My personal definition of success includes helping others, both professionally and personally. So I am a humanitarian worker, living and working in less industrialized countries. I support all manner of programs designed to improve the lives of those who are less fortunate. I also give personal resources – my time, my family’s gently used belongings, and a fair portion of our money. I donate and give as a part of my life and lifestyle, all year long, as do my husband and children. It is an integral part of who we are as individuals and as a family.
We have “adopted” a wonderful, young Syrian refugee. He and his family fled the war in Syria to come here, though his parents and siblings left the refugee camp to join their extended family in other countries, to get work, to continue, as best they could, with their lives. He however, couldn’t go. He doesn’t have a passport because he could not do his military service. And he won’t do it – at least not in the foreseeable future. For now, he lives alone in a refugee camp, thousands of miles from his immediate family.
For the past year and a half, we’ve had him over for long weekends every month or so. He does chores. He helps cook. He jumps on the trampoline with my younger daughter. He babysits. He even stays here when we’re out of town. We What’s App each other in between visits. We like each other’s Facebook postings. He has become a part of our family and our daily lives here in Jordan.
He was supposed to come home this weekend, to finish putting up the Christmas decorations and to go to a concert with me, as my date, because my husband had to go out of town. But he isn’t coming. He unexpectedly couldn’t get police permission to exit the refugee camp. He will spend another cold night in the camp, alone. With luck, he’ll get the necessary permission tomorrow and be able to come for a shorter, family weekend out of the camp.
It is a timely reminder of how important giving is, especially during what is traditionally a family holiday season.
What about you? Is helping others part of your definition of success?
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