Open your hearts to refugees, urges mum

MAREE Sandoval used to say "boat people" should be sent back to where they came from.

Maree Sandoval and her husband host asylum seekers on bridging visas whilst they look for work. . Picture: Sarah Harvey

MAREE Sandoval used to say "boat people" should be sent back to where they came from.

Now the mother-of-three despises the two words used to describe the 6000-plus refugees who have sought asylum in Australia since the Federal Government announced it would resume offshore processing in August.

Mrs Sandoval and her husband Frank last month opened their Redbank Plains home to Afghani refugee Aziz (surname withheld), 40, through the Australian Homestay Network.

Aziz, his wife and three young children, aged 10, 8, and one, fled their family farm in Afghanistan after the Taliban invaded their home.

He was assaulted with the butt of a rifle and his mother was shot in front of him.

Aziz had not spoken to his wife and children, who are now living in a Pakistani refugee camp, for 11 months until Mrs Sandoval took him to buy a mobile phone the day he arrived. "I think the story needs to be told," Mrs Sandoval said. "I think Australians need to be aware of their (asylum seekers') story."

The professional tiler and brick layer had been in Australia for three months in detention camps in Darwin, Christmas Island and Curtin before he came to stay at the Sandoval's home on a bridging visa.

Mrs Sandoval said the decision to sign up to the Homestay program was inspired by her husband who came to Australia from Central America as a refugee 30 years ago.

Aziz spent four weeks in the Sandoval home before moving to Sydney to start work this month. Mrs Sandoval described the experience as "absolutely life changing".

"My bubble has surely burst. It has been a real eye-opener for me," the 53-year-old said.

I have listened to very sad stories and cried many tears for him and his family, but I know he is safe now and he is looking forward to starting a new life here.

Maree Sandoval and her husband host asylum seekers on bridging visas whilst they look for work. Aziz tiling, Aziz was the couple's first guest. Photo: Contributed. Picture: Contributed

Aziz was poached by Indonesians in Pakistan who told him they would provide him with a passage to Australia for $12,000.

"He worked in Iran for five years where he had saved and his aunty gave him the rest," Mrs Sandoval said.

"It was like a family contribution where they all piled their money together to get one person out of there to save the rest of them.

"He got a flight from Pakistan to Jakarta and was introduced to a man who he had to pay half of his money.

"He was told to go to Thailand to get on the boat - he paid the other half to the guy in Thailand."

All Aziz's papers and possessions were taken in Thailand so nothing could be traced back to the people smugglers. It was the first time he had seen the ocean. He couldn't swim and was denied a life jacket.

Aziz spent the treacherous two-night journey on a crowded boat, with crouched knees pressed to his chest the entire time.

"He said the waves towered over the boat and he feared for his life," Mrs Sandoval said.

"I asked him if he was afraid to go on the boat? "He said: 'Yes, but I was more scared what would happen to me and my family I stayed in my country'."

The Australian Homestay Network, originally set up to accommodate international students, was approached by the Federal Government last year to seek applications from homeowners to house asylum seekers to relieve pressure on detention centres.

The Department of Immigration paid families $200 to $300 to let out a room and provide meals to detainees for a six-week period while they independently looked for work and a place to live.

AHN executive chairman David Bycroft said every Australian with a spare room should consider helping an asylum seeker to a fresh start. "Australia needs to put their hands up to help these asylum seekers," he said.

AHN has placed 600 refugees in Australian homes since May. But with hundreds set to be released into the community in the next six months, they are now looking for more hosts.

Mrs Sandoval said meeting Aziz changed her entire view on Australia's refugee situation.

"We are so lucky in this country, we just don't realise it," she said.

She hoped her story would change other's perception of the asylum seeker issue.

"I have to be honest, I used to say: 'Bloody boat people - tell them to come back from where they come from'," Mrs Sandoval said.

But aren't we all boat people originally? I actually hate the term boat people now.

The Sandovals are now looking forward to housing two new asylum seekers in the New Year and Mrs Sandoval said she would like to see more people do the same.

For more information on the Australian Homestay network, visit homestaynetwork.org.

Maree Sandoval and her husband host asylum seekers on bridging visas whilst they look for work. Maree's husband (left) playing chess with Aziz (right) who was the couple's first guest. Photo: Contributed. Picture: Contributed