every day. “We will pay tax to
the government, and with the
help of a lawyer, you will be a
legal refugee.”
Weeks later they got my papers
arranged so that they could
adopt me legally and take me to
Britain.
With the help of a Pastor’s wife,
they bought me clothes and had
my hair done. The flight from
Sudan to Britain was long, and
I was afraid, but Jim and Phil
helped keep me calm by telling
me Jesus stories.
“Naime, you will have a new
home with a very kind lady.”
They said as they showed me a
photograph of June.
My new home was a Christian
Shelter for women in Reading,
Britain. It is called The Park
House.
“You will be safe here. You
can heal, learn about Jesus,
learn a skill so that you can be
financially independent and
contribute to your upkeep,” said
June to me with a smile. She was
a very kind person.
I looked out the window of the
shelter often. I could see the
park, and I saw people eating
from picnic baskets; some were
talking to each other while
others were asleep on the green
grass. In the far distance, dogs
chased each other playfully. No
one seemed afraid.
“Today is a lovely day!” I mused
to myself silently and often.
“The sun is warm, not hot. What
a change from Sudan!”
One day June asked me if I
wanted to go for a walk.
“What? Me?” I asked quietly.
“Yes! Yes!” I added quickly.
I dressed hurriedly and soon
June, and I stepped out of the
front door. I caught my breath.
“It is so beautiful here!” I said to
June with a smile. “It is not flat
all over.”
Undulating hills called to me.
We stepped on to the path and
started walking. The best thing
that I saw were the swings
and the slides. I saw them,
and I could hear the children
laughing. Soon I was able to get
on one. As I got on, I had a sense
of pure joy.
“My first time on a swing!” I
yelled to June loudly, “I never
want to leave the Park.”
As we slowly resumed our
walk, June pointed out many
things to me, especially the
birds as they flew overhead.
Singing sparrows, thrushes,
robins and colourful goldfinches
were flying through the air and
some nestled in the shrubs. A
few crows cawed at the top of
the trees. Beautiful butterflies
darted from shrubbery to
shrubbery. Bees seemed to be
having fun as they visited the
flowers.
“Over there on the south side
is a small river where we may
go fishing and boating one day,
Naimie,” says June pointing
south.
7
There was a pond, and people
stood around the edge, feeding
breadcrumbs to ducks. There
was a lot of laughter.
The shelter was run by a
Baptist church. June took me
to church on Sundays, where
I met families with children.
There were social teas that
I enjoyed. I felt drawn to the
children. When I get older, if
I were allowed, I would help
with the Sunday School. I loved
all the stories about Jesus, and
I loved Psalm 91. The promises
were personal for me; ‘For He
will rescue you from the snares
set by your enemies who
entrap you and from deadly
plagues. Like a bird protecting
its young, God will cover you
with His feathers, will protect
you under His great wings; His
faithfulness will form a shield
around you, a rock-solid wall to
protect you’.
Deep in my heart, I believed that
I was home!
“Yes, I thank you God for a
home,” I said into my pillow
each night as I prayed. God had
rescued me and had guided my
steps when I was in trouble.
DOZ Magazine | September 2019