Wonderful evening at Westchester with new Iowans. Potluck supper with Chinese, former Yugoslavs, Iraqui, Irani, Hispanic–all new to the Des Moines area.
Only allotted a few minutes, I talked about Adis Dogic–the first baby I attended the birth of (they needed my English)–a bright-brown-eyed constant through some of my worst fibromyalgia years, a reason to get out of bed and get dressed several times a week so he could take part in Cub Scouts, flag football, soccer, basketball, band, baseball, and (once) a triathlon.
He taught me about dystopian “literature,” breakfast pizza, and we even earned the most for our “cheeseburger” cake for a Cub Scouts Pack fundraiser.
Adis did as much for me in those days as I did for him. He got a soccer scholarship to junior college and just graduated in May.
Last month I got a call from the military, wanting to know everything about Adis except what he eats for breakfast. He needs a security clearance for what he’s applied for in the Air National Guard! It was a pleasure to answer their questions.
I also told how getting to know these refugees had changed my worldview. The ones we are closest to came from the impoverished NW part of Bosnia, with very little education and no English. Their homes had been ruined in the war and there were no jobs.
But it was evident very early on that God has distributed his gifts worldwide–intelligence, talents, abilities. Ramiz showed entrepreneurial leanings even before we had enough language between us to convey that. (I tried to encourage what I saw by using the Bosnian dictionary.) It’s been a delight to see him own several businesses the 20 years they’ve been here. (He reported that Adis, who’s been working for him, is a good worker and always on time. I’m not surprised.)
We do indeed serve a Global God, the Creator of all of us!
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You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. – Leviticus 19:34