Dear Families,
Students have begun Refugee by Alan Gratz this week. After reading classics from Tolkein, Bunyan, MacDonald, Shakespeare, and Homer, Refuge is a much easier read.
I chose this book for two reasons:
- When I read it a couple of years ago with my children, I was struck by the timeliness and felt empathy for the strangers and refugees among us.
- Also, it pairs as a modern-day contrast to the ancient literature of The Odyssey.
In the Odyssey, Homer showed readers that hospitality was vital to the ancient world. As Christians, we should show hospitality to strangers. Furthermore, in Refugee, three refugees come to the US because of persecution, war, and discrimination. East Tennessee is a hub for such refugees.
I have a friend who runs an English Center in Knoxville, and she has refugees from Ukraine, Syria, Iran, etc. I have volunteered in the center, and it is truly a mission field you can drive to and experience people from around the world. If you are interested in volunteering to help with child care or even helping teach English to refugees - let me know so I can put you in touch with my friend. The center is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30 - 11:30 am.
Hebrews 13:2 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.