Turning inward as individuals, as a nation

The Syrian refugee crises continues to heighten. Now, more than 11 million people (half of the country’s pre-war population) have either died or been forced from their homes since the war in Syria began in 2011. And while there are many other refugees fleeing from their homes in other parts of the globe—Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza, South Sudan, and Somalia to name a few—our attention to the plight of the Syrians has been center stage. Sadly, it wasn’t until the tragic image of a Syrian boy washed up on the shores of Turkey that many of us began to truly feel… [read more]

Interviews with Khaled: Be a grain of sand

As I mentioned in the first of this series, Khaled walked into our lives one fortuitous Saturday morning. Eryn and I were sitting on the patio with coffee in hand and immersed in conversation. At some point, when our discussion segued into the Middle East and the mass migration of Syrian refugees, I sensed a subtle but distinct presence nearby. I instinctively suggested to Eryn that we try our hand at the board. I say this because—at that time—we had only used the board on several occasions and were novices. So we situated ourselves in the living room with what would become our usual set up: comfortable chairs with loads… [read more]