Imagine this. You’re at a New Years party of sorts. A large gathering of people, on the last night of the year.
Coming out of the rest room you see a 13-year-old girl trying to wash her hands, but no water comes out of the tap. You try to tell her the pipes are frozen, but she doesn’t understand you. You eventually find an individually-wrapped hand wipe in your pocket and hand it to her. She smiles, and takes it, relieved and grateful.
As you go outside, a man approaches you. “Excuse me ma’am, could you tell me how to get to Serbia?”
“Yes. It’s straight ahead, that way. But you have to walk four kilometers, and it’s dark and cold. If you go, it’s better you go with a group. Not alone. Because there are some robbers. It’s a little bit dangerous.”
“I understand,” he says. “Is it possible to go in the morning?”
“Yes. It’s better to sleep here and go tomorrow.”
“Is there a warm place to sleep?”
“Yes, go straight ahead and you will see three very big tents. One of them will have heat inside.”
He appears relieved and happy. This man looks like he could be have been a business man, a teacher, or perhaps a public speaker in his normal life. But right now, he’s relieved; not to have found a decent 3 star hotel room, but to have a giant warm tent to sleep in – along with a few hundred other unfortunate strangers.
“Thank you so much,” he says.
“Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year.”

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