Making a Difference No. 1

So, I'm sure after you've seen all these amazing pictures of refugees, you're probably like me and wanting to do something to help. But all of these people are half way around the world out of our reach, right??

NO!

There is a large community of refugees living all over the United States who have come to start new, hopefully better lives for themselves and for their children. In fact, right in Salt Lake City, there is a huge community of refugees.

I've been researching Bhutanese refugees in particular for the past couple weeks. Hundreds of thousands of Bhutanese refugees, due to an prejudiced government, were forced to leave their homes and go to Nepalese refugee camps back in the 1990's. There government still hasn't allowed for any to return to their home country. Now, sixty thousand of those refugees have come to America, and many of them have come to Salt Lake to build higher quality lives

You can volunteer there in any number of centers and start making a difference in the lives of refugees today. I particularly recommend the Hser Ner Moo Community and Welcome Center; they do great things for the SLC refugee community, although they are certainly not the only ones.

Look around you--there are people around that could use your help. I found this quote the other day: "There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save."

I love this quote. It inspires in me questions that I want to ask myself every day for the rest of my life: Am I doing all I can? Have I kept my eyes open for those that need my help? I know that if I live my life striving to always be able to answer "yes" to these questions, I will be living a happy life.