Do you?

At the beginning of 2007, the number of people of concern to UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) was a record 32.9 million. They included:
• 9.9 million refugees ...30%
• 12.8 million internally displaced people (IDPs) ...39%
• 5.8 million stateless people ...17%
• 2.6 million returned refugees and IDPs ...8%
• 740,000 asylum seekers ....2%
• 1,000,000 ‘others of concern’ to UNHCR.

Do you know what it’s like to be on the run?
Do you know?
What it is to leave it all behind
At the point of a gun
Do you know?

Do you know how it feels to lose your family?
Do you know?
What it is to have been free
But now to be
A refugee

Do you know what it is to have no rights?
Do you know?
What it is to keep on hiding
Through an endless night
Do you know?

Do you know how it feels to hear a mine explode?
Do you know?
What it is to see your child blown apart
On this going nowhere road.
Do you know?

I’m a refugee
I have no choice
I have no voice
I’m a refugee
I have no place
I have no face
Would someone look at me?

These are the words of a song written by Helen Mottee, a singer song-writer and friend who works with me in the Comms department at Crossroads. The UNHCR was quite taken with 'Do You' and are considering adopting it as their official theme song. The song was recorded and produced by Warren Barnett ("Australia's leading independent mastering technician") along with musicians and the Green Valley Youth Choir all giving their time and efforts for no cost. We recently finished producing a music video to go with the song, with many hours of hard work put in by our video guru Lin. I had the opportunity to work on the still graphics. Here it is...



Yesterday I sent out my December newsletter by email. If you didn't happen to get it and would like to, you can now download my newsletters from the links under "newsletters" to your left. (As I happened to forget to embed the decorative font that I used in this latest newsletter, you may like to download it again to see it looking it's best). To see the photos from mum and Vicki's recent visit to Hong Kong click here. For the full story of our adventures see the newsletter :)