the bilay family

remember this story?
well here's an update.

this family received over $50,000, including clothes, toys, food, etc...
they have located family in salt lake city and will be moving up there with them. while i will miss seeing these sweet girls at school, i am so glad they have found a true home. i am also very happy to see how our small community rallied together to help out this family. it really warms my heart.

"I leave Dallas happy because so many people have helped me. I was lonely and grieving, and they came here to visit me," she said through a translator.

Her family are members of the Kunama people, who speak a language unrelated to that of other Eritreans in Dallas. She and her children speak no other Eritrean language and either limited English or no English at all.

People have contributed $50,000 to a fund established for the family at the Wells Fargo bank, besides giving money, people have donated food, clothing, toys for the children, even sleeping bags. Mr. Dago said a steady stream of strangers has come to the family's apartment to bring donations.

Some have come just to pray with the family.

Honoring another tradition, family members welcome the visitors with a nod and a proffered plate containing a gift – usually a bottle of water.

To the end, volunteers showed up with offers to help.

"There was something so precious, standing there holding hands with people who had come from across the world," Ms. Hall said.

The family, meanwhile, took pains to express their gratitude to the people of North Texas before they left town.

"We are blessed for what so many people have given us here," Mr. Addas said. "The people here are so generous. We will always remember and pray for Dallas and all of America."