To My Family and Friends,
I wanted to take some time to thank you for
supporting me during my time with Oasis India. I am humbled and encouraged to
see your names on my financial update each month. It means more to me than I could express with
ink and paper. You’ve put a roof over my head and food in my stomach. Thank you
so much.
I also wanted to tell you what it means to
me to be out here, doing this work.
Part of my job is writing the stories of
the men, woman, boys and girls who come through our various programs. These stories
all begin the same way, steeped in some kind of tragedy.
"A 13 year old girl was sold to a
brothel by her uncle."
"A young man joined one of the local
gangs."
"An infant was born with its mother's
HIV already in its blood."
About halfway through each story though, I
get to write the words ‘but then’ and, my friends, they are the sweetest words
to write.
"A 13 year old girl was sold to a
brothel by her uncle, but then Oasis was able to rescue her and invite
her into our shelter where healing could begin."
"A young man joined one of the local
gangs, but then he enrolled in our graphic design class and now he's
graduated and has a job that brings independence and dignity."
"An infant was born with its mother's
HIV already in its blood, but then it was brought to our shelter and
received much needed medication and now it will grow up and have life."
These two words change everything. They are
a new beginning, a reversal of fate. Within them is a hope burning like a flame
underwater. It should not be able to endure in these stories, each one so
overwhelmed with chaos and pain, and yet there it is: an impossible light,
refusing to die.
I see God in these two words. I see Love
moving and acting and fighting more fiercely than ever before. Just to witness
this has been an indescribable experience.
Thank you for supporting me and for joining
me in this endeavor.
Though we are 9000 miles apart, we work
side by side.
With humility and gratitude,
Daniel Tozier
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