It is hard for us to imagine the terrible experiences that drive people from their home, leaving behind everything and everyone they know, to seek safety in a strange country.
Even harder to imagine what it is like to end up in a strange city in a strange country and find that it is not the longed-for place of sanctuary but a hostile environment where the mere presence of a foreign citizen is enough to stir feelings of hate.
It is this sort of scenario that challenges us as a society.
We are renowned for our generosity of spirit towards those less fortunate and the majority of people would never do anything to cause upset or distress to another person.
But there are some narrow-minded, intolerant and bigoted people who view those of a different race or religion as a threat and express that attitude in aggressive and violent behaviour.
In the latest example of a racially-motivated hate crime, a Sudanese family have been forced to leave their home in east Belfast following a series of attacks.
There are two young children in this family, aged seven and one, while their mother is heavily pregnant.
They are now in a hostel after the windows of their home in London Road were broken. Previously, windows in the family car were smashed and eggs thrown at the house.
In an interview on BBC NI, the children's mother said she had to explain to her son what a race hate crime was as she was sure this would not be the last time he would experience it.
This was an absolutely despicable crime and those who carried it out should hang their heads in shame.
As a society, we need to send out a message that this type of hate-fuelled behaviour is simply unacceptable and no one should be subjected to racist attitudes in east Belfast or anywhere else.
As a first step, anyone who has information about those who attacked this house should come forward to the police.
