I like to think of myself as a minimalist (even though all the kid stuff in our house would lead one to believe otherwise), so I’ve mostly avoided all the unnecessary baby stuff during the past seven years of taking care of babies. No wipe warmers or grocery cart liners for us, thankyouverymuch.

But, one baby gear item I could never live without is a decent baby carrier. I’m not the kind of mom who carries her baby for 12+ months straight, but a carrier is usually easier than a stroller when grocery shopping or park hopping. The baby carrier is absolutely necessary for me, especially with older kids who need the stroller.

When I heard about Carry The Future, an American charity collecting used baby carriers for Syrian refugees, I happily took ours out of storage to send on. It was easy to do – drop the carrier in a box, address it to Carry The Future, 121 W. Lexington Drive, Suite L 106D, Glendale, CA 91203, and pay about $6 in postage.

I had a strong attachment to our baby carrier. It represented a special time in my life with Ben, and looking at it reminded me of the not-so-distant past when he was small and portable. But, I was happy to pass it on to another mama who would give it new life in a new place. I wrote a note to her, wondering when she will get the carrier and where it will take her and her little one.

The refugee mothers and fathers traveling with their small children are taking a giant leap of faith. Leaving a war zone filled with homicidal lunatics seems like an obvious choice, but pondering the logistics of it all overwhelms me. How do you pack enough diapers? What if the only shoes you are wearing become wet and muddy? Where do you go to the bathroom? What if the kids need a snack and nothing is available? Where do the kids nap?!

I pray the Syrian mother who receives my baby carrier feels the love and prayers I am sending to her family. Sending the carrier was a small gesture, I know, but I feel better knowing that I did something.