A father in America connecting with his adopted family in The Gambia—through soap, prayer, and shared breath.
Dear Alieu,
Today I washed my clothes by hand in a bucket. I wasn’t strong enough to go out to the laundromat, so I stayed home and made a small basin with warm water, a little detergent, and some stain remover. The water turned dirty quickly—which told me it was working.
There was something quiet and tender about the process. I let the clothes soak for about an hour, then gently swished them around. Then I discovered something wonderful: an old potato masher I had in the kitchen worked perfectly for pressing and agitating the laundry. Much easier than using my hands—and strangely satisfying.
After the first soak, I poured out the water and did a second soak with a smaller amount of detergent. Then I rinsed everything twice and hung the clothes up to dry. It was such a simple act, but it felt like more than laundry—it felt like care, and maybe even prayer.
It brought back a memory from long ago. When I was a young man, I lived in a Tibetan refugee camp in the mountains of Nepal. There, I had to carry my laundry on my back down to the local river. I would wash it in the cold, running water and lay it out on the rocks to dry in the sun. I remember seeing women gathering around wells, drawing water and washing clothes. And now, so many years later, here I am again—washing by hand, but with the comfort of a bucket in my home.
It’s amazing how such a daily task connects us all across the world.
I imagine Alieu and his brothers have their own way of doing laundry. I would love to see it. If possible, I’ve asked Alieu to share a few photographs of how he and his brothers care for their clothing—how they soak, scrub, rinse, and dry. Whether it’s similar or entirely different, I believe there is beauty in seeing how families care for one another, one small act at a time.
Even something as simple as washing clothes becomes an act of love when done with your own hands.
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🕊️ Thank you for walking with us.
Your support helps Alieu and his siblings build a life rooted in dignity, hope, and love.
🔗 Walk in His Name – Read the Full Story
🔗 Support Alieu’s Family GoFundMe Campaign
🔗 Join Alieu’s Circle of Compassion on BuyMeACoffee
This isn’t charity—it’s relationship.
It’s walking in love, across oceans.
This campaign is part of the Walk in His Name project, a prayerful offering from Inspirations of Love and Hope.
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Inspirations of Love and Hope 
Thank you 🙏