Volunteer Worker at Kai Tak Refugee Camp, Hong Kong
"The Most Magical Night of My Whole Life."
I took a job at the open camp teaching English to the refugees who will shortly be going to America. And the first night I came out here to the camp, all of the electricity was out. So we had to hold our class by candle light. I couldn't do much, just by candle light, and so I asked my students to tell me their life stories. That way, I thought, we would get to know each other a little better.
So they started to tell their life stories. And they started to talk about the war and losing the war and life under the Communists. And then they told about going into the South China Sea in these little boats, not knowing if they would live or die, holding their children and praying and getting lost and drifting in the Sea night after night. And you know I sat there listening to them talking and it was, I believe, the most magical night of my whole life. The stories they told and the bravery and the heroism that these simple people had just gave me chills. I'll never forget that night, as long as I live. And I'll never forget any of these people. Ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment