o
A.D.
The waves of migration bring also to Finland -
from all over the world people who all have their own story.
We ask what it's like to be an immigrant in Finland.
And what it is like in an international congregation,
where every nation and tribe come together already in this time.
Oge Eneh was born in Nigeria.
She came to Finland in 1984 to study at Helsinki university.
I remember when I arrived in Helsinki-Vantaa airport.
It was beautiful. Everything was new. It was Autumn 1985.
It was very interesting.
What did you know about Finland back then?
Not much.
We had a geography course in high school in Nigeria.
We learned that Finland is the land of midnight sun -
and tundra region.
We learned that in Finland the period of darkness lasts 6 months -
and the period of sun lasts 6 months.
I tried to imagine how cold it could get.
I had been told that it was like 3 times the freezer temperature.
It was hard to imagine what it would be like.
I couldn't imagine it.
When I came here, it was wonderful.
It was a sunny day in August.
People were smiling.
Oge arrived with her boyfriend who was granted a scholarship.
They got married soon after arriving in Finland.
I started my studies soon after arrival.
My schedule was ready.
I went to the university of Helsinki.
There was an exam waiting for me.
They gave me books to read for the exam.
The exam was 4 weeks after my arrival.
We went to Temple Square Church.
In Nigeria we used to go to church every Sunday.
My parents took us there.
I asked about a church.
I found out that in the Temple Square Church -
there was an American pastor, who preached in English.
At first I went there.
I didn't understand Finnish.
What was the most difficult thing at the beginning?
The most difficult thing was leaving my family in Nigeria.
I missed my friends and Nigerian food.
Back in 1985 there wasn't ethnic food available in Finland.
Another thing was that it was hard to do my hair.
Back then I had curly hair.
I used to go to the hairdresser often.
I asked if they could do my hair.
They couldn't. They said my hair was too strong.
Those were the difficulties.
Kansainvälinen ilmapiiri.
Jumalan tunteminen.
Se on tärkeää.
Ihmiset. Ystävällinen ilmapiiri.
Kotoisuus.
Hei! Tervetuloa kristillisen ohjelman pariin. Olen Simon Rose...
Simon Rose has moved to Finland from Great Britain.
He moved to Finland after his relationship.
Simon teaches English.
Simon also hosts an international radio program at Radio Dei.
Ohjelma on suunnattu -
Helsingin alueella asuville kristityille ulkomaalaisille, -
jotka etsivät kotiseurakuntaa ja haluavat tavata muita kristittyjä.
Tavoitteenamme on, -
että ihmiset löytäisivät Espoon kansainväliseen seurakuntaan.
Lisäksi haluamme tavoittaa ulkomaalaisia ei-kristittyjä, -
joiden on ehkä vaikea asettua Suomeen.
Itse tiedän, millaista on asua Suomessa ulkomaalaisena.
Kansainvälinen seurakunta on huippupaikka.
Pyrimme tavoittamaan ihmiset radio-ohjelman avulla -
ja auttamaan heitä sisälle yhteiskuntaan.
Miten hyvin tavoitatte ihmisiä?
Palaute on ollut melko hyvää.
Ensimmäisen viikon jälkeen seurakuntaan tuli uusia ihmisiä.
Kyselimme heiltä, miten he olivat kuulleet seurakunnasta.
He kertoivat kuulleensa siitä radiosta.
Tiesimme, että ohjelmiamme kuunnellaan.
Jos pystymme tavoittamaan muutamiakin ihmisiä, -
ohjelma on toimiva.
EICF, Espoo International Christian Fellowship is a colorful place.
People from up to 70 nations has visited EICF.
Usually there are about 20 nationalities represented.
Pastor Arto Sädeaho is truly a man in his place.
He is a Finn who has lived in Indonesia.
Now he leads the Espoo International Christian Fellowship.
There are diplomats, expatriates, -
multicultural families, international students, -
tourists, -
and also Finns, who have become international -
and who have their spiritual home in an international atmosphere.
What are the difficulties that the foreigners encounter here?
When you come into a foreign land, -
you have to learn everything anew.
These people are not stupid. They are survivors.
They may be refugees.
Their problems are much like our everyday problems.
Where to get food, a job? How to arrange childcare?
A multicultural marriage is a special challenge.
It's an extra challenge.
What cultural differences there are between Finland and Nigeria?
The biggest difference is that the Finns don't speak much.
I miss the communication.
In Africa we speak much, but not in earnest.
In Nigeria people speak small talk.
They speak about something interesting -
but not in a very deep level.
They don't worry if what they say is a proofed fact or not.
It's a big difference.
In Finland people don't speak, -
because they don't want to make mistakes.
They are like data processing computers.
It's a big problem.
Millaisia eroja on brittiläisessä ja suomalaisessa kulttuurissa?
Kulttuureissamme on monia yhteneväisyyksiä.
Kummatkin maat ovat länsimaita.
Asiat toteutetaan samalla tavalla kummassakin maassa.
Tarkemmin katsottuna kulttuureissamme on isoja eroja.
Suurimmat erot ovat sosiaalisessa ympäristössä.
Suomalaiset ovat hieman varautuneempia kuin britit.
He eivät ole niin avoimia kuin britit.
Britit ovat kärkkäämpiä puhumaan.
Se tuntui erilaiselta jo ihan alussa.
Suomalaisissa on paljon positiivisia piirteitä.
Suomalaiset ovat järjestelmällisiä ja tarkkoja aikatauluista.
Jos joku sanoo tulevansa aamu- yhdeksältä, hän on paikalla silloin
Se oli minulle uutta.
Tapasin aluksi olla englantilaisittain hieman myöhässä.
Siitä tuli pulmatilanteita.
Nämä ovat pieniä mutta merkittäviä asioita.
You have lived as a foreigner in Indonesia for 7 years.
What kind of an effect did it have on you?
I have adopted a certain attitude.
When my wife an I left, we took our wedding picture with us.
When we took a hotel room, the first thing we did was -
set the picture on the table, even if we stayed just for three days.
In those years I learned to understand a person -
who can't speak the local language, communicate, -
or read the non-verbal messages in the surrounding culture.
If we think of that -
even if there intentions were good, -
people interpret us the way they're used to in their culture.
The behavior of immigrants is often wrongly interpreted.
Their attitudes are often wrongly interpreted.
What eased the adaptation to Indonesia?
We were lucky to know a missionary couple.
They had lived in Indonesia for many years.
The missionary, Manu Yrjölä said to me -
that one shouldn't go with full sails in unknown waters.
It's a just advice for someone who moves abroad.
I guess I try to be myself at all times.
It doesn't mean to act badly.
I try to be myself and people sense it.
People know if you are a fake.
When you are yourself, you can reach out to people.
Tulee tilanteita, joissa ihmiset suhtautuvat positiivisesti.
Jotkut innostuvat ulkomaalais- taustasta ja haluavat tietää lisää.
He kyselevät, miksi olen tullut Suomeen.
Joissakin tilanteissa taas kohtaa päinvastaista suhtautumista.
Tilanne halutaan pitää hyvin suomalaisena.
Sellaiseen ympäristöön pääseminen voi olla haastavaa.
Kielimuuri tuo ongelmia.
Ymmärtämisvaikeudet estävät pääsyä tiettyihin ympäristöihin.
Kerran esimerkiksi pelasimme jalka- palloa. Puhuin pelissä englantia.
Eräs mies tiuskaisi: "Opettelisit suomea."
Lisäksi mies sanoi jotakin muuta, mitä en tässä halua toistaa.
Tietyt tilanteet ovat haastavia.
How has moving to Finland changed your identity?
Finland has made a lot of work in me.
I'm grateful that I decided to move here.
Here I have had an opportunity to think why am I in the world.
Rick Warren asks in his book: -
"Miksi olemme maailmassa?"
I have had a space to think.
It wouldn't have been possible in Nigeria.
Nigeria is noisy with all the relatives coming and going.
In Finland I've had to find out who am I.
Finland has educated me.
I have an university degree. I'm a Master of Education.
I've raised two children as a single mom.
Finland has offered me an environment.
The church has been very important to me.
I've got a lot of material and work experience.
I want to help build Finland.
I want to offer people love and joy of Christ -
which I myself have received in Finland.
Haluaisin ajatella, ettei identiteettini ole muuttunut, -
mutta luonnollisesti Suomessa asuminen on muuttanut minua.
Se on muuttanut minua parempaan suuntaan.
Olen järjestelmällisempi ja aikaansaavempi kuin ennen.
Englannissa tapasin viivytellä asioihin tarttumista.
Jätin kaikki viime tippaan. Joskus toimin niin edelleen.
Olen opetellut hoitamaan asiat saman tien.
Se on ollut muutos parempaan.
Olen ehkä tullut myös hiljaisemmaksi.
En enää puhu niin kärkkäästi.
Se ei minusta ole mikään huono asia.
Between times Simon has lived in England.
His home is now in Finland, because his wife is a half-Finn.
Simon came recently to Christ. It has changed his life.
Tulin uskoon vasta vähän aikaa sitten.
Siitä on noin puolitoista vuotta.
Asuin silloin nykyisen vaimoni kanssa Englannissa.
Se tapahtui miltei vahingossa.
Vaimoni on ollut uskossa lapsesta saakka.
Vaimoni etsi seurakuntaa Britanniassa.
Koetin auttaa häntä tarjoamalla kyytiä kirkkoon, -
ettei hänen tarvitse mennä yksin.
Jäinkin kuuntelemaan.
Kuuntelinkin tarkasti. Pastorin puhe kiinnosti minua.
Se herätti minussa kaipuuta.
Ei siinä silloin muuta ollut. Sanoma tuntui kiinnostavalta.
Vaimoni kysyi myöhemmin, mitä olin pitänyt kirkosta.
Vastasin viihtyneeni. Kävin siellä muutaman kerran.
Sanoma puhutteli minua joka kerta.
Oli kuin sanoma olisi osoitettu suoraan minulle.
Ajan oloon aloin uskoa sanomaan.
Aloinkin etsiä vastauksia minua askarruttaviin kysymyksiin.
Keskustelin ihmisten kanssa.
Kuuntelin saarnoja.
Luin myös tiettyjä kirjoja.
Lopulta en enää pystynyt torjumaan ajatusta Jumalan olemassaolosta.
Ymmärsin, että minun oli ryhdyttävä seuraamaan Kristusta.
Lopulta en enää voinut perääntyä.
En halunnut kieltää, että olen löytänyt totuuden.
Sitten eräänä päivänä englantilaisessa kirkossa -
päätin antaa elämäni Kristukselle.
Se oli puolitoista vuotta sitten huhtikuussa.
Se oli suuri päivä.
There is a certain taster of eternal life at the EICF.
Bible tells us that one day every nation and tribe -
will join to praise the Living God at an eternal family party.
Täällä näkee erilaisia kasvoja ja kasvonpiirteitä.
Täällä näkee erilaisia ihmisiä.
Tämä on kuin maailma pienoiskoossa. Se on kristusruumis.
Sitä tuntee olevansa osa tätä perhettä vai mitä?
Kyllä. Olemme olleet täällä noin puoli vuotta.
Tämä on ollut meille turvasatama.
Olemme tutustuneet ihaniin ihmisiin.
Jeesus Kristus rakentaa keskinäistä yhteyttämme.
Suomeen tullessamme emme tunteneet täältä ketään.
On siunaavaa tulla uskovien yhteyteen tutkimaan Raamattua.
Tulee väistämättä mieleen, että ikuisuudessa on tällaista.
Uskon, että Herra haluaa näyttää meille pilkahduksia tulevasta.
Kiitän Herraa tulevaisuudesta ja toivosta.
Se ei koske pelkästään tätä päivää vaan tulevaisuutta.
En tiedä, miten olisin pärjännyt ilman kansainvälistä seurakuntaa.
Ehkä olisin etääntynyt uskosta uutena uskovana -
ja vielä vieraassa maassa.
Kansainvälisessä seurakunnassa käy ihmisiä, -
jotka ovat olleet samassa tilanteessa.
Siellä käy kokeneempia uskovia, joilta saan apua ja neuvoja.
Seurakunta sopii kaikille kansainvälisille ihmisille, -
jotka etsivät kotia ja haluavat olla kristuskeskeisiä.
What have you learned from people through this work?
Everybody is equal.
They may be valued by what they are.
However, they are equal in God's eyes, -
and they should be equal in our eyes.
What have you learned from God?
God loves everyone.
He doesn't differentiate us based on what we mentioned earlier.
What have you learned from the church?
The congregation should be a warm place.
A place where people can feel at home.
It's not a religious ritual, but a place where they can come -
with their joys and worries, succeeded or beaten.
It's not only a place of provision, but also a place of rest.
You can know that a church is a welcoming place, -
if people are in no hurry to go home.
Think about a family with a really caring mother.
Children love to bring friends home.
There's an atmosphere of love. They have love one to other.
Which attitude or prejudice towards an immigrant -
would you like to correct?
Well...
I've worked as a teacher in multicultural education.
The Finns are very logical.
Finland has never been a colony.
The Finns read much literature.
The Finns know very much about slavery and superpowers, -
such as the USA and Great Britain.
The Finns read much, but they don't talk much.
When the Finns meet people from a developing country, -
they are full of knowledge of what they've read, -
but they are not able to get to know them as a person.
They don't want to talk.
Some may try if the stereotypes work.
This is a big problem.
For instance I came from Africa. I didn't know much about Russia -
or about the Russian culture.
Now, when I've worked here, -
I've spent one of my summer holidays in Moscow.
I've made friends with a Russian girl.
I can now say I know a person, Galina, from that culture.
First, meet a person. After that learn to know about the culture.
Literature and reading is good.
But if the knowledge is based only on that level, -
it's not a good thing.
If you were an absolute ruler, what would you change about Finland?
Before I arrived in Finland it was important for me to know -
in what kind of a country I was going to live in.
I knew that Finland was a Lutheran society.
When I arrived here, -
the first course I had was "History of Finland".
We learned that the Finnish economy depends on forest.
I have seen the movie "The Unknown Soldier".
When Finland was at war with the Soviet Union, -
the soldiers prayed.
In my opinion the Finns should keep in mind, -
what their grandfathers have done for them.
They have also sent many missionaries to Africa.
God can still help Finland, -
if Finland turns back to God and prays as a nation.
God is merciful. He can forgive our sins and heal the land.
Suomennos/Subtitles: Marianne Tenetz