“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor..”  – Jesus, The New Testament.

For me, Christ has always been an inspirational, not necessarily a religious figure. He is invoked so often and in so many exploitive ways it is simple enough to forget what he was truly about. It seems everyone uses Christ for their own purposes.

More than anything, he was about giving comfort to the poor and the vulnerable.

I feel close to him at this bench.

In my head, I refer to the clothing bench at RISSE, the refugee and immigrant center in Albany as a Jesus Bench, in that it is where RISSE places your daily donations of winter clothing for the refugees and immigrants who need them.  People come by all day.

Yesterday, Mawulidi the carver, stopped at the bench, he found a pair of pants for one of his sons, and another refugee found a sweater for her daughter. Mawulidi folded the pants carefully and placed it in his backpack.

At the beginning of the day the Jesus bench is full of clothes, at the end of the day there are not many clothes left.

Refugees and immigrants are not the same thing, refugees are fleeing persecution, violence and disaster, immigrants have chosen to move to America in a more orderly and less urgent process.

Both are needy when they arrive but refugees are especially needy, most often they have lost everything, and arrive with little more than they are wearing. After a few weeks, they receive no support from our government, and even that is being cut.

Many are coming to terms with a Northeast U.S. winter. They need jackets, sweaters, snow pants, (kids in local school districts must have snow pants to go outside in the winter) winter socks and boots.

You can sent new clothes or used clothes in good condition to RISSE as part of the blog’s Winter Refugee Clothing drive, your donated clothes are arriving and sparking much excitement and appreciation. I brought three bags yesterday, I am becoming expert at exploring Thrift Stores and finding bargains online.

You can send clothes to RISSE, 715 Morris Street, Albany, N.Y., 12208. You can also donate money directly to RISSE, they offer every kind of support to refugees and immigrants.

I have been conducting a quiet clothing drive for the Mansion residents, only a few need winter clothes, but they have them now.

The refugees I know almost never ask for help, but they are especially needy. They almost never have cars, they can’t afford insurance, they are learning English and work in minimum wage jobs, the only ones they can find at first. They struggle to have kitchen utensils, blankets and household fixtures.

They have no clothes for our winters and quite often walk long distances to busses and work. They are needy and vulnerable.

Your support of them is appreciated. I am inspired by the Jesus Bench, I spent an hour there yesterday, helping some  of the refugees sort through the piles of clothing. There is a lot of good and useful clothing there, thank you, I keep telling them that this is the true heart and soul of America. I know most of the can’t quite understand my words, but they do understand the meaning of the clothes.

I think this is where Jesus would be if he were alive today, and what do I know perhaps he is right in front of me, watching the bench also.