Feathers and Song
“Hope” is the thing with feathers–
That perches in the soul–
And sings the tune without the words–
And never stops–at all–
—Emily Dickinson
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
—Maya Angelou
Ngabo’s mother was shot during the Rwanda genocide. Her entire family was murdered. Years later, when her son was born, she followed the local custom of giving children their own unique last name and gave him the name that in English means “hope.”
For years Ngabo and his mother lived in refugee camps, waiting to come to the United States. They did not know when or if they would make it out. Their strength had to come from something stronger than a wish. It was their reality, where they lived, ate, dreamed.
They had to choose to believe in the good around and beyond them. They chose to believe that love was stronger than hate, good more abundant than bad. They chose to find reasons to rejoice in the moment.
This is the kind of hope that Scripture urges us to embrace, that comes from a faith in a loving God. It is a deliberate choice, a posture of love, a disposition of faith, an ability to appreciate the moment while holding on to the idea of some place else, somewhere else.
Like every one of my 72 students, Ngabo was brought to this place on the feathers of hope. But like the rest of my students, he is not out of the cage. Part of him will always be tethered by hate, racism, economic hurdles, language barriers. Part of him will always yearn to be back in the land of his birth.
But he hopes. And he is his mother's hope. He is her song, the reason she sings. He is the thing with feathers, that flies into freedom and “never stops—at all.”
Prayer: Our good God, thank you for feathers that lift us above despair and song that rings out beyond the bars of oppression. Give us strength and resolve to keep flying and singing, to never stop.
Becca Potter is Ngabo’s teacher. She is married to Sam, and together they have three sons. Becca teaches ESL to newly arrived immigrants and refugees at Seneca High School.