WRITTEN FOR GABRIEL MARCY'S ZINE PROJECT ON THE THEME OF LANGUAGE
John*, a vibrant young adult, used to live in a country in Africa that was
plagued by war and this forced his family to become displaced. One day, as
John and his family were living in a tent, they heard drums playing outside. It
was the familiar sound of their tribal drums. Unfortunately, their assumption
turned out to be different from what they expected. It was the rebels luring
them into a trap.
With haste, John’s father cut through the tent and told his family to run, not to
look back, and in case any of them died, the rest were to keep running. John
and his family remained homeless, seeking shelter and safety in neighboring
countries.
One day, an airplane flew overhead and John’s father said, “We will make it to
America, someday.” This dream has now come to pass.
John now lives in America and is a flourishing young adult, whose story of
displacement and terror you would never know just by giving him a quick
glance. John also has a great friend and mentor, Alex*, whom he met when he moved
to the States.
Alex appears to be in his mid-forties and has a big heart for
reaching out to the neighbors in his community. He and his wife started a non-
profit organization in the community which helps resettled refugees and
ensures that they have access to meaningful relationships and tangible
assistance including rides to the hospital, grocery store, etc.
John spoke these words in reference to his friendship with Alex, which is
thriving despite the language barrier they had in the beginning.
“Language is more than a form of communication; Love is what connects us
and builds a relationship.”
John is grateful for the help and support he has received from this
organization and he knows full well that he is going to thrive in his new
community.
I walked away that night fully content, knowing that I don’t have to learn all the
languages in the world to fully connect with people who are hurting, but rather,
a heart of love.
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of these people.
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