Omar – Father, Electrician, Ex-Military and Refugee

Hi Everyone,

Last Thursday I finished late and I was looking to grab sushis ๐Ÿฃ on the way back home. Nearby the shop ๐Ÿฌ, I met with Omar. He did not ask for money ๐Ÿ’ฐ but just something for dinner ๐Ÿด. I offered him to order with me and we finally spent the all evening ๐ŸŒ  together. Native from Mali ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฑ, Omar has two children ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ who are still living in Africa. Before the Libyan revolution ๐Ÿ”ซ, he had a peaceful โ˜ฎ๏ธ life with his family and a job as an electrician. When the Malian war ๐Ÿ’ฅ started in 2012, he enlisted in the government army and he fought a few years for his country. However, after the putsch, the president had to exile and Omarโ€™s situation got worse. His family ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ was endanger. Anytime during the night ๐ŸŒ™, armed groups could come to his place and kill him with his family. He had to flee his country without his children and try to find a better place to live. From Turkey ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท to Grece ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ท on a small pirogue โ›ต to his multiple attempts to cross the European border ๐Ÿ›ƒ, it took him two years. One of the most difficult part of his life, he said. After one month and a half in France, he does not have papers ๐Ÿ“, he has to sleep from time to time in the streets ๐Ÿ’ค, he has not seen this family for two years and he does not have enough cash ๐Ÿ’ฐ to go back to Mali. ๐Ÿ‘‰I was speechless: he has almost nothing and he did not complain once during our dinner.

๐ŸŒ ๐ŸŒ ๐ŸŒ One more time, people like Omar reminds us our incredible chance to live in a great country like France.๐ŸŒ ๐ŸŒ 

I wondered: if I was in his shoes, what would I do? Would I escape my country to find a better life for my family? I am convinced that discussing with refugees could remove many clichรฉs that we could have on them.

๐Ÿ‘‰What do you think? ๐Ÿ‘‹

Leave a Reply