Indonesia – a country that I was never meant to go to this year, however plans changed and the Lord sent us. And I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am for that!
My time in Indonesia was spent working at RLN, a refugee school that accommodates refugees from Afkanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Ethiopia etc. I have never taught a class in a school before, yet here I found myself teaching all different subjects and ages, from English to 7 year olds to Maths for 18 year olds… and I loved it! It was okay that I didn’t have experience because most of the teachers there didn’t have previous experience either. They too were all refugees who volunteered their time and effort in order to better the future of their fellow refugee children.
These refugees in Indonesia are trapped there, they are not allowed to work, not allowed to go to Indonesian schools, or have a bank account. They are there until another country such as Australia/New Zealand/America allows them in. However this can take anywhere from a few months(this is very rare) to many many years.
The schools that these refugees have created are incredible as you consider that no one gets paid to teach, there isn’t money for textbooks and everyone is in a hopeless situation with regards to leaving the country and continuing a ‘normal’ life.
A good friend that I made while being there was a teacher at RLN, who is currently 18 years old, yet started teaching when she arrived in Indonesia 3 years ago at age 15. She was teaching students history, who were older than herself. And the way she teaches, is she has to research on the internet different things that have happened in history such as World War 2, learn all she can about it, try to write the difficult English that’s on the internet into simpler English (as English isn’t their first language) and then teach what she has just learnt herself.
These teachers truly inspired me in so many ways, and I feel so honored to have had the privilege to learn from them for 3 weeks. A part of my heart definitely stayed in Bogor Indonesia with those incredibly brave, strong, kind and generous people!
Actually being with these refugees in these unaccomodating conditions really changed my perspective as opposed to just seeing the refugee crises on the news, it became a whole lot more real now knowing and loving some of these people. I love how the Lord calls us all to different places and at different times, and I am so excited to say that 3 of my team mates will be returning next year to work at the refugee schools for 6months-1.5years, two of them starting in February and another in May. They too are looking for prayer and support next year, if you are interested in supporting them, or the schools that need textbooks etc, in any way please contact me.
*I would love to post photos but unfortunately we are unable to disclose names or photos without permission due to the Taliban, Isis and various other reasons back home in their various home countries.*
