“Can I have a trash bag and gloves?”
The first words I was asked when I arrived at my appointed spot at the site this morning.
Nothing is special about this question, except these words were asked by a refugee. A refugee asked to clean up the transition site, at 7 am. At first I thought he was joking. He spoke really well for being Syrian, and I honestly thought he was a volunteer at first glance. After I stumbled around with my words, so taken back by this request, I asked why.
“I want to serve you because of all you have done for me.”
A refugee wanted to serve me. Me, someone who just arrived at the site, and cleaning up is in my job description. A refugee wanted to serve me. How can I even wrap my mind around the fact that someone is so thankful and grateful for what he experienced at the site that he would want to help, instead of flee.
The site was a disaster. The site saw at least 1300 people yesterday. Trash is strewed all over, inside the fence, and outside. Wet clothes line the fences, waiting to dry in the morning sun. And blankets and mats cover the ground inside the tent, and outside the tent. The site was a disaster to say the least, borderline landfill status. If I was a refugee, exhausted, wet, cold, and leaving soon, the last thing I would want to do is clean up after strangers, and days’ worth of trash.
What happened next continued to change my perspective. One guy started a wave. This man just wanted a trash bag, but people saw. His attitude of service seeped into others. I turn around and next thing I know, half of the people at the site were picking up trash, rolling mats, folding blankets, and collecting wet baby clothes.
The question was simple, just like a raindrop. But a raindrop in water causes a ripple. This man’s question caused a ripple throughout the site. It caused a ripple in me. I WANTED to clean, I wanted to serve these men, wanted to support the refugees differently. For a good 45 minutes, I worked alongside refugees, not just for them. I even had a refugee apologize for how the site looked. They apologized when their bus finally came, and they couldn’t continue to help clean.
I don’t know how I could go back after this man changed my perspective. People back home hear the hard hitting stories. I’m living through those stories. But it’s more than that.
These refugees are more than a number. They are more than just a heart breaking story. They are people, individuals. Individuals who love, laugh, cry, and who want to serve. My perspective has changed. They aren’t just a refugee, not just another face. They are human.
So I want to thank my Russian-looking Syrian friend, for changing my perspective. Thank you for making this ‘job’ more of a desire to serve. Thank you for showing me your heart and making me smile. And thank you for making me take a step back and thank God for you!
Imagine what kind of ripple you would make if you asked a simple question. “How can I serve you?” “Can I pick up some trash for you?” Try it. Change your perspective and see what happens.
