World Refugee Day – A Day Of Thanks

World Refugee Day is a day to recognize the refugees of the world and to draw attention to their plight.  Today there are more than 10 million refugees, whole families and communities who have had to flee their countries in order to survive.  Many are older persons and children.

This is also a day to give thanks and express our appreciation

• to the multiple agencies working to provide food and shelter, often with great risk to their own well being;
• to those of us who are not refugees, to recognize the privilege that we have to be able to live at home and to have access to food, water, lodging, healthcare and education in safe environments; and
• to the multitude of refugees who have helped to shape our world by sharing their expertise, experience and talents in their new countries.  They represent a great gift to their new homelands.

So while we reach out to help refugees, let’s also remember the contributions they have made and will continue to make as they settle in new lands.

Bonnie Fatio