While every refugees story is different and their anguish personal, they all share a common thread of uncommon courage- the courage not only to survive, but to persevere and rebuild their shattered lives

- Antonio Guterres(U.N High commissioner for refugees, 2005)

Over the last 5 years, Peter and I have felt incredibly privileged to be able to participate in seeing a group of refugees who we have come to love as family, “rebuilding shattered lives”.  Last week as team mate Laura and I went with a young friend of ours “Fatidar” to speak to 85 grade six students about Burma, and life as a refugee, I was reminded of just how much progress we have seen in this community since we moved in 5 years ago.  As I watched 18 year old Fatidar confidently telling the heartbreaking story of her former life in Burma and hiding and fleeing from the military, growing up and spending ten years in a refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border, and then her journey to Australia and the struggles and challenges she faced as she was learning how to navigate life in a new and very different country, I was reminded of the shy young girl who didn’t speak a word of English who we met in the small homework club that we ran in our little office in Springvale 5 years ago.  It was hard to believe that this young woman who was engaging so comfortably with a huge group of kids was the same person.  The children were hanging on her every word, and when she finished sharing, so many hands shot up for questions, these kids were so impacted by the incredible story they were told, and had so many well thought out and fantastic questions.  After that we helped the kids dress up in Burmese clothes and Fatidar painted their faces in traditional Burmese thanaka, then we took them outside to introduce them to a really fun game played by kids in the refugee camps, Fatidar did an amazing job organising all of the kids and teaching them the game.  As we drove home, the buzz in the air was amazing, Fatidar was incredibly moved by the positive response she received from sharing her story, and by how interested the kids were in her experiences, she even began dreaming about future opportunities, and telling us that she would love to continue sharing her story and helping to be part of changing how people think about refugees.  It has truly been an honour and an inspiration to participate in seeing this young woman and so many others as they work hard to persevere and rebuild shattered lives.

Naomi Dekker

Life in Australia is Freedom for our refugee neighbours