Stories are powerful! They transcend statistics, providing an insight into the hearts and minds of people, inviting us to look beyond the numbers as they reveal a part of people's lives. When I wrote Share Their Stories I sought to "stop the dehumanizing of people seeking the same basic human rights that we celebrate and share in this country." I continue to share these stories to the same ends:
Aziz & Masuda arrived in Australia
from Afghanistan with their children Ali and Nargis, on a boat via Indonesia,
after selling everything they had to escape the violent threats of the
Taliban. The Taliban threatened to kill
Aziz’s family in front of him if he didn’t give up his older brother who had
previously held a government position in Kabul before fleeing Afghanistan.
Mohommad & Marium also escaped from Afghanistan on the
same boat as his brother’s family. Marium
is 8 months pregnant and has struggled to attend night time hospital
appointments via public transport. She
has recently been supported by a couple of our church families who have
assisted with transport and other practical needs.
Mohommad (aka Sam) & Jamila have come from the Middle
East and connected with our church a number of years ago. They have found a real sense of community
through Sam’s volunteer work and Jamila through her involvement with Playgroup
where their English skills have greatly developed.
Christine is from Sri Lanka and recently came to us for
assistance because she had been taken advantage of by a second hand car
dealership. We are currently advocating
for her through Consumer Affairs and Legal Aid, because of the questionable
contract that has crippled her financially.
Keep sharing their stories and change the conversation about asylum seekers...
No comments:
Post a Comment