I have a dream

Wow, that sounds like Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, but this is not going to be profound as that. But I do have a dream... actually I have lots of dreams, lots of things that I would like to do in my life, but there is one that lately has been gripping my heart that I don't exactly know what to do with.

Most of you know that I have gotten to know a couple of refugee families here in Denver. My time spent with these families are some of my favorite memories here in Denver.

I went over to Mu Leh's house this weekend and some big things had happened that we have to deal with. This got me thinking about how hard life is for these families and what a big transition it is to come to a country where they can't speak the language and they don't know how the systems work... Side note: I don't know how the systems work and I speak and read English. So complicated... should not be like that if they really are going to help the people who need help.

Anyway....

That got me thinking about moving to Seattle and what this family is going to do when they need phone calls to be made or paperwork to be filled out. And I also just get sad thinking about leaving Mu Leh and the boys because I don't know if I will see them again.

After I left their house, I just felt a huge, deep burden and ache in my heart for this family, but also for the other refugee families that come over here. The apartment that Mu Leh and her family live in is almost all refugees from all over that live there. I love going to the apartment and spending time there. It is such a mix of so many different cultures.

Anyway... on to the dream.

This is something that I have wanted to do for a couple of year now, but I just don't see how it would work and I don't want to do it by myself. I want to have people that also feel this burden to partner with me.

I want to live in this apartment complex. I want to have English lessons for the moms that can't go to classes because of their kids. I want to have a bible study for those that speak English or facilitate one that they could conduct in their different languages. I want to have a home that is open for them to come when they are feeling homesick. I want to be there to fill out paperwork. I want to be able to take them to the hospital or medical appointments. I want to have a homework study time for the kids. I want to live life next to these families and become a part of their daily life.

Why do I feel these desires so strongly and I have felt them for a while now? How does this work in with my plan to move to Seattle? How does my love for Sierra Leone and my desire to live over there, fit in with this desire? Is this something that is possible? Are there others that feel a burden for this population as well that would want to do this? How would it be possible to have the free time to do this? Is there some way that I could combine these two deep passions together?

I feel a bit confused about what to do with this strong tug at my heart. And feeling a bit confused about what this means for me going on staff with COTN.

If anyone has answers to these questions, I would love to hear them.