On his first visit to the ocean, Sudanese refugee Maxwell Mandera clung tight to the arm of his host Ken Trevanion, even when they were only knee-deep in water.
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Mr Trevanion of Bega taught his guest how to hold his breath underwater and keep afloat in the calmer waters of Pambula river mouth on Saturday, April 7.
“Of course we had no beach before, so everything is for the first time here,” Mr Mandera said.
Mr Mandera, his mother Sabina, and three sisters Concy, Jane and Stella stayed with Mr Trevanion and Charlotte Lyngbye in their Bega home over the weekend.
The family was part of a group of 65 refugees from Canberra and Melbourne who visited the Sapphire Coast over the weekend, staying with host families from across the region.
The event, organised by Social Justice Advocates, invited the refugees – originally from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Myanmar and India – to come together for a three-day coast experience.
Their trip included beach time and a barbecue at Pambula, a Welcome to Country from Eden elder Pastor Ossie Cruse and a native animal experience at Potoroo Palace.
The Mandera family has lived in Canberra for just 10 months after spending 15 years in a refugee camp in Kenya. They bonded with their hosts by playing guitar and piano, which helped to overcome their language barrier.
“Their journey is so different to ours, it’s incomprehensible,” Ms Lyngbye said.
“I think we’re all learning a lot from each other this weekend, my eyes have been opened to appreciating what we’ve got.”
During the barbecue at Pambula, the father of the Mandera family called to thank Mr Trevanion. He said he was “overwhelmed” the couple had taken in his family for the weekend “as if they were your own”.
Mr Trevanion said they will keep in touch with the family and arrange more trips visits in the future.
Social Justice Advocate Mick Brosnan said the weekend had been a learning experience for both the refugees and their hosts.
“The enjoyment and benefit of this weekend is as much for us as it is for our visitors,” he said.
“It’s about us realising there is a far bigger world outside of the Bega Valley, and this is how we can connect directly with it, this is the real world.”
The Social Justice Advocates are planning similar events this year, including a coast tour for five Western Sydney families and a multicultural festival in August.