The Airport

When people ask about my job sometimes it’s challenging to give them a straight answer.   Working with a refugee resettlement program is not always easy to explain.“Why are they in Columbus?”“How do they get here?”"Who are they?"“What do you do with them?”“What do they do once they get here?”Once we get through the 20 questions and I’ve explained the history of the entire US Refugee Resettlement Program I realize that I haven’t told them the stories that matter; I’ve only covered the logistics, quoted some nice statistics, and tried to explain the kind of paperwork I process.What I should really be telling them about is the airport.  As of late, the airport has become my guilty pleasure- it makes me stop and take part in a moment that people remember for the rest of their lives; the moment they step off the plane to start a new life.   These moments include great anticipation, usually with an anxious family member.  Sometimes it’s a father waiting for a daughter he hasn’t seen in years.  Sometimes it’s a husband and wife reuniting, friends and family clapping and cheering in the background.  Other days it’s quiet, an individual striking out on their own without any friends or family to greet them.   One of these “quiet” arrivals has been the most memorable for me.   The night he arrived we greeted many people, most of their flights delayed.The night wore on and finally we were waiting for just one more arrival.  Midnight turned into 1am and 1am into 2am.  As we sat in the chairs, our eyes glazing over, we finally saw people emerging from the gate.   Slowly I got up to greet this man, eager to get home.  As we started talking I quickly forgot what time it was.  I realized that this man had lived in a refugee camp in Kenya for twenty years and had been waiting for this moment for half his life.  I don’t think I can describe the look on his face as I witnessed years of anticipation culminate in this one moment.   As we drove home in the quiet early morning hours I listened as he said he couldn’t believe he was finally here- completely on his own, but ready to start fresh.  These are the moments that matter; the moments I hope I always remember.Charis Steffel has been the Sponsorship Developer at CRIS for almost a year now.  Her primary role is to work with groups in the community, educating and training them to sponsor newly arriving refugee families.