To a class full of students on the first day of class I introduced myself through stories of Africa. It appeared that I had their attention. "Yes," I said "people's heartstrings seem to gravitate to pictures of bloated stomachs, flies around the face, dirty unkept clothes, but did you know that for children that look like this to truly have hope, the adults in their lives need education first?" That comment seemed to resonate with my students.
"They look just like you," I said. "But the difference is that you are here in this fine university, and there, they don't have hope without someone on the outside being emotionally touched enough to dig deep."
No, we don't have a lot of extras these days, and if we just don't think about it, and if we don't try to get to know the names of some of these who live in refugee camps, whose stories will break your heart, then we'll get along OK. Maybe!
For me, however, I HAVE been touched, and so I keep searching for ways that I can be a part of the solution.
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