I cannot adequately express how much my heart aches for refugees. Ben and I were able to purchase this Beco carrier at a significant discount several weeks ago. Truthfully, we had intended to resell it or keep it for ourselves. But we had no idea just how powerful the real reason would be until this last week when I learned about Carry the Future. They are a non-profit organization that provides new and used baby carriers for refugee families to carry their children safely and comfortably as they journey to an asylum country.
I have lost sleep just thinking about how a mama or papa could use this carrier to bring their child to a safe place. I sobbed uncontrollably over the grueling process that a family takes to flee their homeland to find safety and freedom in a foreign land. Images of refugees carrying children in their arms has made my body ache thinking of the strain it must put on their already tired and worn bodies. All of these are things I only know of through stories. No experience of mine will ever come close to theirs. I have been able to think of nothing else, except this carrier.
It has consumed me.
While I have no experience fleeing my country or fighting for my life, I do know what it is to want the best for my family. I want my baby girl to be safe and protected. I want her to chase after her dreams. I want her to grow and learn. I know many of us may have different political views, but I think we can agree that these refugees are just mamas and papas like us, trying to do what is best for their babies.
Today I stitched a small red heart at the top of that carrier. As I stitched, I prayed with tears welling up in my eyes that this carrier would be a tangible expression of the love of Jesus to a family in need. I prayed that little red heart would break all language barriers and be seen as our sign of love and support for them. I desire for them to know that we, as Christians, are carrying their heart, their burden, and their dreams with us.
Familiar tears streamed down my face again, hitting the baby carrier in silence. I couldn’t help but think that in just a short while, a mama or papa would have this carrier on and maybe their tears would be meeting mine. Oceans apart, our hearts would connect through one small, black carrier. And maybe, just maybe, their little one would stroke that little red heart the way my little one did this morning. Together, we are more than our nationalities, we are families; mamas and papas, daughters and sons, fighting for a common hope.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” –Romans 12:20
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