We recently welcomed and resettled 2 refugee families from Sudan. Both fled from their homes and spent time in Egypt until they were eventually placed in Kansas City. After their required 10-day quarantine, the families visited Della Lamb for the first time last week.
While the first family met with our Refugee Services team, the second waited patiently in our breakroom. Dad and Mom sat on either side of their 2 young daughters, ages 5 and 8. The parents sat calmly and comfortably at a table but it was apparent that the little girls were anxious. And who could blame them? They’ve been in the US less than 2 weeks, surrounded by unfamiliar sights and an unfamiliar language.. and who knows what they went through before arriving.
We pulled some paper and crayons from our Early Ed supply room and gave them to the girls. Within a few minutes, whispers and giggles were sneaking out of the room. A bit after that, the five-year-old was smiling and skipping around – she was settling in and acting as a five-year-old should.
Our Refugee Services team then met with the family and the girls left behind their drawings. The younger sister drew smiling spiders, hearts, and an umbrella, undoubtedly because her big sister did, too. In addition to the umbrella, the older one drew a flower, grass and a smiling sun.
Every little girl I know (myself included, though many years ago) has drawn this picture. The sun is always in the corner and is always smiling. There’s always a flower in the center and it always has two leaves. An 8-year-old girl from a country 7,000 miles away drew the exact same picture my Kansas-born-and-raised niece draws. This simple drawing was a beautiful reminder that while we may look different, speak different languages and have vastly different stories, that at our core, we’re really not that different after all.
