Refugee Apostolate

This week, I volunteered with a hole-in-wall discount clothing/furniture/kitchen accessories store run by a non-profit organization known as Refugee Apostolate. The couple running this chaotic but functioning store has been helping (and often housing) international refugees since 1979. From the early 1980s to 1999, they worked with Catholic Charities and the International Rescue Committee to host several families, one by one, in their house and helped the refugees find a new home in America. During one of my lunch breaks, I had the opportunity to talk with Cathy, one of the store owners. "At one point," she explained, "we hosted a Vietnamese family of 14 in our house. It was crowded, but fun." Cathy and her husband, Walter, had a 6 bedroom house at the time, but she said that bath time was often challenging with only one shower! And I feel rushed with one shower between 3 people!

Not only did Cathy and Walter host refugee families during these years, but they also raised 5 children simultaneously! Could you imagine growing up with constant exposures to international cultures? How awesome... I imagine we would all be more understanding of other cultures if we were raised around people with different values and beliefs from the very beginning of our lives.

Lord, thank you for the gift of diverse cultures. Help me to always respect and appreciate diversity and hunger to learn more about the people of the world. After all, in learning more about each other, we begin to understand more about ourselves. Amen.

http://www.theirc.org/