In early November, Susan Krehbiel, Vice President for Protection and Programs will be representing LIRS as she joins Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) and other non-governmental organization (NGO’s) to take a first-hand look at how Colombian refugees are living in Ecuador and Panama.
In an interview prior to the trip, Susan shared with us why she thinks this trip is important and what she thinks we need to see as a country:
“It is really important for us to remember that when people have to make the most horrific decision to leave their homes and cross borders; that it then becomes the responsibility of all of us to provide a way for them to be protected from harm. We have to take that commitment seriously as a nation that has a strong tradition of welcoming newcomers to our shores. We have a particular place in this world of leadership that we need to exercise, and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to do that again.”
We hope you will join us and share in the passion Susan and others feel for those who have had to leave their home countries due to horrific situations. Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook to get regular updates from Susan’s trip or visit lirs.org to learn more about our mission and how you can get involved.