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| A portrait of Syrian child in the Bekaa |
I am often criticized by people in Lebanon for helping Syrian refugees. They say to me “Why don’t you help Lebanese children instead?” I totally understand this. Refugees are a burden on a society; they bring hardship, chaos, and often drain a county’s resources. They are are unwanted in host countries. But are these reasons not to help people who have been displaced, lost everything, and have no place to go and no one to help them? In my view “no” because this could happen to us one day as a result of a natural disaster or an unnatural political disaster. Tragedy has no nationality or borders. Today the Syrians are facing a humanitarian crisis of unthinkable proportions and magnitude. I will always do what I can to help people in need, regardless of whether they happen to be Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese, Nepalese, Filipino, or Sudanese.
What makes a person more worthy for aid is what I am asking myself... Is it his nationality, his sex, creed, ... Humanity is filled with hatred. We fight wars, kill innocent people in the name of God. Hypocrisy at its best. We have become totally blind!
Remember the song of John Lennon? ... The song you listen to when chilling with your friends over a glass of wine....
I will publish it to refresh your memory. I think Mr. Lennon had the right idea. The moment we brand a person is the moment we start filling our hearts with hatred - we become Godless. We become raw. I am not a philosopher but I can feel what matters (the essential: food, love, shelter, sense of belonging) which sometimes even intellectuals, powerful people, men of nations cannot perceive or acknowledge. They are caught up in their own egocentric bubble - one idea - one path, closed to empathy.
Exerts of the song Imagine...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Songwriter
Lennon, John
3 comments:
Barbara, you are an inspiration. Beginning October, and going for a year or more, I will be hosting a monthly Soup for Syria dinner at my home, making a soup from the book and gathering friends around to enjoy. We will each make a donation to the "soup pot" for your help feeding the refugees. I'll be in touch how best to get this to you. I can't tell you the support I have gotten for this idea. I hope it's contagious. Linda Kay, Oakland, CA
Thank you my dearest Linda! It means a lot to me and to so many. May I post this on the Soup for Syria page? I often think of you and the conversations we had throughout the years. xoxo
Please feel free to post my comment on the Soup for Syria page. And I hope to see you in the San Francisco area again soon!
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