Camping for Refugees
Tim Shenk (right) converses with Michelle Kennel (left) on the EMU hill Tuesday night for "Prayerfully Sleeping." The group had excellend weather for the event.
Every Tuesday evening, a small group of students leave the dorms behind to climb EMU hill, toting sleeping bags, pillows, and the occasional flashlight. Although sleeping on the hill is not normally a sanctioned activity, Residence Life has given students permission to hold these Tuesday night gatherings throughout this semester. Known as "Prayerfully Sleeping," the events are designed to stimulate thought and conversation focused on the plight of refugees. This past Tuesday, I cleared my evening schedule, borrowed a sleeping bag, reconciled myself to the idea of getting less sleep than usual, and headed off for a night of Prayerfully Sleeping.
The idea for Prayerfully Sleeping was born out of a conversation between seniors Tim Shenk and Carmen Kennel. When asked why they started this weekly event, they explain that during this past summer both independently envisioned sleep-outs in solidarity with refugees as a movement that could be introduced on EMU campus. After discovering their common interest this fall, they decided to invite the EMU community to join them each Tuesday night. This past Tuesday, I cleared my evening schedule, borrowed a sleeping bag, reconciled myself to the idea of getting less sleep than usual, and headed off for a night of Prayerfully Sleeping. This week marked the fourth sleep-out; both times that I have slept out, there have been between ten and fifteen people sleeping on the hill.
There is little in the way of a set agenda for each evening; prayer, silence, and dialogue are all in line with the goals of the sleep-out. This past week, however, the documentary Invisible Children was before the usual sleep-out. This film documents the lives of Ugandan children who flock each night to cities because, if they stay in their villages, they run the risk of being kidnapped and forced to be rebel soldiers. A shared concern for struggles such as these is what unites the group that gathers on the hill. To further educate themselves about the situation in Uganda, the group will hear from EMU student Lynsey Witmer next week as she shares about her time in Uganda.
Of course, part of the appeal of Prayerfully Sleeping is being able to spend a night outside. The last three Tuesday nights have had pleasant weather, a clear view of the stars, and stunning sunrises. The first night of Prayerfully Sleeping, however, was accompanied by a steady rainfall from about two o'clock in the morning until seven. That September night, I woke every hour or so to find dampness slowly spreading through my sleeping bag. By six in the morning, I was lying in a puddle that was both outside my sleeping bag and within. Needless to say, I was quite eager to leave the hilltop by dawn. It struck me that although we were trying to be in solidarity with refugees, the fact remained that we all had somewhere to go when morning came. No matter how cold or wet the night, the morning would see us safe, dry, and warm. The Prayerful Sleepers readily acknowledge that sleeping on a security-patrolled college campus once a week does not replicate the experience of being a refugee. Nonetheless, setting the time aside each week to remember our refugee brothers and sisters is a valuable experience and, we think, a worthwhile use of time.
Return to News
