Yesterday, Marcie and I met Nevilla, the manager of the one of the campuses of St. Andrew’s Refugee Services (STars). This location provides community outreach services and a learning center for young children, services unavailable to refugees otherwise.
Nevilla’s story is not unusual here. She came to Egypt with her family-father, mother, sister, and three brothers.. They were forced to leave South Sudan when her father, a pastor, was being pressured to convert to Islam. The family was told by a Muslim neighbor that Nevilla’s 3 year-old brother was not allowed to play with his son. He said that if he ever saw Nevilla’s brother playing with his son, he would poor hot water on him. And kids being kids, her brother went to play with his friend anyway and, when Nevilla went to get her brother, the man threw the boiling water on her instead. She showed us those scars that remain up and down her arm. After incidents such as these, Nevilla’s family fled Sudan and came to Egypt with the hope of safety and-eventually-returning to their home in Sudan.
Nevilla has now been in Egypt for 25 years. I asked her: “How do you stay strong?” “I’m a Christian,” she said. “I have faith. My time will come” “What is your dream?” “To open an orphanage.” “Why an orphanage?” “Being an orphan doesn’t mean life is over,” she answered. “Life is not having a mother and father. It’s having people who care about you and love you.”
Nevilla is a terrific staff member at St. Andrew’s Refugee Services and a remarkable person.
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