Ugandan refugees share their stories
Xavier’s wonderful Unity and Diversity club gave Xavier/Brophy students the incredible opportunity to spend their lunch listening to Uganda refugees talk about their lives.
“The Unity and Diversity club is a club that promotes cultural awareness and an appreciation for the different gifts within each community and person,” said club moderator Ms. Michelle Enciso.
The Unity and Diversity club wished to inform us about Ugandan lives and the challenges they face. The club officers also provided information about how we can sponsor a child or teen in Uganda so they can pay tuition to go to college.
A crowd of girls gathered into the back of Founders Hall and filled up every chair and spot on the floor to hear the speeches. The atmosphere of the crowded room was light-hearted and excited. The atmosphere soon changed once the first speaker began to share her story. She talked about how she was kidnapped at a young age, torn away from her family and forced to witness the murder and rape of innocent people. As she vividly described these events, she paused to wipe away her tears, which filled every person in the room with an indescribable emotion. At some points she would pause for long periods of time because her voice had become too shaky to continue. She then explained how she and another girl escaped their kidnappers and experienced a “bittersweet” reunion with their families.
“There were tears in my eyes as she told her story,” said sophomore Molly Brown.
The next speaker talked about education. He described the unreliable education system in Uganda and his desire to be properly educated. He had the chance to go to high school and then college because of a generous donation that covered his tuition. He said the college he went to was “the Harvard of Uganda.” He described how grateful he was to have the opportunity to go to college and how thankful he was for his education.
The looks on the Xavier girls’ faces were filled with awe at his graciousness. “He was so appreciative of his life and education, which opened my eyes to make me take a look at my own life,” said sophomore Ashley Bruner when asked about her thoughts about the speeches.
When the speakers asked for questions from the audience every girl anxiously raised her hand. The speakers were so interactive with the girls, and they gave an honest response to every question. “They were so cute! I loved when the speaker answered the question about his favorite book and he said, ‘The Bible,’” said sophomore Emma Anthony.
