Challenge: What Reality Changes Your Life?
Posted by Kaylee K on Friday, March 30, 2012 Under: Refugee Stories
As I sit at my desk in my air conditioned office, with a beautiful view of a sunny day and the skyline of Austin in the distance, I can't not ask why I'm here. I'm not pondering the big philosophical question of my existence (we can hold that for another day), but more the question of why I (me, Kaylee, this individual) am blessed to have been born where I was when I was while so many people I love -- although we have yet to meet -- are close to starving in refugee camps or have died while trying to escape conflict and persecution to find a life more like mine. I don't have an answer, except that I trust God's plans and I am, admittedly, grateful that I am here and not there. But I do know that with the blessing comes the responsibility. It starts with raising our awareness of the struggles in this world, then praying on them and acting as God calls us to, which may look different for you than it does for me.
But the bottom line is, those of us who are so blessed with wealth, health and safety are burdened with responsibility. And it starts with raising our awareness. There are beautiful, wonderful people in our world who are suffering through no fault of their own, but only because of where and when they were born. Believe it or not, lil' ol' you and lil' ol' me can have a positive impact. For me, it is the suffering of refugees -- the 1500 that lost their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2011 while fleeing N. Africa in search of hope in Europe and the thousands in refugee camps whose food rations may not be enough to survive on -- that is not tolerable. Not when I live in plenty. For me, this is the awareness that prevents me from living the same way I did before I knew. For me this means I pray, I give, I share the information with others and I volunteer where and when I can.
What is it for you? What reality is so terrible to recognize that it changes the way you live your life? I challenge you to see it, to be grateful that it is not your reality, but to not live the same way you did before you knew of it. Ask yourself -- and God -- how you can have a positive impact. Because I promise you can. God promises you can. Actually, because you are so blessed, He calls you to have that impact.
But the bottom line is, those of us who are so blessed with wealth, health and safety are burdened with responsibility. And it starts with raising our awareness. There are beautiful, wonderful people in our world who are suffering through no fault of their own, but only because of where and when they were born. Believe it or not, lil' ol' you and lil' ol' me can have a positive impact. For me, it is the suffering of refugees -- the 1500 that lost their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2011 while fleeing N. Africa in search of hope in Europe and the thousands in refugee camps whose food rations may not be enough to survive on -- that is not tolerable. Not when I live in plenty. For me, this is the awareness that prevents me from living the same way I did before I knew. For me this means I pray, I give, I share the information with others and I volunteer where and when I can.
What is it for you? What reality is so terrible to recognize that it changes the way you live your life? I challenge you to see it, to be grateful that it is not your reality, but to not live the same way you did before you knew of it. Ask yourself -- and God -- how you can have a positive impact. Because I promise you can. God promises you can. Actually, because you are so blessed, He calls you to have that impact.
In : Refugee Stories
Tags: prayer impact refugees
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Kaylee founded Refugee Connect in 2008. John joined the work in 2011 as we investigated the refugee situation in Europe. But our faith and cross-cultural journeys have been a work-in-progress for many years. Much of this blog reflects that. ************************************************ We met in Austin, TX, while volunteering at a serving event at Gateway Church and have been married since 2002. Marriage, parenting and ministry all require a great deal of intentionality, humility and true reliance on God for strength, wisdom, and grace. It is a journey we are grateful to be on together. Ultimately, what matters to us is building into meaningful relationships in ways that, to the best of our ability and by God's grace, demonstrate the love and hope Jesus freely offers to us all. ************************************************ We bring both business and ministry backgrounds into our current work. John started a business in his 20's and helped build several other businesses. He has also served with churches in a variety of roles including as an assistant pastor, director of community development, and missions board member. Kaylee left her marketing career to become the global missions director for our home church in Austin, TX, then founded a local refugee ministry, and became TEFL certified (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) in order to prepare for our work overseas. We have led short-term teams domestically and internationally, and served with a variety of cross-cultural ministries. In 2008, we sensed a call to build into the church in Europe, which was also around the time when God broke Kaylee’s heart for refugees. Since then, God has continued to weave together this heart for refugees, desire to serve alongside the church, and focus on His call to Europe.