Moose Jaw seems to have been a place for refugees and immigrants to come and seek employment in a relatively small community within Canada. I think the prairie, farming community lends itself better than the other provinces. and the Government assists them in finding locations and 'pods' now as they realize it is important for them to find other immigrants especially in the beginning of this new adventure. The Center actually began back in 1974 and has grown now including those from China, Philippines, Africa,(Liberia, Eritrea, Congo ) Ukraine, Romania, Sudan, and Jamaica and Iraq.
A United Church of Canada which has a large office section now houses the Multicultural Center and Daycare for the Immigrant children. It has been a very good fit as right across the street is a Travelodge Hotel that has agreed to work with the new arrivals giving them a big room discount for up to several weeks until they find a suitable dwelling. The school/daycare is right across from the lovely park/library with walking paths in it and they love going over there for lunches and breaks
The Daycare takes 35 children. It is helpful for the mothers to have the children so close being so new to Canada. There are 5 levels of Language taught to adults who qualify and I have just started helping the instructor who teaches Level 1....when they first come to Canada.. Some know a bit of English, most do not. There are about 15 in the class if everyone shows up!
As I explored what I wanted to do to serve in the community of Moose Jaw that fit my gifts and passions, the Multicultural Center possibility kept surfacing for me. I had to be sure I was ready to help others with a full cup and not needing to help others because my cup was empty. Last winter I was helping a friend with 1st and 2nd graders who struggled with reading. I just listened to them read and helped them and sometimes just listened to their need to share a story about their life! It is amazing what comes from 6 and 7 year olds now that sounds so much more than they should have to deal with but it is life as they live it. This experience opened my eyes to a different direction than journeying with the elderly at end of life. It was time to take a break yet knowing I will return to that down the road too.
This spring I spent more time exploring the Multicultural Center and how I could help. I see so many of the immigrants in our community whether they run a food establishment/work in one or many I see stocking and working in our large Superstore Grocery store... they are NEVER without a smile on their face! (and to think of what they have endured until coming to Canada just amazes me and tugs at my heart). I decided to take the leap and apply to volunteer to help teach English to the Immigrants who are mostly African. I realized I knew two of the instructors at the center and the one I'm assisting I sat on committees with at the church we both used to attend. After all the paperwork, criminal record check and various other little hiccups in the process, I started helping in her class the end of July! I hope to blog more as things progress but have added a few photos to just give you a glimpse. Until I get permission I can't use photos already taken.
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| This is a Classroom where they are taught. Here they are learning words while making it a game. The words here pertain to their children's school supplies! Can you imagine seeing an entire list in English for supplies for your child; needing to get to the store to purchase the items and really being unable to read much more than your name at this point? WOW! They laugh and smile even when they are struggling with words...........which is almost every word. |
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| The woman in the black is from Eriterea She has been here 2 months. Has 6 children and a husband. She has started taking off her face part of her Burka. Her eyes are filled with joy and her smile goes on forever! Her oldest child is 14 and youngest 18 months. Her husband as most husbands know much more English than the women and some of the women that come aren't even allowed to come learn English. Also some choose not to if they have older children who can translate for them and translate for them when out and about doing their errands. |
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| This happy gal is showing us how to cook up a special dish that will be served at their first fundraising dinner next week. The Center celebrates 40 years and the Immigrants wanted to cook and raise money for new computers that will help them study for their Canadian Citizenship and other English learning. The instructor and I were talking about how SLOWLY they prepare and cook things. No rushing. There is a rhythm to the chopping, cleaning the veggies and not dumping all the spices into things at once but taking time to bee sure they are all gently stirred into the foods. We both decided this was a very important ritual for the women in Africa. It was communicating and connecting to the food as well as sending their emotions of love and care into the food and the cooking process to pass through to the people eating it! They are SO happy when they are cooking and so proud of their accomplishments. It Appears to me this could be how they survive when things are so tough and food is low in their homeland...they have the memory and rituals of cooking and eating the cooking from someone special to them that reminds them of their strength and ability to survive most anything. I have a hard time understanding her yet as she speaks quickly but no doubt I will pick it up in time. I get hugs from most of them already when I arrive! |
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| During the hour long lunch break as I was headed to my car I saw a this couple as he is teaching her to ride a bike. Most use bikes or walk or take cabs to get around town. Of course bikes are put away in the winter! Winters.....WOW I thought I had culture shock..........they all just giggle when you ask them about their first winter here....the word COAT is the first thing out of their mouth! I will enjoy seeing the new immigrants adjust to this coming winter! Lots of donations come in for the children and adults from the community and they are very appreciative and learn quickly the outerwear is needed to survive here in the winter! There are a few Asians in the class as well. They usually don't get to remain in the language classes as long because they are sent over here primarily to work and learning English takes away from their working. Every culture is different. I'm learning the Chinese have sounds that are difficult for them to learn. I was trying to get two men to say "ruler" the other day.....tough and yet the African man had no problem. Fascinating! They all smiled and just kept trying! |
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| One of the instructors has a huge apple tree in his backyard so we took a city bus to his house and all the students came and picked apples to take home and the rest will be used to make applesauce and apple crisp for the fundraising dinner next week. Oh the laughter and chatter that ensued immediately upon reaching the back yard was priceless! Apples falling from the sky like raindrops only NOT as softly. It took some a minute or two to grasp under the tree was NOT a good place to stand and yet how to get the apples if you weren't under the tree! These adults were like children on a playground and I've never seen so many apples bagged in such a short period of time in all my life! It was interesting as well to watch the dynamics of the men and women. the ones who were assertive, leaders and the ones timid and the ones just not wanting to participate because it was WORK! They all wanted the shade once the picking was done! |
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| This is one of the women I help one on one with her English. She is my age, 56. Most have no clue when they were born so if you ask when their birthday is most say "January 1st! Cute...so the center has a big Birthday party on January 1 instead of a New Years Day Celebration. She lives with her two older sons and has been here almost 2 years. |
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| Ahh the shade! bad photo since the sun was facing me. |
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| Raining Apples! I always knew the English language was difficult to learn, but now I see for those coming as adults w/out any experience of being around English being spoken and watching and learning by sight what words might mean, it is the most challenging thing imaginable! To teach it and to learn it! As I was trying to help the three women I work with learn to fill out forms with "name" "address" "city" "province" "postal code" "phone number"....I became aware these three women I work with have no idea yet the difference between the word "name" and their name! (sigh).....and learning the sounds of the letters........explain "cat" and "city" and two of the women's first names start with the sound "S" but one's spelling is "Ts" and so they don't understand why "city" doesn't begin with an "S"...........Sheeshka............. I think this will be a wonderful experience for me. Challenging for sure, much patience is needed but when I see their smiles, when we just chat about our families with the little English they do know, and keep it simple it really is like being in a bubble where only good things are happening. I KNOW generally speaking what they have endured in their homeland, yet they are still here with smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts for being in Canada and learning even with very little material things. They have family dynamics just as we do but they are eager to assimilate w/out totally losing their heritage. I'm as interested to learn their culture as they are to learn English.........I know in just this short time that they have something I hope I can find MORE OF in myself! One woman in the class spent about 10 minutes sharing that she has lost 5 family members to Ebola in the last month and just that day lost a niece 2 yrs old. (And she was in class! I think because she needs community and this is now her community). She is from Liberia. She calls at 3 a.m. to speak to family due to time change then prays then comes to class from 9-3 p.m. She shared they just have to leave the villages and try to not get sick and go somewhere better and if someone dies along the walk they must be left because to touch them means you would get the virus and die too. Sad so sad. Yet she speaks very matter of fact about it but with great sorrow too. She dresses in bright colors, has a broad smile and works hard in class. I truly have NOTHING that warrants complaining about in my life next to hers. In the short time I have been involved with the class, I see now the gift of watching the mother robin building her nest this summer brought to me.............the ability to sit still and watch patiently while something is transformed from many separate pieces into one solid object! These Immigrants bring many diverse pieces of themselves to Moose Jaw and this Center helps them find community with one another as well as enter the larger community of Moose Jaw. I can't help but be enriched by this experience. My first Swahili word was "star" Nyota (one of the characters on Star wars was called Nyota! I was asking the women to think of words that begin with the letter "S". One woman didn't know what Star was so another one spoke it to her in Swahili! and "Hello" is Hujambo! Maybe in a year they will be speaking English with an Okie twang! ha! More to come as time goes on................... "Kwa Heri" (Goodbye) |
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