On October 24th, the UN Nations Day, we're going for a walk to ask for donations for the Norwegian Refugee Council. This song is specially made for the campaign, and it really touches me: [youtube]c-0jy3iCB8U[/youtube] I feel so lucky to live where I live and helping out is the least I can do.
That video was well done. I have not heard anything about Nations' Day here yet. They usually begin with t.v. spots in-between shows. BTW--is the performer of that song a Norwegian? I don't know his name, but I recognize that he has a good voice...a real bluesy-quality.
What a lovely thing to do! I hope you receive many donations, and that others will follow your example. We have hosted refugees from hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike, and although the people were only temporary refugees, the anguish they suffered was heart-rending. How much worse for those who can't go home for years, if ever.
Sjoerd, the singer is Norwegian, and I think he's got a very good voice. MG, I think you did well in housing hurricane refugees. The poor people. I've met refugees with huge traumas, and they will have to learn to live with them. I wish somebody would wave a magic wand and end all wars.
Droopy, Thanks for the kind thought, but we enjoyed having the hurricane refugees stay with us. We had a wine and cheese party (many of the refugees were housed at the Methodist church across from our garden and all were invited) on Saturday night, and a big Sunday breakfast before many of them headed home after Rita. We had an elderly couple in our guest bedroom since we really felt they were not up to bedding down on pallets on the gym floor at the Methodist youth facility. We were here on the farm when Ike hit, and saw cars streaming by on a nearby highway. Members of the church up the road put out a sign "Sandwiches, coffee, bathrooms" with a big arrow pointing up our road, and we all made sandwiches and those of us who had soup in the freezer got pots of hot soup going. The church opened the auxiliary building and we served food there, as well as having bathroom facilities. One young family with a baby ended up spending the night at a neighbor's house, and another family was shared between two of us (we got the teenagers--Lordy can they eat a big breakfast!). I kind of hated to enjoy someone else's difficulty, but we sure met a lot of nice people, many of whom still keep in touch.
Mg, thanks for explaining. We haven't got many temporary refugees here, but I completely understand your thought about the nice people you'll never otherwise have met. We've also had our chance encounters that suddenly turned out to be good friends. Ain't faith wonderful.
