The Thanksgiving Tree

One of the high points of my week is the English class I teach on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.  Most of the women who come are recent refugees from Afghanistan, many of whom have made challenging journeys of many months and lived in makeshift camps with their children before arriving in our city.  The classes we teach provide not just a boost to language learning, but a place to make friends, share stories, and find sympathy, support, and prayer.

On Tuesday of Thanksgiving week we decided to have a simple celebration and explain the meaning of the holiday.  I was grateful that one advanced English speaker came and was willing to translate my brief story of the Pilgrims and the tradition of turkey dinners for the rest of the ladies.  Then I introduced our special activity; another volunteer had cut out colored leaves and created a poster, and each of us took a leaf on which to write something we were grateful for.  Then each person had a chance to share with the group.

Many of them expressed thankfulness for being in the US, being safe, and for a place to learn English.  There were expressions of gratitude for family, especially children.  One woman wrote, “I thank God for my daughter and pray that I can see her soon.”  She and her husband had had to leave their baby girl with her parents in Afghanistan, and miss her every minute.

Each of these women have stories of loss, hardship, and trauma that we can’t imagine enduring.  We wish we had the power to heal all their wounds, reunite every family, and bring peace to their land, but only God has that power.  As I reflect on how God has blessed me at this time of year, I’m glad that I can provide a place of blessing for newcomers and help them begin to put down roots.  In the year ahead, may they begin to branch out and grow new, healthy leaves of thankfulness in their new home.


Posted in Uncategorized by