When two worlds collide... - LittleWanderingWren

‘Everybody’s looking for a new horizon

Everybody wants to leave the world behind them’

Delta Goodrem Wings

Footscray street art

I’ve been running on adrenalin, limited sleep, and a load of beautiful Ethiopian coffee from the Addis coffee shop, next to our Centre. I’ve got a rash, itchy like a million mossie bites across my body. It’s some allergic reaction. I’ve been overdosing on chick peas and ha, I wonder if that’s the cause?!

We get free lunches and dinners at work, a bunch of amazing volunteers collect donated food from around Melbourne and cook up a feast. On Wednesday nights when we work till 8pm, our Members cook for everyone. Our Members are Asylum Seekers.

I’ve been eating a lot of chick peas! I’ve been doing a lot of work 🙂

‘Everybody’s looking for a new horizon

Everybody’s looking for a second chance’

I now work in the not-for-profit sector. After years of working in a corporate environment, and many more as a stay at home Mum, albeit one who has always given freely of my time to volunteer in a variety of roles, this job landed in my lap.

Initially it was for 8 days in August. I was a struggling to find eight free days in my busy agenda. Having just returned from my overseas trip, life was busy with catch up appointments, the car to be serviced, yoga, the dentist, pilates, the dog needed a trip to the groomers, coffee with friends….

I found eight days.

I worked one day:

‘Can you work until the end of the year?!’

‘Whaaaaat?‘

I had trips to New Zealand, Hong Kong, China and Sydney all lined up.

‘Of course, of course’ …

So I have been nudged back into the world of work. Mr Wren is pleased. For years he’s talked about me going back to work …

‘If you could just earn enough for the holidays’ he used to say….

‘No I’m busy! I’ve got yoga and pilates and….’

If truth be known, I have loved my volunteering. It was my way of giving back in the world, with no strings attached. Whether it was at the school, or at the soccer club, or with Asylum Seekers, having no employment contact gave me options. Like my time is my own. I can travel with my husband, I can disappear back to Europe to see my family for three months… I am free.

I wasn’t sure I wanted paid work, I was happy being one of over 1000 volunteers who support in our organisation, who turn up week in, week out for the joy of making a difference, oh and the lunch is good too! Paid work for me is a tie, it takes away my flexibility as Little Wandering Wren. It means I can’t have wings.

The contrast with our Members lives is not lost on me. Not everyone seeking asylum gets work rights, some are living with no work rights, no study rights, no Medicare rights. Work for Asylum Seekers is not a tie, it gives them options, it means they can fly.

‘Everybody’s wishing they could take a stand

Everybody’s looking for a second chance…’

There’s a song by Delta Goodrem at the moment. It is a love song. It talks about two worlds colliding. I often think about how I ended up my world colliding with those of those seeking asylum.

The great wanderer who is constantly on the look out to travel, and for change, and those who are striving for stability, to stay put.

The majority of my friends will never have met an Asylum Seeker. Everyone has an opinion, a view. I am in the thick of it…

‘What if I lose my self control

What if I choose to let it go

I want to let you and me collide

Baby these wings were made

These wings were made to fly, la la la

Fly, la la la

Fly, la la la’

At my desk, my mobile phone flashes a message:

‘Mum, we’ve got no bread or milk’

Good, I think!