It is not an easy thing to just wake up one day and decide to leave one’s land of birth, leaving one’s family and heritage, to go and seek refuge in a foreign land. However, the instinct for survival and realisation that death is imminent, can drive even the most patriotic person to make the sacrifice.
I arrived in Australia in February 2010, broken and with my hope at its lowest ebb. The then President of the main opposition party in my country of origin, Zimbabwe, the late Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai had facilitated my travel to Australia to save me from the danger I faced from the Mugabe regime. As a journalist I was critical of the oppressive regime’s repressive policies and human rights abuses and openly denounced the brutality with which the state suppressed any dissent. For this I would pay with my life if I was caught.
Accepting the opportunity to escape to safety, I agreed to leave my wife and children, as well as everything that I held dear to come to Australia, where I did not know anyone. I came as part of the support staff from the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Australia who had been newly appointed.
When I landed in Canberra, I knew I was safe but after a while I found myself facing homelessness, with nowhere to go. I was desperate and sad. I was very afraid that if I ended up being destitute, I would not be able to support my family and I would end up dying on the streets with no one to turn to. But I had learnt in my past struggles that there was always help nearby if one looked hard enough.
Grahame Krisenthal came to the rescue of Felix, despite not knowing him. Source: Supplied
Fortunately I had met a Good Samaritan while he was cleaning carpets at the Zimbabwean Ambassador’s residence. I had shared my story with him and he became my lifeline. In my desperation I reached out to this man, Grahame Krisenthal, for help and he did not hesitate to take me in and come to my rescue. Out of the kindness of his heart he looked after me until I was able to stand on my own. Grahame gave me a job in his carpet cleaning business and assigned one of his technicians at the time, Craig Baynham to train me. I connected instantly with Craig and this proved to be the beginning of a very enduring friendship with the two erstwhile strangers, each in a different way. I was to become the Master of Ceremony at Craig’s wedding later, and today my children call him uncle because he is more like family.
With a roof over my head and well informed, I was assisted to connect with the Canberra Refugee Support (CRS), a community organisation that relies on volunteers and donations to help newly arrived refugees to settle in Canberra. The then president of CRS, Geoff MacPherson, set up a team of volunteers who paid my rent and helped me out with some of my other needs until I was granted a substantive visa and was able to work and look after myself. They assisted me through trauma counselling and offered scholarships when I enrolled at the Australian Catholic University. I had been able to put my past traumatic experiences behind me and open a new page, full of renewed hope.
Felix with Craig and Craig's wife. The two are firm friends and Felix officiated Craig's wedding. Source: Supplied
For more than four years I struggled to sponsor my family to come to Australia. The support I got from Grahame and from Craig at the beginning made it possible for others to come on board and help. I met my new white Australian parents, Jennifer and Nicholas Goodwin, who have been with me in my struggles throughout the years. Through their generosity and with the support of many other people who helped me out of the kindness of their hearts I was reunited with my children in October 2014.
Meeting the kids for the first time after such a long time, I broke into tears of joy as I hugged them. Even though their mother decided not to come to Australia, having moved on before, the children and I have planted our feet firmly on the land of Australia which we now call our permanent home.
Felix with his children who he finally managed to bring to Australia. Source: Supplied
A simple conversation with a total stranger about 10 years ago, helped to link me with many others who have helped me to heal and to become a pillar of strength for others around me. To anyone there struggling with past trauma or adversity, do not give up and allow that negative past to define who you can be; rather pick up the pieces and start on a new tangent. Help is always there if you take the initiative to look for it.
