“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. . . .And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:35,36,40.) Thus, the Master Teacher taught His disciples this important lesson, and that same lesson applies to us today. One of the areas where this teaching can be applied is in our willingness to help the many refugees in the world.
Mormon artists Lexi Mae Walker and Brady Bills have joined their talents to create a music video in support of the refugee relief effort. About the video, Lexi commented, “This is the first project I’ve done where everyone donated their time and talents to help create the track and video. Our hope is that you’ll join us and make a contribution that goes directly to the AMAR Foundation.” The song in the video is called “Blackbird.” The song was written by McCartney, though credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was performed as a solo effort by Paul McCartney, from their 1968 double album The Beatles (also known as “the White Album”). McCartney has stated that the lyrics of the song were inspired by the unfortunate state of race relations in the United States in the 1960s. The civil war in Syria has been one of the largest drivers of the global refugee crisis, which has left 65 million people displaced because of conflict and persecution. That equates to more people being forced to flee their homes than at any time since World War II.
During the April 2016, General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Patrick Kearon in his message “Refugee from the Storm,” informed the congregation, “There are an estimated 60 million refugees in the world today. Which means that 1 in every 122 humans has been forced to flee their homes and half of these are children.” As the worldwide refugee crisis has worsened in recent years, organizations such as the Amar Foundation which provides emergency aid, health care, and education to refugees, and LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of the Church, with its three-pronged approach for helping refugees: immediate relief, long-term aid, and resettlement support, have responded to the call for action.
The video was released on 21 April 2017 and thus far has garnered more than 7,000 views. Lexi’s angelic vocals intermingled with scenes of refugees helps to emphasize the importance and urgency of the relief efforts. Lexi and Brady have decided that all proceeds from this song will go towards rebuilding the lives of those affected.
