This is a guest post by Debi, who served with Kaleo in San Diego.  To submit a story or a photo for our Kaleo blog, email blog@kaleomissions.org.

Today was my first visit to the Iraqi refugee apt complex. There are pockets of refugee neighborhoods here in San Diego.. representing many countries. Assistance is offered to these groups in obtaining citizenship, housing, schools, assimilation. Our students have spent the week visiting the neighborhoods… Mostly playing with kids… Hanging out… Loving on them. Some have been invited to tea inside the homes. Today I spoke with a father of 3 precious little boys. He told me that his oldest boy begged him to wake him by 9 this morning so that he wouldn’t miss our group when the came to play. He said his boy ran out the door without breakfast so as not to miss a single minute of it! The father expressed such gratefulness for the group’s coming and playing. He came to the US only a month ago with his family… stating that it was becoming too dangerous to live there. He left his home and extended family to be “safe”… He says he feels safe. And again says “thank you.”  I am so moved by our students who seem to genuinely enjoy giving… playing even when tired and hot…communicating despite language boundaries…and loving. May those who come to our country truly find refuge and be safe. And may they remember these happy few days ….And as always happens…”we” are the ones most blessed in these experiences!