*Sarifa was buzzing with excitement and could not wipe the smile off her face. The 17 year old had just shared her story with a group of 85 upper primary students. It was a daunting experience but so precious and important, given her incredible story. The students had sat in silence, spellbound, as she spoke of hiding with her family in a hole in the ground while Burmese militia burned down her village year after year. It was as if they were right there with her as she fled Burma through the jungle, spent 10 years of her childhood in a makeshift refugee camp, and then journeyed as a refugee to the strange new world of Australia. The students imagined the joys and trials of life in Australia as she spoke of attending school in another language, friends and family left behind, and new dreams growing out of the heartache.

Sarifa’s drawing of her family leaving the refugee camp

The greatest wonder of the day for me was not just Sarifa’s incredible story, which continues to blow me away, it was the way compassion seemed thick throughout the room as Sarifa’s story was permanently etched onto 85 hearts. After we left, the students set to writing letters to Sarifa to let her know the impact her story had on them. As I write this we are currently waiting on 85 letters which we hope will arrive in the post today. We have been blessed this year with incredible opportunities to connect school groups, churches, and average Australians, with some of our neighbours in order to share with them the tastes and stories of Burma through our catering and our developing school program. I have been incredibly encouraged to see these different people commune together and seek to understand one another. Our neighbours have been really touched by the interest and kindness they have been met with. I am so glad to be able to participate in seeing a small glimmer of compassion and understanding taking place in a country where discussions of refugees can often be so ugly.

Sarifa about to share her story

It seems unbelievable to already be summing up this year but it is November which means the year is almost over. It has been a remarkable year for me. As I look back I can recognise I have learnt and grown so much but I also have a sense that this is just the tip of the iceberg. It was a great privilege to meet together with all 9 UNOH teams at our mid-year retreat and hear many stories. I am inspired and humbled by the faithfulness of those who shared and encouraged to hear of the ways God can use us when live more and more surrendered to his promptings.