.png)
From Refugees to Educating Children of Missionaries serving in Asia: The Narayans
My Linh and Ravi Narayan
From their early childhood, Ravi and My Linh Narayan always knew that home was never a country or city. Born from the ashes of war, Ravi and My Linh had to flee their respective countries to build new lives in peaceful New Zealand. But before officially calling themselves Kiwis, both had to traverse uncharted waters, with their equal shares of danger and having to fight for every inch of the place they now call home.
“My parents got me here (New Zealand). It was that time when Fiji was in a coup and the majority of the people left because they were not sure of the political state of the country. I was quite young and so I ended up growing up here, loving the country, and becoming pretty much a Kiwi.” - Ravi
“When I was about 2 years old, after the Vietnam War, there was a mass exodus in the 1970s of families leaving in boats from Vietnam. My family was one of those, so we were in the sea for about 5 days. Sitting with my parents, we did not know whether we were going to make it or whether we would live or die, but God had a plan and brought us safely to Malaysia and from there, we stayed in a refugee camp and ended up getting sponsored into New Zealand.” - My Linh
Ravi and My Linh pretty much had a typical Kiwi upbringing but the stories of their past and ancestry always reminded them that they are to be grateful for the little things they have.
The two met in their senior year in high school and it might have been their common background or their thirst for adventure which brought them closer together. The friendship eventually blossomed into something more and throughout high school and university, they were envied for proving that teenage romance could work!
Ravi & My Linh's highschool photos
Not long after, they went to their next adventure, and this time as Mr. and Mrs. Narayan. The couple who had just celebrated their 23rd anniversary are more in love than ever, truly privileged, and yes, lucky, that they have each other.
After graduating from university, Mr. Narayan kicked off his career in the IT industry while Mrs. Narayan in a science-related job however both felt these were not the careers they were destined to do and decided to pursue professions they were truly passionate about. For Mr. Narayan, it was taking up acting and stunt roles while for Mrs. Narayan, it was becoming a pre-school and elementary teacher.
Ravi performing as a stunt double in The Hobbit Trilogy and appearing on live TV as a contestant for ‘New Zealand’s Got Talent’ making it successfully to the semi-finals
“I pretty much did my teaching career in New Zealand and then about 7 years ago, I decided I wanted to do international teaching and so I went to China. That was quite a big move but I felt that God was opening doors for me to go teach at an international school there. Then, I had a work colleague who was a teacher at an International Christian school in the Philippines and asked if I would be interested in going there. God just opened the doors and long story short, I eventually ended up in Manila” - My Linh
When the opportunity came for Mrs. Narayan to go to the Philippines, Mr. Narayan was more than willing to follow Mrs. Narayan and try international teaching himself for the first time, putting a temporary halt in his acting career to spend more time with his wife and doing it in the country they knew little about.
“Mrs. Narayan was in China for 4 years and I was traveling and working in and out of New Zealand. We have been apart for a long time and whatever the next change is, we had to do it together regardless of where we were. So, I canceled all my projects and decided to follow her to the Philippines and see what happens from there.” - Ravi
When they finally arrived in the Philippines, the couple described their stay as an experience they would not trade for anything else. A few of their favorite things to do in Manila are shopping and roaming around malls (since malls in New Zealand are not as big), exploring Intramuros and learning its rich history, enjoying Filipino cuisine and the bizarre street food, and the Manila commute, yes, the commute.
We did everything. MRTs, LRTs, UV Express, jeepneys and tricycles. And here is an interesting incident:
It’s getting late and I think it was the last jeepney and we were trying to get in but there was no more room, all the ladies got it and I was like, “Oh I’ll just hang on top”, like what a cool Filipino would do and a lady grabs her (My Linh) and she was just so lovely! She was like, “It’s okay, just sit on my lap!” It must be something very common but it was so out of our comfort zone but we just laughed at it.” - Ravi
“And she wouldn’t take no for an answer and so I sat on her lap the whole time even though she was an older lady. But it just shows how warm and welcoming Filipinos are. “ - My Linh
The Narayans in a jeepney!
When asked what the highlight of their stay was, there were a lot of things that came into their minds such as their first experience of having class canceled due to typhoons and volcanic eruptions, but above all else, both of them agreed that their highlight was the opportunity to teach in school.
“My experience in teaching was just wonderful. Loved the parents, the staff, and the students I worked with. I taught third graders and they were just a joyful bunch of kids and it is just a wonderful feeling to know that you are teaching these children so their parents who are missionaries can reach out to the communities.” - My Linh
“I really cherished those moments. I would give anything to do it again. I wished it was longer, seriously. I was not only able to give to the students but I took something from them as well, the learning process was mutual.” - Ravi
When countries began closing their borders due to the prevalent rise of COVID-19 cases, the couple had to make a quick decision and left the Philippines immediately for New Zealand before border restrictions made it harder for them to fly back. Sadly, the couple did not have the opportunity to say their proper farewells to the students and friends they had made in the Philippines. But life moves on and hopefully, someday, they could return to the country they unexpectedly found a home away from home.
For the Narayans, every adventure is an opportunity ordained by God and so, whether the calling for them is to stay in Middle Earth or cross seas to serve others, Ravi and My Linh could always turn a place into their home for home is never the building or the material wealth in it, but the people that live in it, the family, and the presence of God in their lives.