I believe you reap what you sow. If you plant hope, it will grow like a wonderful flower. Our actions reflect our intentions and our hope. There are three things I have learned from being a volunteer and working with refugees.
- Life and liberty are important.
In the depth of our hearts we fear losing our lives. At the same time we seek to be free, even if it puts our lives at risk. In the three years of working with refugees, I have become close to them. I know how life and liberty are important to them. They don’t have any rights; they fear and fight for their survival; they abhor the war and the people who killed their families and loved ones. Liberty for the refugees remains an idea or a thought. One of my students said to me, “My dear teacher, am I human like you?” I said to her, “Yes, you are.” She replied, “But why can’t we go anywhere, except here at the refugee camp? Is it right that because we are different from others, we should experience inequality?” At that time, I didn’t say anything. I just smiled and thought how much they are hurting inside. I wished they did not have to live as refugees.
- Faith and hope give us the power to fight another day.
Faith and hope empower us to do good things. Even if their situation is dire, the refugees keep their faith to uplift their spirits, maintain their dignity, and see the abundance of life. Sometimes, they are afraid but faith helps them get rid of their fears. Even though many of them had been born inside the refugee camp, they remain hopeful that the day will come when they will finally gain their freedom.
In whatever I did in Karen State, I tried to impart love and hope to my students who are unsure of their future. Many of them have had their hope and faith shaken by the war. I tried to plant the seeds of hope and faith in their lives. I did not teach them only academics but also to be compassionate and united with one another. No human is perfect, however, we can be perfect through our collaboration and compassion with others.
- They never surrender to their dreams despite the challenges.
“How do I become a nurse?” one of my students asked me before I returned to Thailand. I looked her in the eyes and said: “Just be patient and don’t surrender to the crisis you are experiencing. You might cry, you might be in pain, and someone might object to you and disgree with you. They might not understand you, but don’t give up and believe in your heart. When you feel tired or you want to give up, just look at your people, look them in the eyes, and ask yourself what you can do for them. Before you can change the world, you ought to change yourself because success starts from within you.”
Like you and me, refugees have dreams. My refugee students have desires they want to pursue. Even if they are limited by their situation, I see them pray with faith, act with courage, and never surrender. This 20 June, on World Refugee Day, I pray with them that the life they can only dream of now will one day become a tangible reality.
