Volunteers

Genevieve Slattery

Reflections from Genevieve Slattery, a volunteer with Mercy Refugee Service since xxxx

I applied to become a volunteer with Mercy Refugee Service when the incident involving the Tampa and the sinking of the Siev X took place. My overriding reason and desire to volunteer at MRS was to help these newcomers see that others in the community embraced fellow humans and acknowledged their suffering.

I believe that the work I do as a MRS volunteer fills an enormous void and supports some of the established bodies assisting refugees in their period of settlement. To hold out a friendly, welcoming, generous and helping hand to these families who must find everything very strange is something I would have hoped for if I were in their position.

The family I am assisting consists of Mum, three daughters and a son. The father was publicly executed by the Taliban in their home town of Kabul in Afghanistan several years ago. The family then fled Afghanistan for Pakistan where they struggled to survive for about seven years, I think, before being accepted to come to Australia.

When they first arrived in Australia, they were given residency in Perth and it was during this early period that the family was a victim of a home raid. At knife point the family's meager possessions which the Red Cross, Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul had given them, were taken. During that night the family escaped through a small bathroom window. I believe it was at this point that the family came to Sydney and I was asked to visit and support the family. Sister Margaret Moore and I traveled to their small unit in the west of Sydney and had the privilege of meeting Mum and her children.

I have enjoyed supporting this family to settle into a modern lifestyle that will offer them continued hope They have discovered many wonderful aspects of life in Australia, including the opportunity of receiving a good education. Each child has a yearning to do well and succeed. The mother finds life difficult, however, and it is clear that she has suffered much as the head of this family of five. Her English is very limited and I must speak to her through her children. I keep urging her to attend English classes but she finds daily life so difficult that up to now she can't seem to find room for focusing on her language skills.

It has been wonderful meeting a family which demonstrates such courage. The family has embraced me and included me in family matters, and over time I have witnessed an ancient culture. It has been wonderful to see the loving manner of each family member towards the others and in particular the enormous love the children have for their mother. One of the greatest moments I have shared with the family was on an outing with them to Sydney's Taronga Zoo. It was a wonderful day when Mum insisted on providing me with a meal as we sat in the park with several other families of similar background near us. It was lovely to see the children's delight and to see Mum smiling.

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