Yesterday was my family’s 21st anniversary of coming to America. What a miraculous journey that was!
Saddam Hussein released an order to execute anyone who assisted American organizations, including their family members. Even though these organizations provided aid to the war stricken country, it did not matter to him. My family was on that list, not only because we worked with Horizon International, United Nations, Red Cross, UNICEF, and Open Doors, but also because we were missionaries who spread the gospel in a Muslim country. On that same day, President Bill Clinton launched Operation Pacific Haven to rescue us. On December 5, 1996 we traveled to the Iraq-Turkey border where we were heavily guarded and escorted out of the country, shuttled to Guam, then brought to America. We lived on the U.S. Air Force base in Guam for three months as we waited for our paperwork to be finalized so we can move to U.S. permanently, and on March 12, 1997 that journey was completed by arriving to Denver, Colorado where we began our new chapter in life.
December 5, 1996 was the first time I was treated as a human being who mattered. It was the first time I experienced what others call “human rights”. Growing up, I always believed that since I was born in a war, I was going to die in one as well. It was my fate and I had accepted it because I didn’t have any other option. People in Iraq were treated very poorly, beaten, bruised, and battered. Fear was instilled in everyone and freedom and humanity was sucked right out. President Bill Clinton, although I have never met him (I would love to one day) along with the U.S. military saved so many lives that day, they showed us respect, kindness, and compassion. They looked at us as humans and nothing less. I am forever grateful to each and every one of them for risking so much to save me, my family, and so many others.
Next time you look at someone, try and look at them through the Human Being lens and nothing else. Try and look beyond the skin color, the eye color, or any other physical features, and focus on the fact that they are humans just like you and me…how will that change your perspective? Will you treat them any differently?