Displacement is painful. This should not come as a surprise to
anyone. The catastrophe of being
forcibly uprooted from home and cast out into a wilderness of a world is among
the most harrowing of human tragedies.
Unfortunately we are seeing this pain lived out at a massive scale today
as historic numbers of
individuals suffer forced migration.
This drama of displacement has unfolded in an unprecedented scale in
Lebanon where an estimated quarter
of residents are displaced. For the
millions of refugees from Palestine, Syria, Iraq and other places, the pain of
existing “out of place” in this world impairs every aspect of life. The pain of displacement is not limited to
the displaced. Those hosting displaced
populations, whether willingly or reluctantly, daily bear the widespread
burdens it brings. Again, we see this on
display in Lebanon in profound ways.
Resources have been stressed, social cohesion has been threatened and
patience has run thin under the weight of the ongoing ordeal. That said, hosting refugees, even in large
numbers, is
not without the potential for benefits, but it certainly does present pressures
that are felt in very real ways. The
bottom line is this: displacement is a game where there are no winners. Everyone loses. This all leads to a very painful predicament that
I see presented all around me, including in some unexpected places.
My children have recently been
enjoying the classic Disney film Winnie the Pooh. As they discover the
characters and story for the first time, I have been rediscovering a familiar
part of my own childhood. It’s fun to see scenes and sequences from long ago that
have remained vividly in my mind. It’s
also interesting to watch with fresh lenses and find meaning in a simple
children’s story that profoundly speaks to complicated issues of today. This
has been the case in one particular excerpt.
The scene takes place in the
aftermath of a massive flood in the Hundred Acres Woods that left our
characters temporarily displaced and the pontificating Owl with no home to
return to. Pooh Bear is credited with
saving Piglet from near-drowning during flood and Christopher Robin throws a
hero party to celebrate the unintentional feat of rescue. It is during this celebration of Pooh’s
heroics that Eeyore arrives and takes events in an unexpected direction. Check it out:
The pain of Piglet (and the
general awkwardness felt by the other characters) reflects a sensation that is
a real part of human displacement. Displacement
invariably disrupts things for those fleeing disaster and for those receiving
the distressed. The crisis arises from
complicated events and proves to add layers of complications. Displacement is never black and white, never
a situation that can be cleanly cut. The
entire situation is perplexing and some react to it by erecting walls around a
flimsy sense of nationalism and digging heels into an empty belief in law and
order. There is no disputing displacement’s
pain, but many opt to respond to this pain but shutting it out. We all face Piglet’s predicament in some measure
(a predicament where some measure of personal sacrifice is required) and we all
too often listen to the voices telling us to take a stand. “Tell them it’s your country, your race, your
culture, your way of life.” But some
choose a different way. Some choose to
be heroes.
Since its founding in 1948 Dar El Awlad has been
engaged in ongoing ministry to victims of displacement. Outreach to refugee, stateless, internally
displaced and migrant children has never been a banner waving over our heads
but it has always been the natural outcome of living out a mission to rescue at-risk
children from desperate situations. There’s
never been a question of whether or not it should it be done, it has simply
been done. Doing so has fostered a unique ministry community that testifies to 70
years of blessings. God instructs us to welcome the stranger and care for the
vulnerable. He commands this because doing
so offers a glimpse of God’s dream for humanity to dwell together in the manifestation
of His kingdom. Kids Alive Lebanon
has been doing it for decades and continues to find innovative ways to increase
ministry to at-risk children and victims of displacement. This has always been the right thing to do, but
it has never been easy.
I have the privilege of being surrounded
by a host of heroes who have taken Piglet’s path of sacrifice in some way or
form. They have opened their eyes and
hearts to needs around them and have given selflessly to help children gain
bits and pieces of the things they’ve lost.
This requires taking on another’s pain and feeling its sting; it means
sacrificing a personal dream so that others can be in a position where they can
dream. It involves settling for a less so
that another can be given more. I have
watched these individuals in action and deem each one worthy of a hero party. I also have the privilege of being part of a
place that is rooted in heroism. Dar El
Awlad is a refuge and a respite. It is a
gathering of people who harbor hardships and willingly welcome the messiness of
our broken world because it wants to part of the transforming work of the
gospel. We fight back tears, face our
weaknesses, and daily deal with the tensions tugging within us. Through it all we believe in God’s core
mission and the universal hope that Christ has overcome the world. Dar El Awlad is a place where the pain of
displacement is received because we know the One who can make all things new,
and I highly suggest you come see it for yourself if you ever wish to see one
shining example of heroism.
