Seeds Will Grow

Today: 4.4 mi / 7.1 km
June Total: 75 mi / 120.7 km

As I walked this morning, my eyes noticed a trailing vine, growing over the fence by the road and stretching its tendrils out into the middle of the sidewalk. I could easily imagine these tendrils personified, like arms reaching out to make contact with passersby.

As I resumed my walk, I mused about the vine, which naturally reaches out for contact with something solid for the stability it needs to keep living and growing. I thought about the many Sudanese families forced to flee their homes, who need solid support to keep living and growing.

Then, I saw another such vine. This time, the vine did not stretch into the sidewalk, but appeared to be turning itself back toward its own outstretched body. Would it find support in itself? I thought about the Community Kitchens and Emergency Rooms that many Sudanese people began when the war started. These communities shared their resources and gathered to eat, live, and survive together. I thought of the many families who took on the needs of neighbor children or relatives who lost their caregivers.

A bit later, as I neared the end of my walk, I saw a third vine. This one had turned and wrapped itself around its own body, trailing back toward the main vine. Is this stable? It appeared more stable than the vines I had seen earlier – the vines with no support. Will its growth be dramatically limited through this support strategy? Might it constrict or choke itself as it expands?

View this post on Instagram

Recently, I have noticed some people in the Sudanese diaspora, who have for years cared for their own and continually reached out to ask others to support their community, are growing weary. Their advocacy, fundraising, and outreach appear to be slowing, as if they are struggling – weary under the weight of burdens too heavy for themselves – retreating in face of the unchanging reality – discouraged by a general sense of apathy from the wider world.

I wish – I pray – that the cries of those in need will be heard and answered. That every human will have the stability they need to grow and flourish. That those reaching out for support won’t be ignored.

---

Today’s artwork and description come from an 11 year old girl from Sinnar, Sudan about the day when her family’s refugee journey began – and about two children who found support in the arms of another family fleeing the violence (shared with permission):

“An airplane came in the sky during the day. It was so noisy and scary. It started throwing bombs on the houses.

We ran. So many people were running. My dad was crying. I never saw him cry before. It made me scared.

We came to a place where people stopped. Two children came with us. They were crying. They got lost from their parents.

I felt scared. I didn’t understand why this was happening.”

—
Each day in June, I’m walking in solidarity with Sudanese refugees. My goal is to walk 3.1 mi / 5 km per day to raise $4,000 USD this month. Last night, $35 came in from two people in the Sudanese diaspora. Thank you! We still need to raise $2,677.

All donations will go to Trauma Rescue Aid’s food distribution program for the more than 700 Sudanese refugee families they serve. Let me know your pledge in the comments below or make your donation today:

Gofundme: gofundme.com/traid2024
PayPal: tinyurl.com/traid2024
Venmo @ TRAID2024
Korean Won: tinyurl.com/traid25

If you cannot give, could you like, comment, share this fundraiser, or walk to help us raise awareness? Thank you for your solidarity!

---