Destiny's Child
I
got a weird feeling one November-2006 evening, while riding a motorbike taxi (moto
dup) and chatting as usual with the driver.
Very nice as usual, he was both shy and earnest.
He loved English - not just the basics but tenses (“Present
Continuous, I am going...”), parts
of speech, and so on. His rickety,
pop-pop-wheeze bike showed true poverty for a moto dup. I
learned later that his nights were spent in a street-side hammock.
A
few years ago he had to quit school in Grade 12 to earn money for his poor rural
family. So here he was, a moto-dup
180 km from home. He longed to study
again.
Why
not bring his dream to life?
With gentle, repeated nudges the inner prodding began. We foreigners
represent impossible dreams, including the education that western kids take for
granted.
Well?
I
thought it over as we rattled along at dusk.
Decide
first, Arne. To ask leading questions, then back out would be too cruel.
Then the memories burst forth.
For years the CSG resettled refugees – 204 in all – often in random
choice based on letters received plus United Nations printouts of family data.
A great experience overall, it
was. Now all our contacts and
projects are carefully planned with our Khmer partners.
A good arrangement, but still --
Missing
that random element, I teetered on the brink.
Good hunch about this fellow...
I sort-of-asked Destiny what to do, then -- deep
breath ...here goes... “If
you had the chance, what would you like to do?”
Friends,
meet Nouv Vutim, 22 (“Noo Voo-TEEM”)
Now in BELTEI’s (Business,
English Language, Tourism, Economics, Integrated-technolgy)
Institute Associate stream
since he did not finish school, he plans on a Bachelor Degree in future.
First
thing a BELTEI Director told him on hearing our odd story: “Be sure you
don’t disappoint your sponsor.” Gak!
I made some crack about me not disappointing him, then said
later: “This is not for me but for you. Do
your best and know that I support you.”
Vutim
stayed with me at first, then went to live (for $8 a month) near two cousins
close by. He had planned on
afternoon study, earning moto-dup money in mornings.
Surprise! BELTEI gives six
months of free morning English if a
year’s fees are paid in advance. Great,
but his earning time shrank. When he
had to ask for money or supplies, his voice tightened from the strain of
dependence. Deer-in-the-headlights
wary and wide-eyed, he looked terrified that the dream might collapse.
What to do?
First
a long, gentle chat – “I don’t want all the power.
You need some control… It
works both ways, I’m honoured to help you” and so on.
We set a value for his English; that was his money to spend.
But costs add up – food, school needs, this and that – and I’d been
a volunteer for years.
Our
wonderful CSG team in
Vutim
is a valued family member of our family (I’m Father, Dad, ‘Dady’ or Papa
to eight young people in all.) We
visited his village, riding for three hours one way in a nine-seat van with 27
other people. I met his adorable
family, also villagers of all ages who obviously admie this gentle, sincere
young man.
Laughter
and love burst forth now that Vutim knows his dream is fade-free.
Within a few months, he gained a level in English.
Can someone be too dedicated?
Even for an Embassy-hosted event, I couldn’t persuade him to miss just one
class.
Hats
off to the random element! Though not planned as such (not planned at all in
fact), Vutim is a great EXHIBIT
A – deeply dedicated like
the vast majority of Cambodians.
Destiny chose well with Vutim;
but many others deserve a chance too.