What does it take to cut through the noise around the refugee crisis: do the numbers of people impacted have to continue climbing; do we need to wait for another tragic event? What if instead we begin by listening. Not to pundits trying to turn this issue into another dividing line, but to the refugees themselves. The children, mothers, and fathers are all sharing their story, we’re just not listening to them. We have a simple conviction here at ODW: listening leads to empathy, and empathy leads to better humanitarian engagement and aid.

The Refugee Crisis

It’s estimated that between Iraq and Syria alone, there are 7 million refugees who have fled their home nation, and another 9 million who are internally displaced. While the two crises have different roots and are impacting people differently, they have very similar stories of insecurity and struggle, but they also have a common hope: peace.

There isn’t a simple resolution to this. It’s complicated and messy, but that difficulty shouldn’t stop us from engaging. When we launched a relief effort in 2014 we were ready for the long haul and through our partners on the ground we’ve invested over $300,000 in aid and development work, ranging from supplies that prepared families for the cold winters living in camps, to establishing schools for children so their education wasn’t interrupted.

While there are many things you can do to stand with refugees and engage this issue well, we challenge you to listen, engage, and give. When their stories pop up in the news, don’t turn away. When it feels like it’s a hopeless crisis, don’t give up hope. You can make an impact in the lives of people seeking refuge.

We are committed to continue listening to these stories, engaging in the difficult conversations and work required to make a difference, and giving to relief efforts in the Middle East. Your gift of any amount will provide relief and empowerment for refugees impacted by this crisis.

Together, let’s listen and stay engaged. Join us.