Yesterday Asha’s Refuge volunteers spent our first day organizing and delivering school supplies, backpacks and a few uniforms to refugee children in need. We are still in need of about 50 backpacks, uniforms and more supplies. We actually are most in need of the backpacks and any school uniforms we can find. In particular we need more boys backpacks or backpacks that could be for a girl or boy.

It was truly a blessing yesterday to be able to visit with my refugee friends and hand the children a backpack full of supplies they need. The children are always excited about going back to school and eager to learn and do well. I think it’s interesting how it seems these children are more excited about going to school than the average American student. Perhaps some of the refugee children understand better what a blessing it is to be educated and especially educated in American schools. I truly enjoyed seeing the smiles on the faces of the children and parents as we were able to visit.

I want to mention something that occurred yesterday while my friend Jake and I were handing out the backpacks. We were surrounded by young refugee boys as we were delivering. Each of them seemed to be watching out for their family to ensure that they were not forgotten…they knew their siblings and they needed the supplies. I didn’t have enough backpacks for all of these boys (the few I had left at the time were all girlie backpacks). I explained to them that I had already been in contact with their mothers and that more backpacks were on the way next weekend, just before their first day of school. As we were talking, the ice cream truck was driving by. The dozen boys or so I was talking to showed faces that expressed wanting ice cream but none of them had the money to get any. I wondered to myself how many times that ice cream truck came by and the refugee children were not able to get ice cream. I was so blessed (and I give all glory to God) to be able to group all the boys up and buy them all ice cream from the ice cream man. These boys were so well mannered, appreciative and thankful.

Please know that your kind gifts and donations are going to such appreciative young boys and girls. I have never experienced a greedy refugee child. They are each so in awe it seems that they have been provided for. I pray that you will consider helping us to be sure every refugee child in need that we know of in Memphis has the supplies they need to be ready and excited for another great school year. Thank you in advance for your help. We will organize and make more deliveries this Saturday, August 3, starting at about 10am. Let me know if you can help.