Refugee

“A calm came over Lito, as though he’d come to some sort of understanding, some decision. “I see it now, Chabela. All of it. The past, the present, the future. All my life, I kept waiting for things to get better. For the promise of mañana. But a funny thing happened while I was waiting for the world to change, Chabela: it didn’t. Because I didn’t change it. I’m not going to make the same mistake twice.”

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Wow! This is a powerful read geared towards upper middle school kids, but it should be required reading for all of humanity. The story follows three children and their families as they seek refuge somewhere outside of their home countries. I wanted to cry as I imagined myself in the same scenarios and how difficult and scary it must be. My mama heart hurts for all the other mama’s out there that are not raising their babies in a safe, secure home. 

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All of the stories are inspired by true events. Somewhere, at some point in time, families are living this. Hopefully, through stories such as this one, empathy and compassion are planted in our hearts. May we do better as we navigate a world that seems to live in perpetual chaos. 

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Thank you to the Diverse Books Club for suggesting this incredible book! I borrowed a copy from the library, but I will be buying a copy for my own personal library so I can introduce it to both of my children. I believe we can learn from the past and that history will repeat itself if we decide to bury our heads in the sand instead of being a voice of reason. 

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May we begin to lead with love – first and foremost.