Hi, Ms Naomi,
Thank you so much for your suppert (sic). I am able to go to College today and you mask (sic) this to happen. I will never forget this and I will make something will be happy, and also I promise I will work hard to pay the price of the amount the you support me with. thank you so much.

The writer of this short note of thanks is a young man named Guy who escaped from Darfur where he lost his family in that country’s genocide. As was the case with so many escaping Darfur, Guy fled to Israel. While there he became involved in refugee organizations, often acting as a translator or helping wherever his talents could be helpful. Always in the back of Guy’s mind was his dream — to come to America and get a college education. Defying the odds and with the help of others who believe in him, he has done just that. Guy now lives in Illinois and this week began his first semester of college.

A few weeks ago we were approached by people we know in the African refugee community in Israel and asked if there was any way we could help Guy. There was something so compelling about his story and, of course, so reminiscent of the circumstances of many of our own relatives escaping tyranny and certain death. Through the generosity of some of the Good People Fund’s donors we were able to cover part of this semester’s costs and Guy’s dream is now a reality.

Typically, the story does not end here. A few days ago we learned that Guy was one of the people who helped the Good People Fund last winter as we served breakfast early each morning to the hundreds of refugees congregating in Levinsky Park. Without Guy’s competent help, Gideon Ben-Ami who volunteered his services setting up the breakfast and making sure it ran smoothly, would have had to be on site very early each morning. Guy was an important part of the success of that effort during the cold winter months in Tel Aviv.

How nice that we could, in some small way, repay him for his own kindness.