Notice: Function wp_enqueue_script was called incorrectly. Scripts and styles should not be registered or enqueued until the wp_enqueue_scripts, admin_enqueue_scripts, or login_enqueue_scripts hooks. This notice was triggered by the nfd_wpnavbar_setting handle. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 3.3.0.) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6078

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6078) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6078) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6078) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6078) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6078) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6078) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6078) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php:6078) in /home1/cindydeb/public_html/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831
{"id":1334,"date":"2019-06-20T14:56:12","date_gmt":"2019-06-20T18:56:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cindydeboer.com\/?p=1334"},"modified":"2020-12-08T01:47:12","modified_gmt":"2020-12-08T01:47:12","slug":"lets-stay-woke-for-world-refugees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cindydeboer.com\/2019\/06\/20\/lets-stay-woke-for-world-refugees\/","title":{"rendered":"Let’s stay woke for World Refugees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

At first, he didn\u2019t speak up, but I could tell he was listening in on my dilemma. I was trying to explain to a young Syrian mom how to administer the antibiotic to her sick child. My translator, a sweet Egyptian girl, was having trouble understanding my English and the Syrian mom was having trouble understanding her Arabic (as the two countries speak a different dialect). We were getting nowhere.<\/p>\n


The man eventually leaned in and said, in perfect English, \u201cPerhaps I could help?\u201d
I was surprised to hear English from one of the refugees we were there to serve. I responded, \u201cYou speak English! Awesome! Can you translate for me?\u201d<\/p>\n


With tenderness and compassion, he easily explained to the Syrian mom exactly how to administer the medication. She thanked him profusely.<\/p>\n


I asked him where he learned to speak English so well. He told me he was a physician. He studied in both England and Australia. He was here today, at our pop-up medical clinic, to get his own blood pressure medication. He had been unable to obtain any for many months and was concerned about his blood pressure. As I took his blood pressure, he went on to explain how helpless he felt living in the refugee camps. He wanted to help his fellow displaced Syrians, but he had no money, no access to medication, no credentials that would allow him to work in a Lebanese medical facility, and he had no medical equipment at all \u2013 not even his stethoscope. He told me he and his family fled like everyone else \u2013 in the middle of the night with the clothes on their backs and enough food for the journey. Period.<\/p>\n


Refugee status is no respecter of age, gender, education, religion or background. If your country falls apart and you need to flee \u2013 you simply flee. There is no time to separate out the \u201chaves\u201d from the \u201chave nots\u201d when you are fleeing for your life. And now, everyone resides side-by-side in a make-shift village constructed from wood scraps and tarps. For seven years my physician friend has been in this refugee camp.<\/p>\n


Seven years and waiting.<\/p>\n


Today, I want to pause and re-feel the pain I felt that day. I want to remember the courage, the resilience and the perseverance that I saw in the faces of each and every Syrian refugee I met. I want to stand in solidarity with them and to do my part in this big mess to say, \u201cWE WILL NOT FORGET YOU!\u201d<\/p>\n


I went to Lebanon with a team led by Dr. Lina Abujamra, a Lebanese ER physician who resides in Chicago and is the founder of Living With Power Ministries<\/a> <\/span>and shegiveshope.com<\/a><\/span>.
Their work in Lebanon includes:<\/p>\n