Growing up I took it for granted that about 50% of my classmates’ families immigrated from mostly Asian countries. Actually half of Toronto’s population was not born in Canada. Truthfully, I did not know the difference between Pakistan and India, or Japan and China. Thankfully, after choosing the all Asia route, I now do.
Last month we stayed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A big city with a population largely comprised of immigrants and refugees from India, China, Burma, Sri Lanka, Somalia, and Pakistan. Actually Malaysia felt like Asia’s GTA (Greater Toronto Area); they are both very multicultural.
This month we got to work with ‘Dignity For Children’ (http://www.dignityforchildren.org/) an organization that provides quality education for children living in poverty. Dignity has over 900 students from preschool all the way to grade 12. Many students are refugees who are waiting to be ‘resettled’ to their permanent new home by the UN. Proudly, many refugees are relocated to Canada.
Two of my teammates and I worked with the ‘Upper Primary’ department. Aka ten-year-olds. I was blown away by their wit, and friendships with one another. Growing up in a classroom with different cultures, nations, and learning to get along may be a key part to peace keeping we so desperately need. Also, I don’t think I have heard the word ‘teacher’ so many times in my life.
Highlights from Teaching:
The students had a ‘democratic assembly’ 3 times a week. Each meeting one student was the chair person and the students would vote about topics which concerned them.
One day a student stood up to discuss the issue of ‘rubbish on the ground outside’.She boldly took the microphone and said: “Everyone needs to pick up garbage, even if it’s not your’s, it’s our environment and we need to take care of it”. After I asked her if she wanted to be a environmentalist when she grew up. “No teacher” she said, “I want to be a doctor”.
On a fun side note, Obama came to visit Dignity for Children in November while he was visiting Malaysia, one of my students who had LOTS of ideas, talked to Obama for ten minutes. It was very to see how, even though I was only her teacher for a short time, I am certainly a proud teacher.
Cracking Down On Poverty
Before we left I asked the head of the Upper Primary Department a few questions:
Q: How is Dignity for Children impacting refugee families/ impoverished families?
A: When you educate a boy you help provide for the family. When you educate a girl you change a family generationally. The girl will not grow up to simply get married and stay at home. She will grow up to have a career, and one day have children and be empowered to educate her daughters as well.
Q: What is the most alarming thing you have heard from a student?
A: One of our 13 year old students explained that she told her mom she did not want to get married next year (at the age of 14) because she wanted to come back to school to play ‘Footsall’ (like soccer, but on a smaller scale).
What I Never Knew About Pakistan, and About My Fellow Canadians
Something I have learned on the World Race is the severity and current state of Pakistan. I have now met 6 Pakistani Christians while on the race who have had to flee their country due to death threats because of their faith. All of them have had family and pastors who have either been beaten or killed. Some of these people have had family members kidnapped and tortured for over 4 years in an attempt to convert them to Islam. This hit home, real hard. I have so many friends, old campers, classmates, colleagues, and other fellow Canadians at home whose families have immigrated from Pakistan. Sadly I do not know much about their faith background, but I may hazard to guess they are fled for the same reason.
Our time in the Home of a Pakistani Refugee Family
My favourite evening this past month was the night we went to eat with our Pakistani refugee friends. Pakistani food is DELIGHTFUL. I may go on a Pakistani restaurant hunt when I get home, just saying.
This family has been beaten, tortured, lost all their wealth and were forced to flee their homeland because of their faith.
When I asked their eldest son how it was to go through something like that, he calmly stated:
“It was very hard. But if I would of had an easy life, I may not have known what it is like to trust in the Lord, and know He is the only way, the only hope our family had/has”
This family is currently waiting and praying for their 2nd letter from the UN to come settle in Canada. Daily I pray for them. I may have also promised to buy them poutine in the land of hockey/red and white.
