Hope Spot 12 – No Parking

What are you like at car-parking?

I think I am the world’s worst.

Look at what I did the other night. Not another car in sight, yet I ended up like this …

Usually, I pretend I don’t care too much about parking … and that I don’t try … and that’s why I end up like this.

Truth though is that I do actually try to park straight.

And just can’t do it.

(Don’t get me started on trying to reverse a trailer!)

It can be hard when you don’t fit in.

Or feel like you don’t fit in.

Or are made to feel like you don’t fit in.

Or are no longer able to fit in.

That’s why the story of Elias, that I shared with you a couple of weeks ago, touched me so deeply.

(There’s a bit more I want to add to this story,

which is why I’m writing today.)

Elias, a Rohingya person, was forced to flee his home in Myanmar because of the conflict.

Now in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh, Elias struggles , caused after a log crushed his leg.

Thanks to the kindness of people like you, Elias is employed to plant tree seedlings to restore the environment, as he earns a wage to support his child – one of the children of war you help through ALWS.

Elias talked about his life before your help, when he was made to feel he didn’t fit in:

“Before, I was living

as a burden to my family.”

… and his life after your help came into his life through ALWS:

“Now I can contribute …

… people with disability like me,

who people think are backward,

will get a chance to be established in society

and come to the ranks of the front row.”

You can see the joy in Elias’s smile …

… but what I didn’t show you was the impact of the tree-planting of Elias and other people with disability you support in the refugee camp.

Below you can see the camp when people first arrived, and needed firewood to survive:

This is the camp after Elias and other people with disability were supported by people like you to plant trees:

See the success your kindness brings!

Not just in communities, and the environment … but, most importantly, in people.

Especially in those made to feel they don’t fit in – people with disability, the elderly, girls and women, people with disabilities, those who are sick.

The people too often forgotten by the world.

At Easter, those of us who are Christians celebrate the new life Jesus won for us.

Today, you can celebrate the new life you bring to people like Elias.

Thank you for looking past what the world sees as necessary to fit in, and treasuring instead the person who simply needs your kindness and love.

That’s why you are a blessing – ALWayS! Thank you!

PS: If you’d like to support the work of another Rohingya refugee with disability, like Elias …

… it costs $73 to provide 15 tree seedlings and the wage to plant, water and nurture them. Donate now.

PLUS, your donation TRIPLES in impact thanks to our ALWS partnership with churches of the Czech Brethren, working through our ALWS Bangladesh partners – LWF and RDRS Bangladesh. Thank you!

PPS: If you need help with parking, or reversing, ask someone else!!! 😊