The Father and the Refuge

We have a lot of refugees at my school. In the morning, I have been working with four of them, helping them learn the English alphabet, read, and write. I been loving it! They are four wonderful young girls, all going into the 7th grade and all originating from different countries. All of these girls have been in the US for less than a year.


The coolest thing is that they all have different stories and reasons why they are here. And when we work in my small group, they love sharing where they are from.


These refugee girls, when asked, will tell you they are from their birth country. However, many have lived in multiple African countries. For example, one girl was born in Somalia and had to flee (she is Muslim) to Kenya. Another was born in Senegal, fled to Rwanda, and ended up in the Republic of Congo. 

Nobody remembers where African countries are located, so here you go.

I made a point to ask one girl where she is from. She is extremely quiet, but that is mostly in part of the other girls constantly talking above her. But Tafito, this young girl, had an incredible story. 


She was born in Eritrea. However, like many African countries, a war was coming closer and closer to where she lived. 

I had to look up where Eritrea was...

Her grandfather told her mother and father to gather their children and to flee. Tafito's mother is the only child of her grandfather. When she told this story, it was obvious that her grandfather had so much love for her mother and her family. They all traveled to Ethiopia to eventually travel to the US. However, before they got to Ethiopia, Tafito's father fled. He feared that his father-in-law and wife would turn him into the Eritrea police. According to Tafito, he did horrible things to others and was wanted by the police. 


This young lady is in the US with her mother and two other siblings. It wasn't clear if her grandfather made it with them. But when mentioning her father, Tafito looked sad, embarrassed, and not sure of herself, like she was still not sure if it was 'normal' if American children didn't have fathers with them. 


Tafito's story made think of my own father. She was so embarrassed of her father. If you're embarrassed of your own father, how can you find safety and security in him? Your father is supposed to be there to hug you, make you feel safe, to be your refuge when you need it. 


I know that my father has provided this to me in so many ways. I love him dearly. He has continually been a rock, someone strong to lean on when I need it. The love and support he gives me is unconditional and never changing. But there is a reason why my father is different than Tafito's father. 

My dad and I at my wedding

My father knows the love of Christ. My father has been an Ephesians 5 husband to my mom. He does the best he can with his earthly strength to exemplify Christ's love towards my mom. And my mom has been blessed because of it. Because of his love for my mom, he loves my sisters and I in the same way, continually showing us love in the same way that Christ shows love for his bride, the church. My father is an example of what kind of refuge a father should be for his children.


I am so blessed by my wonderful parents.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Psalm 41:1-3