Refugee Friendship Month
Meet: Maria*
Maria is a young adult from Afghanistan who came with her brother to Canada in 2023. She is grateful for the opportunity to study, and to work one day. She is currently learning how to play the guitar, piano and enjoys every opportunity to practice riding a bicycle.
How did Tenth Church welcome you in your journey?
I was studying electrical engineering in my second semester of university, when one day, the Taliban took over my country in August 2021. It was all taken away from me, and my life changed entirely. I was no longer allowed to study, and was forced to wear black clothing covering everything - my whole body, even my fingers, like gloves - everything covered other than my eyes. I felt so sad wearing black and was no longer able to study. The Taliban made it so that girls could only study until grade 6 education, and after that, they would be married off and begin a family. I was experiencing deep depression in Afghanistan. Together, my siblings and parents recognized that we won’t have a good future if we stay in Afghanistan. It was a very sad time for me and my family. I left Afghanistan with the hope of having a better future. It was a 3 month journey to Canada for me, beginning in Brazil which granted humanitarian visas to Afghan people.
I arrived with my brother in Canada on Dec 24 last year. We didn’t have any money, and I had no place to stay. I was able to stay at Covenant House in Vancouver for 10 days, and after, I found an emergency bed at the Belkin House shelter for 1 week. Someone else who was staying at the shelter knew about Tenth Church, and gave me a number to contact. The day I spoke with someone from Tenth, it was so cold, rainy and snow had come. I was invited to a meal at one of Tenth’s temporary homes, and met another woman who arrived just a few weeks before me. She has become my best friend here in Canada. Tenth helped me a lot, by giving me a place to stay, helping with a Compass card, and helping me to buy food every week until I began to receive income assistance. Tenth helped me to find opportunities to volunteer like at a local neighbourhood house, and at one of the markets at Tenth. As an Afghan woman, I was given an opportunity by an online university to study some computer sciences courses for free, but I didn’t have access to a computer to study. Tenth shared with me a donated laptop. I was able to move into a place by the end of March together with my brother. When I was getting ready to move, Tenth helped me a lot to find furniture and to help move it. Whenever I met someone from Tenth, I felt great. People helped me, but they also listened and encouraged me about what I want to do.
What are some things you love sharing with Canadian friends about your culture?
Canada has a different culture about living with family. In my culture, we always live with our parents. I miss my parents a lot. They raised me and it’s my responsibility to take care of them and try to make them happy, helping them feel good as they are getting older. I really like them. They have good advice and experience. Their thoughts might not be from this time, but I can recognize what is good for me from what they say. Here, when people turn 18, they try to separate. For us, we live with our family and also learn how to be independent and take care of each other.
What is life like now for you and what do you hope for in your journey?
Now in Canada, I feel like I will get my dream. I am studying hard so that I can work. I am not always sad anymore. If I try my best, I can accomplish my goals. It’s good to have people here to help. Here, people are kind and good. I like to keep busy, so I will continue with my studies and volunteering, and I hope to enroll in a university one day to study Nursing. I have also learned how to ride a bicycle, am studying to drive, and am learning to play the guitar and piano through a local library program. One day, I hope I can bring my parents here, that gives me hope and happiness.
Since 2016, Tenth Church has welcomed refugee claimants like Maria* into friendship, housing, and a community of hope. To learn more and to serve, visit www.tenth.ca/friendship. To support our mission, please give at www.tenth.ca/give and select "Refugee Fund."