An Amazing Experience

This is bound to be an interesting blog post. I'm speaking for Ernie and I here. Yesterday (Friday for us) our school took us to a place called Crossroads for a team building activity. Okay, whatever we think. But it was so much more then we expected. First we were told to dress comfortably so we did. Then someone told us to leave all our jewelry at home, so we did. Half the staff went in the morning session and half in the afternoon (elementary and kinder and some student services - like Ernie's team - went in the morning). We loaded coach buses and had a lovely drive somewhere. I could see the ocean and bridges and trees and mountains and it was so pretty. Then we turned in to Crossroads. Crossroads is a charitable institution in which we have some sort of relationship with I think due to community outreach. They get shipments of items from hotels, offices, hospitals, anywhere really of things that are replaced or upgraded but are still good. They do global supplying to countries in need. It's really quite involved all that they do. I'm sure you could google them if you want to know more. They also do these simulations for various groups. They've had CEO's of Gucci and UN people and all sorts of famous people partake in them. One is slum survivor where you have to build your own shack and live like people in 3rd world countries do for 24 hours. Our task for the morning was to learn about refugee camps. But first we got to shop in the free trade store and we bought some yummy chocolate and coffee and I got some earrings and some little chinese slippers - like an ornament. Then it really began.

We were brought up to a room with cushions and told to sit. We were giving some background on the simulation we were about to partake in. We were from Afghanistan and we were given some history and culture awareness so we could get into our "roles." Then we were given ID cards with a new age and identity. I was Alike Murr, 10 years old, with no money suffering from malnutrition. Ernie was a middle aged man, engaged and with money. Us women had to wear scarves to cover our hair at all times and we were not allowed to talk to men not in our families. Then we were told to have a minute of silence to think about the situation. Then the simulation began. We were led out of the room and someone was yelling at us to hurry, hurry. We were shuffled to a room and a "man" was telling us that war has broken out and we have to flee but we can find safety if we go with him but then the lights went out and soldiers with gun came in and began "shooting" and telling us to keep our heads on the floor. It's amazing how immediately you are a different person. They were tapping people on the shoulder and yelling "You, man" or "You woman go" and you had to go through a door. I kept peeking and they'd yell "Head on the floor - don't move!" Then I got tapped and hurried into the next room which had landmines (I think they were balloons under the straw but it was very real) and you had to be extra careful where you walked. Then you got ushered into another place where you had to show your ID and the guards took every possession you had. Then you got sent into the "camp." We had to fill out forms and then we were told to try and find our "family." You had to find someone with your last name on the ID card. Of course I didn't so we were told to make groups of 7. Me, 5 other women and Fabian made a family. We were given a piece of canvas cloth and sent to make a tent out of it. The soldiers were everywhere yelling at us and we had to drape the canvas over a wire, secure it down with bricks and then it was lights out (meaning nighttime). The soldiers yelled at us to get in our tents and you couldn't talk. There was only room to huddle. Imagine if that was real. I was 10, alone, no money and I couldn't lay down or get up to go to the bathroom. It was very scary. They yelled at you if your hair showed and all that. Then the lights went on and it was morning. The soldiers yelled to get up and line up. Then if you needed the hospital you got in one line, food another, school another. I went to get food but I had no money. You had to have money to buy a bowl for water and food so the guy told me if I had jewelry I could get a bowl. Basically I had to go around and beg. Think if that were real. I tried but I couldn't get food then that was the end of the first "day." I went to bed hungry. Then in the "middle of the night" they yelled alarm and made us all get out and line up. Someone had a weapon in camp. They made us put our hands on our heads and shined their flashlights in our faces and tried to get someone to confess. Then they "found" the weapon and dragged the guilty party away. Some people lost their shoes. People were pawning their watches and bracelets for food. Fabian got us a water bowl the second day but they wouldn't give us water unless we had a food dish too. I tried to go to the hospital but they told me to go eat. I explained I couldn't and they told me not to talk. Fabian teamed up with another family and so we could get some bread and water. We all only got a bite. That was the second day. That night there was fighting in camp and someone got taken away. The third "day" a rich visitor came. We were told to smile and act happy. He asked some of us refugees if we got the blankets he sent and the medicine. The head "guy" "translated" for us and it was amazing how corrupt it was. The rich man would ask if we got the blankets and the head guy would translate did we have tents. So then we'd nod yes and the rich guy assumed we were saying yes about the blankets but we had no blankets. Course it was all in english and make believe but eye opening. That day I went to school. Then the simulation was over. All said it took 40 minutes. Then we talked about it.

Ernie's "family" got asked if they wanted to escape and they said no. Another group said yes, because they reasoned it would be better then there but they got sold into human trafficking. Ernie had money so he could buy food. His experience was quite different. I was lost, alone, scared and couldn't get food. In reality I would have died there or would have had to sell my body to get food through the soldiers. That's the reality. It's amazing how quickly you become compliant and submissive and tried not to bring attention to yourself. There was no justice there, no rights. The "head guy" said that was our only hope for safety and we had to make the best of a hard ground in a crowded space under a canvas drape. And that was a good circumstance. An african man who had played a soldier in the simulation talked about his experience in a refugee camp in Africa several years back. I recalled how members from the African church spoke at our church on the fourth of July about their time in camps. I never knew that's how it was. You can see pictures, you can hear about it but this experience was amazingly eye opening. 42 million I think was the number of displaced people groups. And there aren't any countries that are really throwing their arms open wide to welcome them. And if you have war in your country and you finally leave the camp and go home, what will you find? If your house is habitable then maybe someone else will be living there. Then what? We weren't asked for money or to do anything but think about it. It was life changing. And I kept thinking thank you God for this experience. I feel so blessed to have had it and so blessed to not be in that position. But the only thing separating them from me is circumstance. Natural disasters, war - none of us is immune. So next time you meet a refugee be welcoming. Smile, engage in a conversation. I'm sure there will be more to follow this up but that's for another time.

For lunch we were served a "slum" meal.Lentils and Daal over rice. We had to eat with our hands in the "slum village" on the campus at Crossroads. We had to wash our hands in buckets with soap, one with disinfectant and one with water. Then we drank soda out of plastic bags with straws. Craziness! But it was really good.

On another note - I found my "spot to go." At Ma On Shan - 3 stops on the train, very easy to get to. It has two great supermarkets, two malls (and when I say mall I mean any kind of store you could need - not like the U.S. there aren't any Targets or Walmarts) and a movie theater. I can get everything and anything I might need on a regular basis there. So that's good. My friend Jennifer and I spent the morning checking it out and then grocery shopped. Having to carry everything back on the train makes you think twice about what you buy so that's good! I have some meals planned so we'll see how that goes. Tuesday is when I meet my students and then they are mine on Wednesday. Please pray for a smooth beginning. As I am every year, I'm a bit nervous. Especially being in another country. Well, that's all for now!