Behnam finds the confidence to serve

Behnam K, 35, is an Iranian refugee who came to Avondale “a broken man” in search of an education that would be good for his head and his heart.

Ben is the only member of his family who is a Christian. The freedom—from guilt and shame in particular—appealed but persecution did not. He escaped to Indonesia in 2012, spending “18 days of hell” in a smuggler’s hands then five days on an ocean-going fishing boat where hundreds of people died. He remembers the cries of the children onboard. “AlI I could do was pray.” After five months of detention on Christmas Island then in Darwin and the Kimberley, Ben received a temporary protection visa.

Volunteering at Concord Hospital led to a new career: nursing. Ben found a job with Adventist Aged Care in Sydney and met nurses who’d studied at Avondale. As someone who now suffered anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia, he liked what he heard about the focus on wholistic care. “Avondale welcomed me, respected me. The staff didn’t talk about the care they’d provide, they showed it, and I felt it.”

Receiving an economic hardship grant helped, but it wasn’t about the money. “It was about people thinking of me,” says Ben. “I knew they knew I was having a tough time.” He encourages other students to reach out. “Get to know the staff and be open about your needs. I can assure you you’ll be safe and supported.”

With a positive attitude and self-assuredness, Ben is “a totally different person.” He graduated in December with a Bachelor of Nursing and received a prize from the school for consistent effort and accomplishment. The experience has given him confidence to help others. He now works at Sydney Adventist Hospital and wants others to experience what he has. “We need more nurses who understand how to care for a patient’s body and soul.”