Many people have wondered why there are almost no pictures on our website. I agree, the site would look and feel more interesting if we had pictures. If we had more pictures of the refugees we serve, perhaps hearts would be more emotionally drawn to help. There are a few reasons why we don’t post a lot of pictures.

One reason is because many refugees have been persecuted for various reasons in their countries and they are personally afraid of having their picture posted anywhere.

Another reason is because refugees are often sensitive about who others in the world may think they are associated with on a religious level. Asha’s Refuge is here to help, care for and love ALL refugee people in disadvantaged situations regardless of their race, social status, cultural upbringing, financial status or political or religious belief system. We are called to cross barriers and love ALL people.

And then there is one more reason we do not post pictures on our website. This one causes me to tear up. It is quite simply because we refuse to be another picture on a wall. All too often I have seen pictures of various American people in the middle of a refugee family scattered on the walls of sweet refugee friends of mine. According to my friends, they usually to never see these American people (often expressed Christians) other than that initial visit again. My friends wonder why so many American Christians bring them bags of stuff, take their picture and then leave. As I began to invest more and more of my time in the refugee community, I lost count of the number of times that I witnessed others come to deliver goods (whether my friends needed/wanted them or not), take their picture as they gave and then proudly post a picture of themselves with my friends in great need on their Facebook. Asha’s Refuge refuses to be simply another picture on a wall. Through time and true care, we will earn our right to own a picture and be sure we know that our friends are really our friends and not just someone we think we can take a picture with to somehow feel better about ourself.

We want people to make a real hearts decision to work with refugees. We do not just want to cause an emotional often temporary appeal to help. Refugees need stability in their lives and people willing to commit to a friendship.

There are surely extremes in my thinking and surely other ways to look at this, but this is just the prospective that I can see for today. Thanks for understanding.