My Family Culture 

If I was in the middle of a major catastrophe that completely devastated the infrastructure of my country, I would have little trouble choosing three small items to take away with me. My family is not wealthy, with numerous material items to choose from. There are no family jewels to secure or treasure. The wealth that we have is our love for each other. So I ask myself what three small items that would I take with me, knowing that I am never to return to my Bahamas.

The first item I would choose to carry would be my Bible. The reason why I would bring the Bible is because it is the anchor of my faith, and that of my family. It informs me about why I exist and shapes the cultural experience of my family.   Even though I may be in what may seem like an exile from home, the Word of God transcends any physical circumstance or catastrophe and is able to help the believer to overcome cultural variances and issues that may arise. It teaches me in whatever state I may find myself in to be content. God’s word has the ability to provide the reader with a peace that is beyond comprehension.

The second item I would choose to bring would be my Ipad. I chose this gadget because it holds a lot of memories of my family. My Ipad also has stored notes of various subjects and ideas that my family and I have amassed over the years.   The Ipad would also be helpful in providing survival tips that my family would be sure to benefit from in a refugee situation. I feel certain that this device will be quite helpful to give my family encouragement and motivation to keep on striving.

The final item that I would choose to take with me as a refugee into a foreign country would be my hymnal. My family and I love to sing and sometimes we sing together as a group. We have found that singing brings on so many positive effects. It can calm a crying child, and give peace to an angry individual.

 I can set the pace for tiring work that must be done, and can motivate a tired body to continue on a little longer. Many of the songs in my hymnal tell the story of redemption and the plan that God has for those that love and serve Him.   This constant reminder would be vital to give my family hope when the way seems drear.

If upon arrival to the refugee camp, I was told that I could only keep one item, it would have to be the Bible. The Bible provides a guide into the future and would, therefore, be more needed than the Ipad. It is also calming and full of hope to anyone who would seek for it. There are many scriptural songs in God’s Word so the Bible could very easily take the place of the hymnal. I have seen the transforming power of the Bible so I feel confident that it is the only thing that my family and I would need to take with us.

This assignment has proven to be quite an eye-opener for me. As I brainstormed with my husband about the items we would wish to carry, I realized that we are a very spiritual family. Looking around, and thinking about my possessions, I did not come across anything that would be missed or that I longed to take with me. To me, home is where the family is, so wherever we went as long as we were together, and in good health, we would be content.