Walk a mile in their shoes

As World Refugee Day approaches June 20, diocesan Catholic
Charities is offering parishioners and the public the opportunity to understand
what it is like to walk in the shoes of a refugee — virtually.

Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services staff will lead
“Stride with Refugees,’’ a virtual refugee simulation on Zoom covering the
challenges refugees face on their journey to safety June 19 at 4 p.m.

“In celebration of World Refugee Day, recognized on June 20 each
year, we are encouraging the community to #StrideWithRefugees by understanding
the journey and accomplishments of refugees who resettle in the United States,”
said Jessica Estrada, Catholic Charities’ director of newcomer services. “A
virtual simulation is one way to get a sense of the difficult choices a refugee
has to make as they travel to safety. We will also be sharing success of some
local refugees who have built new lives in our own community.”

The scenarios include accompanying a refugee who is forced to
flee home due to violence and choosing what items to bring along.  Another will follow a refugee make the
journey to a refugee camp and exploring what that refugee’s life looks like in
a camp.

A refugee is defined as one who “owing to a well-founded fear of
being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a
particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his
nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail
himself of the protection of that country,” according to the 1951 Refugee
Convention. The Catholic Church addresses the plight of these vulnerable women,
men and families through advocacy, education efforts, and providing services
and support to refugees admitted to the United States.