On March 17th, I received the sad message from International Ministries that I was to return to Canada immediately, due to the escalating pandemic situation. It was dizzying, to frantically drop my newly settled life in Budapest and relocate again in a matter of days. It was such a sudden departure, and sadly the Kalunba refugee centre had closed so I was unable to say any goodbyes to the staff or refugee families I had grown close to.

I was able to meet with my neighbours, a Korean missionary family, who has been an excellent help and support during my settlement process. We met on the riverside deck of the Danube river to avoid possible infection. As we walked along the river with them, I saw two familiar faces. They were young men that I met at the Kalunba centre often. Both were surprised and saddened by my sudden leaving. One man named Shafiq, works at a pizza shop to make a living. Through conversations, I learned about his life as a refugee in a country that shows little support but instead condemns and blames. Most of the young men that I meet at the Kalunba centre are working in restaurants as cooks, servers or delivery persons. There is a huge disconnect between wages and the cost of rent, which deepens the despair they experience as refugees. It feels like a helpless situation, so I listen to their story and share hope for the future.

With Shafiq and Najib

Najib is another man who shared his life story with me. He served in the national army of Afghanistan as a young man. He told me about his experience as a soldier fighting the Taliban. After surviving three bullet wounds in his abdomen, he left to escape the terror. He has been through many refugee camps over the years, and finally came to Hungary. He settled in Hungary but being labeled “refugee” is an incredibly difficult life. Most of the refugees in Hungary dream of going to Germany where they can have a better life, but once they are registered as a refugee or for asylum status in Hungary, they cannot enter any other European country. If they try, they will soon be deported back to where they were first registered. Sahel said “thank you for listening. You were the only one who asked me about my story” .That really broke my heart.

I don’t know how long the pandemic situation will last, yet I pray that I will be back sometime soon to be a salt and light for the refugee community ,who can share hope for a better future.

Jeanie Lee