Walking together: Healing and hope for Colombian refugees

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w a l k i n g
t o g e t h e r
people and human rights in Colombia. For more information contact the MCC
representative in Colombia: mccrep@colombia.mcc.org
2. Consider becoming part of the Sister Church program, partnering in mutually supportive
prayer and communication with a Peace Church congregation in Colombia. For more
information on the Sister Church program see the Justapaz website : www.justapaz.org
3. Learn about ways in which the Canadian government interacts with Colombia
(for example, the Free Trade Agreement) and how those interactions impact Colombians.
Consider speaking out to your local politicians in instances where Canada’s actions do
not promote justice or human rights in Colombia. Some excellent resources for following
human rights in Colombia and understanding the connection to Canadian politics and
policies include:
http://www.amnesty.ca/blog2.php?blog=colombia_hr
and their members, available on the Justapaz website: www.justapaz.org
occasionally be available on the MCC Ottawa office website:
http://ottawa.mcc.org/
4. Host a discussion group with interested people from your community and invite
members of the Colombian refugee family to talk about their country and the current
situation there, if they feel comfortable doing so.
STAYING HEALTHY
Before their problems started, many refugee families may have had a fairly active lifestyle. Those from
rural settings, especially, would be engaged in strenuous physical activity on a regular basis as they
carried out farm chores or walked to and from town. Likewise, a healthy diet of fresh local produce would
have been common for most Colombians. For some refugees, physical activity and a healthy diet may
have come to a stand still as they were forced to go into hiding. Most displaced Colombians that are
living under threat try to avoid spending much time on the street, and thus experience a drastic change
from an active lifestyle to a sedentary one. Others find themselves working in hard-labour jobs such as
construction or housekeeping. As their financial situation worsens, many subsist on sugarcane water and
bread or rice, and malnutrition is a serious problem amongst displaced populations in Colombia.
The change to life in Canada may not naturally bring an increase in physical activity for the refugee family,
despite the fact that being active and healthy are valued in Canada. There are numerous reasons for
this: a) although parks may be available for walks or jogs, the refugee family may feel afraid to go out
alone, b) they may have never used public recreation facilities before, and not know how to start, c)
and taking advantage of winter physical activities won’t come naturally to them. Another reason could be
related to costs and budget - the family may not feel that they can afford costs related to transportation
to access exercise facilities, equipment, or registration fees to join community sports teams or classes at
a community recreation centre.