My great-grandmother came to the United States from Hungary as a toddler three generations ago. She was woken up in the middle of the night, as the story has been told to me, and taken over the mountains to board ships that were headed for the USA. She and her family were fleeing the violence that was happening in Europe at the time.
I can’t help but to think about this more and more recently. My heart aches when I think of all the pain that happens to children around the world who can’t flee from the terror that haunts them. The gruesome image of that dead Syrian boy, who drown trying to escape the violence of his home, that washed ashore is one I will forever have burned into memory. That could have been the end of my family line the night my great-grandmother and her siblings fled.
The countless families who have been split up or broken because of choices made my powerful men thousands of miles away with billions of dollars separating them boggles the mind. Those men, with all their wealth, are no more important than the fearful children they endanger.
The book “Where Will I Live” by Rosemary McCarney gives a small and age appropriate glimpse into these children’s lives that I can share with my five-year-old son. It features images of refugee children around the world searching for a safe place to live. Many on the run from violence or political issues they had nothing to do with starting and have no power to fight.
Get this book via my affiliate link on Amazon or your local book store. Check it out from your local library. Read this book with your children and talk to them about how these things happen. Then find a way to help those in need in your own community or internationally. Every little word and action counts.
“Where Will I Live?” by Rosemary McCarney
This stunning photo essay takes a look at the thousands of children around the world who have been forced to flee war, terror, hunger and natural disasters, young refugees on the move with very little left except questions. It’s hard to imagine, but the images here will help unaffected children understand not only what this must feel like, but also how very lucky they are. The final message is that children, even with uncertain futures, are resilient and can face uncertainty with optimism. With images from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
