North Woods River Runner: For Such A Time As This

“Sometimes we pray; sometimes we are the answers to prayer. You become the answer to prayer when you act as though your life depends on it. Because it does. And so do the lives of everyone your life touches.”

The Last Arrow by Erwin Raphael McManus

Last week my family was involved in “The Welcome Project.” This was the third year it has been held. What started as the brain child of our friend Heather Dellamater, has blossomed into an outreach of global and epic proportions. I say global because it helps begin the process of acclimating refugee children to live in America. Often these children have only been here 3 years, one year, a month, or a week. They came from Myanmar, the Congo, and Southern Africa this year. In other years it also included the children of families from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. These are families who left their homeland due to political wars, religious oppression, natural disasters, or ethnic cleansing. Sometimes staying in refugee camps in another country for several years, they eventually are placed somewhere new; somewhere safe. Rockford, with its history of manufacturing, is where some end up, hoping to find jobs.

This is epic because although many children come here being able to speak 2, 3, or 4 different languages, English or our culture itself, is literally foreign. And so “The Welcome Project” is able to bring in children, through the aid of Catholic Charities, Rock Valley College, and a huge host of businesses and individuals who donate their time and resources, to love them and begin developing relationships of trust and friendships to help tear down walls of fear, hate, and uncertainty.

Each day was filled with learning; reading, ESL, art, computer, outdoor/gym activities, and music classes in addition to people from the community (principals, firefighters, the police, and librarians). Throughout the week, through speakers and actors, the story of Esther from the Bible was told; a perfect correlation to living in a foreign land.

My son Todd was the director this year, and my daughter Jodi was one of the interns. My wife Cindy worked in the computer room (and also helped teach about money and currency). I worked with the “Blue Group;” kids who were roughly in 7^th grade; give or take a few years. Together, Cindy and I also picked up and dropped off kids; back and forth from their homes.

In the end we began communicating. What started with scared faces and little to no words, ended with “good morning” or “Jambo” (Swahili for hello), smiles, high-fives, and laughing. Mothers & fathers trusted us, and sent their beloved children with us and we returned them tired and happy (especially after “water day”). Our prayer was twofold in that we would be available (like Esther), “For such a time as this” (Esther 4:14), and that the children would be able to take a step closer towards acceptance and being ready to begin school in just a few weeks. Their hearts are big and willing, but it does make you question things like grades, standards, and testing when they’ll simply be trying to understand, fit in, and maintain who they are; all while learning. May God bless them and their teachers; grant them unity through love, knowledge, and insight.

It is this very concept that brings me to the summer road trip that came the day after “The Welcome Project” ended. The boy’s basketball coach for Duke University, Mike Krzyzewski, in his book Leading With The Heart says we want to be a part of something bigger; it’s a team thing. John Eldredge, in his book Epic says, “We’d much rather be included in something grand than have to create the meaning of our lives. To know that life, ultimately, doesn’t rest on our shoulders, but invites us up into it.”

A small portion of our Gulo Adventure Clan; guys tied to Prairie Hill School District in the past or present, met at my house at 7:00 Saturday morning and drove westward towards East Dubuque and the mighty Mississippi River. Although our diversity may not have been in our origin of cultures, it was in our ages. And yet, like the children and people involved in “The Welcome Project,” our group exists like it does because people want to belong and be caught up in a story or adventure that is bigger than ourselves.

Merel - The Captain

And what an adventure it was! I didn’t have to hike, or drive, or cookout this time (not that I mind those things). We relied on Tyler and his truck to get us there, and then the overwhelming generosity of Merel and Carol Wilson. The weather was perfect; enough said. When we arrived, Merel gave us a tour of his boat and then we ate some fruit and donut holes while catching up on life. It felt good to laugh and tell stories, most of which were true. Then Merel, the captain, and Carol, the admiral, took us on a 3 hour tour. Actually it was 3 hours and 14 minutes, but those who are reading this blog, and old enough to have watched Gilligan’s Island, know why I wrote it that way. The scenery was stunning; the vistas, the eagles, and the water. Tyler and Zach, the young guns of the group, even got to man the wheel. Merel’s instructions were simple; “Keep it between the buoys and in the main channel.” Roger that! Tyler played an excerpt of Celine Dion’s song, “My Heart Will Go On” from the movie Titanic, but none of us stood in the bow with our arms raised, however tempting it may have been. It was pretty funny.

Zach At The Helm

Tyler Scanning The Horizon As Greg Looks On

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Who would have thought you could take men in their 20’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and bring them together with any commonality? Yet, as we returned to the marina and dove off the bow of the boat, swam, and ate sub sandwiches, it was evident. We were made to belong. We were created to do life together and share our heart and expertise with those around us. In our case, with this group of guys, it’s centered around education. This particular trip was merely a relaxing and motivational boost to get back at it here soon when school starts up in two weeks. We were created and molded for such a time as this.

See you along The Way…