Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the FAREST of them all? Like it or not, everyone needs a mirror to remind themselves of who they are. Refugees are of course no exception, after all, we’re all vain. For migrants who don’t even have the basics, having a mirror is a luxury. It was our pleasure to purchase a couple of mirrors for hundreds of asylum seekers, for two reasons. First, when living in very difficult conditions, people loose themselves and forget who they were, and are. Second, hygiene. When people see their reflection, especially in front of a sink, they’re more hygienic and take better care of their bodies. It’s a win win.

Merry Christmas from a refugee settlement on the Mexico USA border. It’s been our pleasure to assist some of the thousands of migrants here in Reynosa Mexico. It feels appropriate being here, after all, the original Christmas story is of a homeless couple giving birth in shit and straw. Our Dr. Suzanne has been busy treating our desperate neighbors from the Americas with her expertise, medicine, and love. Yesterday at one settlement, it was great to see a Christmas tree piñata for the kids, and in the main Plaza, now a tent city for thousands, a ragged Christmas tree.

Power from the pulpit. Today in Reynosa Mexico, about 100 meters from the US border, we turned away sick and desperate asylum seekers from the clinic because we ran out of time. Just like yesterday, from early in the morning until dusk, our ill neighbors from Centra America come seeking medical help for themselves and their children. This pictured pulpit, only a couple of feet from where we work, gives power. Power to phones and to people desperately in need. The power to talk to a loved one, the power to show us their medical records, the power to talk to a lawyer, the power to hear news from home and the “promised land”, and the soothing comfort of viewing an old photo of a loved one.

Thanks to people like you, we’ve been able to help a couple of striving Venezuelan refugees families in Puerto Lopez Ecuador. These families have lived in this area for years, in a 5 by 5 meter rickety bamboo shack covered by a roof with many holes. These families live with a dirt floor, no running water, no bathroom, and are lucky to “borrow” a little electricity at night. Even with those disadvantages, these families have dignity and work any job they can find for $10-$15 dollars a day. It’s not easy to do this when they could sit outside a supermarket to beg and “earn” $50 a day. They have pride, and thanks to kind donations, we’re happy to help families like these. Pictured here is their old dwelling.