Ah life, life...

I've just watched a short video on the BBC website about a young girl (thirteen years old) from Syria who has managed to escape the war ravaging her country and reach Germany. It was shocking, heartbreaking and elating at the same time to see this young child, with the smiling, shining eyes, eyes that have seen so much, and to hear her speak passable German after such a short time.

It is so easy for those of us who have never witnessed war and real suffering to dismiss these refugees as economic migrants and a burden on the West, a threat even to everything we hold dear. But please watch Israa and listen to her story, see the child and hear the echoes of pain within. These are not trivial stories, nor are the fates of these people unimportant; they are human beings made to suffer because of events outside their control who have reacted to save themselves. Feel Israa's happiness and see the effort she is making to assimilate and be a part of the strange, new place she has had to move to.

It is so easy to be dismissive of others, especially when they are different in appearance and behaviour, like fish out of water. Undoubtedly within these groups there will be individuals who will turn against their benefactors and seek to harm the very people who have offered a helping hand - after all often there is no one less appreciative than the one who has benefited from kindness - but that should not be enough to stop us helping. Just look at Israa and her smiling eyes, shining with intelligence and happiness, and unafraid.

Life is not easy, and helping others is often difficult and emotionally charged. But stories like this move me beyond what my feeble words can say, beyond tears, and makes me hope that somewhere, somehow human nature will show its best side. I know that there is much suffering in the world and we in the West cannot alleviate all of it, but let us not let that stop us from doing what little we can.

Help the unfortunate in any small way you can, please; we need to see more smiling eyes.