I appreciate my friendship with Ali (Amjad Abdullah), a young man who hopes to be an electrical engineer one day, but who has, for now, devoted himself to the boys and girls at RISSE, the refugee and immigrant support center in Albany, N.Y.

Ali brought the soccer team to the Pompanuck Farm Institute over the weekend for a joyous retreat. I liked this photo, I think it captures the connection between Ali and these young men, who are greatly in need of community and encouragement and support.

Thursday, I’m going to Albany to meet with Ali and the new RISSE all girl’s basketball team, getting organized now for Spring play. They are planning to come to Pompanuck also (but not, it seems, with the boys.) I’m excited to meet them, they will need some new uniforms and shoes as well, and I hope to persuade them to be photographed Thursday.

I never force my own cultural ideas or beliefs on these kids, I respect the values and traditions they bring it is for them to change, not for me to preach to them. I will never rush anybody into anything they are not sure of doing. That would be culturally offensive.

In some immigrant cultures, it is considered unseemly for women to have their pictures taken, as i have learned, or to be quoted in media. Blogs are strange and dangerous things to some of these kids.

Americans are sometimes slow to understand this caution, but when you hear their stories, it makes absolute sense. Many have brothers and sisters and fathers and friends back home, it could be dangerous for them if the wrong thing was said or misunderstood.

The women seem to feel this the most acutely.

I think I have moved past this with the boys, but I never quote them about their former lives, and I always ask permission before taking photos.

I am always mindful of the dangers of that. Sadly, there are dangers in our country too, the boys face much hostility and indifference in their lives now.

Ali says the girls are fired up about basketball, they also want to call themselves the Bedlam Farm Warriors, I will urge them to think of another name, I don’t need that.

Ali and I work beautifully together, he has been instrumental in guiding me into the refugee and immigrant community in upstate New York, a group that is quite understandably wary and tightly-knit. it takes awhile for strangers to get in, it has taken me months.

He and I are brothers now, we  see into the souls of each other.

I am in a we of his dedication to these young men and women, they mean so much to him, and they are, in many ways, his life. I often wonder where people like Ali get the heart and drive to do what they do. I think they are angels come to earth to lead us to better places.

He is always available to these children in need, and will never let them down.