MBCI YiP memebers Nathan Schroeder, Jillian Fehr and Sahej Gill on a site visit to Indigenous Family Centre.
This past year’s Youth in Philanthropy effort at Mennonite Bretheren Collegiate Institute was a deeply profound experience for everyone involved.
MBCI’s YiP team visited organizations that provide food, clothing, housing and therapy for people with trauma, many who are from war-affected countries.
It never occurred to MBCI’s YiP members that people would need therapy when they literally don’t have anything. But, it makes sense because they’re coming from traumatic experiences and from war torn areas.
It was a new concept to think about and to understand; one can imagine charities providing food and schooling and other materials and services, yet there is a need, obviously, for therapy too.
MBCI YiP members Ebony Repeta and Hannah Teakle on a site visit to Immigrant Centre Manitoba with Executive Director Jorge Fernandez.
Karin Gordon from Hospitality House Refugee Ministry came to MBCI to speak with the YiP committee. It’s just Gordon and another person who take care of multiple children from war-affected countries.
Because the kids go to school, Gordon makes their lunches and drives them there. She also runs errands during the day to get things for them.
During her discussion with MBCI YiP students, Gordon had to take a phone call regarding dental work and several extractions a Somalian girl needed. She explained this was mainly a result of a problematic diet.
Gordon had to pick her up from the dentist, take another to a job interview, and then pick up the other kids from school.
She’s become familiar with cooking halal meals and is very productive.
Gordon told one story of a family of four from Somalia living in Saudi Arabia. The father died and the family faced deportation back to Somalia.
One of the daughters was a maid who was raped by her employer. Her mother’s sister, who also had lost her husband and was raising two children of her own, took all four children when their mother died while the sponsorship process was in progress.
During the process, the children were orphaned once again as a result of the aunt’s death, and Hospitality House was able to sponsor the children in Canada.
Karin Gordon was super-inspiring and it was amazing to hear her speak. She made us wonder, if she’s done so much, what can we do?
It was just another example of so many memorable YiP experiences this past year for MBCI students.
Mardy Yaeger of Marymound Inc. (left) welcomes MBCI YiP members Hannah Teakle and Ebony Repeta, along with MBCI YiP staff advisor Paul Unger on a site visit to the youth social service agency.
