So you're at a Danish boarding school. You've led a workshop on worship with the ninety or so students, and one has caught your eye. He's confident, strong, and darker skinned with wavy black hair. He's the shepherd of this particular flock; if he approves of the band, the rest of the students will also. If he decides to have fun on the sing-a-longs, the others will enjoy themselves as well.
 
The students then invite you to play football with them (read soccer, you crazy Americans). Some of them are worried about trying to speak English with you, since most Danish students are self-conscious about their English, even though they speak with better fluency than Nicolas Cage. That same student comes up and makes a point of speaking to you in English, even though it seems to you that his English is not as good as some of the others. Throughout the game, he commiserates with you when you miss a shot, and congratulates you by name when you score a goal.
 
Later, after dinner, you carry your plate to the kitchen and encounter him again, washing dishes with one of his friends. They ask some questions about the US, how you feel about the war in Iraq, if you are friends with black people, if there's a lot of racism. This student is obviously not of Danish origin, and has some strong feelings about the way Middle Eastern immigrants are treated.
 
After a good concert, this student comes up again and asks if you would like to play billiards (read pool, even though it's never called that here). After he tromps you twice he offers to help tear down all the electrical equipment. As you walk back to the gym, you finally ask,
 
"So where were you born?" He hesitates, tells you that he is half-American, half-Lebanese. Then he stops, turns to you and says,
 
"No, that's not true. I'm from Iraq."
 
The world stops. It feels like dozens of responses are flickering through your mind, when—really—you have absolutely no idea what to say next. You finally settle for a neutral, "Ok."
 
Then he starts talking. He is one of the only Muslims at this Christian school. He came to Denmark five years ago, when he was 12. His family had been trying to get out of Iraq ever since his uncle was hanged by the government, and his father was crippled by Iraqi police. Over the last six years, his family has fled through Turkey, Italy, and Greece, with his mother and sister being stuck for two years in Turkey, and his older brothers not able to get out until four years later. His aunt and three cousins still live in Baghdad. So far they have not been bombed or hurt, but he fears for them and says he can hardly concentrate on classes with thinking about them.
 
You ask, "Do you hate the US? Tell me honestly." And he says that Saddam is evil and needs to be taken out of power, but innocent people are being killed, his friends and family are in danger. Bombs kill whomever they happen to land on. Not just soldiers. And even if the US wins, his people become targets of the remnants of Saddam's supporters. But the US needs to win.
 
And all the responses you've practiced for three months of being asked about the war become dry and meaningless and crumble in your mouth. "I'm sorry," is pointless and inadequate, and all you can think to do is continue talking with him, and hear his story. He remembers the Persian Gulf war, and watched Arabs and Kurds kill each other in the streets of his town when he was six. His brother was burned during the fighting there. His mother had to leave school because she was so tormented by the Arab students.
 
A teacher comes up and says that it's almost curfew. You tell him, " I will pray for you and your family. I don't know if that means anything to you, but I will." He nods, shakes your hand, and says he had a really good day with you. Then he leaves you to finish tearing down. And you slowly get your cases out, feeling a lot less sure of yourself than you were this morning.
 
God be with you, my friend. And your family. And with us all.
 
 
 
Under the “Contents” column to your left, click on “More with Watermark” to read Seth’s experiences with Iraqi students in Denmark.
 
To learn more about Youth Encounter’s Team Ministry, just click on www.youthencounter.org/teams.