I found myself wanting to stop reading at times. It’s heavy, and it’s important.

Our scriptures contain several stories of people experiencing the hardships of being refugees or living in exile, notably in Exodus, Ruth, and Jeremiah. These stories share the challenges of refugee and exile journeys and how God is a part of their travels. In Deuteronomy 10:19, we read the reminder to the ancient Israelites, “You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
 
My 12-year-old son, Ryder, and teacher extraordinaire Laura Dooley will lead the book study on Refugee together on July 21. As we turn our sights to Independence Day, we remember the powerful poem inscribed on our Statue of Liberty, and pray for those looking for refuge away from war. If you want to have some serious discussions on an important topic with your kids, I invite you to read this novel together, or listen to the audiobook as Ryder and I did. The perspective and the plight of refugees is an important perspective to consider.

Thank you for always learning about one another, dear church.