We listen to stories sung and retold

Some Starting with - Once Upon A Time

Not written much anymore.

Now with questions a

Curious child incites -

Hope, in a renewal

Precious treasures of humanity.

We are undeserving of his sacrifice

But blessed in his grace.

Papa, where are we from?

Son, we live in America

But papa, where are families born?

Oma Felda always hug me too

Tight and doesn’t say my name right

Oh son, she loves you!

Uncle B talks too loud and

Hurts my ears -

Son, he just wants you to hear

His stories

Sigh, papa, why are they so old?

Wait, mon cheri, wait -

So many questions.

We are Americans -

Oma Felda hugs you tight

Because her tired legs walked

Many miles to provide for her

Family, and

She just wants to hold you a little longer

Before run away to play with your friends.

Uncle Benai sang his stories

Loudly to help the workers to

Continue working when they wanted

To give up.

He worked on a farm in a country

Called Haiti.

They came here for a better life.

They are Americans of

The Heart.

True, Papa, to their core?

True to their good deeds,

Taking care of their families,

Going to church, believing in

freedoms, and they have stories,

Our stories

Son, many stories to tell.

God created us in his image

We see his glory

When we look at and talk to each other

We hear of how our Ancestors struggle

Just like when Cuddles scratch

You and you refused to touch her.

Then you remembered that she was part

Of our family

You eventually held her gently with love

What you did son, was allow

God to use the love in your heart

Son, some of us are

young with energy

Or old and tired,

But, we are part of the same family even

If we don’t really know each other.

As Americans, we know of each other -

We know some people have

Straight hair, curly hair like yours, gray hair

Like Oma’s, or a bushy beard like

Uncle B, but even though we are different,

We can disagree,

With love and respect.

Papa, We Are Americans!

From -

Germany,

France,

Haiti,

And

America!

We are all Americans