Last year Ian and I were seriously considering hosting an exchange student. We met with the program coordinator and even picked out a young girl from Yemen. Unfortunately we were not sure about our future living arrangements or available space so decided to hold off for another year.  Fast forward several months later and at a non-violence peace meeting we meet Maha, the girl we had picked!

When asked what she had left on her Juneau bucket list (secretly hoping that there was something so I could hang out with her) she mentioned wanting to see the ice caves. So of course I had to take her.

Although the hike, scenery, glacier and caves were beautiful, I enjoyed our talks most. I was certainly drawn to her poise, commitment to religious values, and positivity. We talked a lot about what Yemen was like and how she felt being in America when it was bombed by our drones. I do not claim to know all the political angles and reasoning behind that kind of violence but I do know that while talking with Maha I felt a deep sense shame and sorrow for those attacks.

A few weeks ago Ian and I went to hear a Palestinian exchange student talk about his home in the Gaza Strip. A friend of ours took him kayaking and when he heard planes flying overhead he thought they were going to drop bombs.  Sadly, that is all he knows in Gaza; planes mean destruction, death, and war. He also spoke on the difficulties he and his family have in leaving his walled city, the unpredictable border closings and the 6 hr daily limits on electricity and water.  He found it amazing that in the US we can not only turn on the faucet any time we want but that we can also drink the very water coming out of the spout. 

I find these people are serendipitous to my life, invaluable souls meant to take me from my sheltered self centered thinking into a global worldview.  Last year I purchased a world map and have it hanging in my living room. I decided to circle all the countries where there are human right atrocities and genocides currently taking place and pray/meditate for them daily.  Countries like Eastern Burma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Syria, etc.  I even bought country flag lapel pins to wear on my backpack, purse, and clothing.  It helps me to continually remember my brothers and sisters abroad and not get too caught up in myself. If I cannot physically go there to serve, I can at least give them purposeful thoughts and love.  As a matter of fact, we can all do this, and should be doing this! As a society, I know that if we do not change our daily lives, we certainly cannot change the world. 

In my opinion, does the world need more energy, oil, or food? No. There are enough resources for all us. There is starvation, poverty, and disease because of ignorance, prejudice, greed, and fear; because we have created wars over imaginary geographic boundaries and act as if one group of people is different or more special than another. What the world needs is not more oil, but more love, generosity, kindness and understanding. Until those are attained, the other levels will not work. 

In the beginning I found the world's problems so overwhelming. Now I don't even separate them from my daily life. Because they suffer, we all do too. And even though they seem huge and helpless, as a citizen of this world it is our social responsibility to bring about creative change now and for the generations' generation. We may not see immediate results, but if we can change a little for the next generation and continue the process, our children's children will have a better world. 

Recently, a friend's daughter had a lemonade stand to raise money for her school playground.  She asked her mom if she could also donate some money to an orphanage. Knowing that I go to one each January, her mom told her yes. So on a wet Juneau Saturday, Evelyn and her friend Nikki sold lemonade and baked goods, not only for their school, but also for the children of Nicaragua. I cannot tell you how much this touched my heart. This is exactly what our world needs: more love, kindness, generosity and awareness.  

We know that 40,000 children in the third world die every day of hunger yet we keep forgetting. The kind of society we live in today makes us forgetful. It keeps us entertained and distracted, busy going through mindless motions of daily routines that cater to the preoccupation with self and self preservation. That is why it is so important to remember others, self will get you no where. At least no where meaningful.  If we are going to clean up this mess at all I truly believe it begins with awareness. 

To begin, we can pray for the least of us who suffer daily here and abroad, remember them with our thoughts, and above all love.

I had to include this picture ....I thought Ian looked so cute!

Peace and Love,

Sarah