Both of the Sunils speak and write English, which will be a major advantage when they come to Canada. We asked both of them to write a letter explaining what they have gone through, and then record the letter on their phone. This is the first letter, to you from Rahanna. (Rahanna also read the letter aloud, click on the player to listen.)
My name is…. I am wife and mother of 3 years old daughter. I fled with my husband …. in 2013 after my husband face life threats in our homeland Pakistan because he used to work as photo journalist and extremist group who were against his journalism work wanted to harm us.
Since we are in Bangkok we faced many difficulties and the challenge began from the very first day. Finding accommodation, grocery, we travel to Bangkok on visit visa and when our visa expired, we become over stay and illegal aliens in the eye of Thai government. There is always a fear of immigration arrest.
Being a mother I feel very unsafe. We hide and live from immigration, due to stress and depression I had miscarriage in 2016 and I had gone through mental and physical pain. That was one of the worse experience of my life, I never thought that this will happen to me. I was in pain and I was running from one hospital to another because no one was taking me in emergency, but one government hospital admitted me and did D&C surgery.
We escaped from immigration arrest 3 to 4 times since we are in Bangkok. Most recently in January 2020 immigration police raid in our apartment and arrest another refugee family but luckily, we saved.
We still living at high risk we don’t know what could happen next with us but trust in God and prayers of all saving us until now. God has been kind and we were blessed with a daughter in 2017, but the struggle still continues as we are stuck here in Bangkok and now our 8th year started.
I lost many things since I am in Thailand. I lost my mother in July 2020 and I was not able to see her last time and she always wanted to see me and my daughter.
I know God will not leave us like this because we are His special children and soon we will resettle in Canada. I thank you all for supporting us and keeping my family in your prayers.