Wonder in the Wild
Wonder is the beginning of wisdom in learning from books as well as from nature.
– Mortimer J. Adler
Marco and Alma are refugees from Guatemala who have shared my home since June. Less than three months after arriving in the U.S., both secured full-time jobs at Envel Facade, a local manufacturing plant that creates ultra-high-performance concrete. They love earning their own money rather than relying on others for their basic needs.
Recently, they returned from a bountiful shopping trip, eager to show off their purchases. They had bought groceries, winter clothes (¡es muy frío afuera!), and even gifts—including a pair of red plaid Christmas pajamas for me. Alma handed them to me with a glint in her eye, explaining that she had bought matching ones for Marco and herself so we could all wear them together on Christmas morning.
I knew their joy wasn’t just about earning money or shopping. It was about reclaiming their independence and rediscovering their dignity.
Thinking about their determination reminds me of my years teaching high school seminars, where we placed great value on cultivating a sense of wonder. The classical notion of wonder is not just about experiencing awe; it is the restless curiosity that drives us to explore the unknown and step into the unfamiliar. It is a dynamic force that pushes us to grow and take on new challenges.
This kind of wonder must be exercised—it is not something we passively encounter, but something we actively engage in. Exercising wonder means opening ourselves to possibilities and embracing the discomfort and effort it takes to create, learn, and build something meaningful. The more we move forward in this kind of wonder, the more our dignity is reflected in our actions, choices, and the lives we shape.
I saw this active engagement during recent visits to manufacturing plants in South Bend and Mishawaka. As part of my efforts to help refugees find employment, I toured places like Envel Facade, where Marco and Alma work. I watched Marco overcoming language barriers as he learned how to build frames and Alma operating the Zamboni—even though she doesn’t have her driver’s license yet! As I stood amidst the cacophony of whizzing, banging, and clunking production sounds, I felt like I had stepped through the back of the wardrobe into an industrial Narnia. The hum of machines, the rhythm of workers, and the energy of creation were magical. It wasn’t noise—it was music.
I learned that these factories aren’t just places of labor; they are spaces where people embody the classical kind of wonder—a drive to innovate and solve problems. It’s “wonder in the wild”—a testament to human creativity and perseverance in the workplace.
Reflecting on these experiences, I realized once again that the joy I witnessed in Marco and Alma that day on their shopping trip wasn’t just about economic security—though that is crucial. It was about the dignity of work itself. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. expresses this beautifully in his book Strength to Love:
No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.
At Project Dignity, we aim to celebrate this dignity in every aspect of refugees’ new lives. Whether it’s navigating a new culture, learning a language, or forming friendships, these pursuits require the same exercise of wonder that pushes us to grow and thus reflects our God-given dignity, the best of who we are as humans.
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One of the best ways refugees can reclaim their dignity is through meaningful work. If you’re an employer who can offer opportunities for refugees to contribute their skills, perseverance, and creativity to your workplace, I encourage you to reach out. Together, we can help refugees step into the next chapter of their lives with hope and purpose.