In today’s world, there are so many things we take for granted. Oftentimes, were too busy rushing through life to sit back and appreciate the beauty around us— but this adorable video is a refreshing reminder to do just that.
Canadian Rebecca Davies has been housing a refugee family from Eritrea, Africa.
The East African country, with 6 million residents, is considered to have one of the most repressive regimes in the world. The president Isaias Afwerki has been in power for over two decades, putting in place what the UN has described as “a pervasive control system used in absolute arbitrariness to keep the population in a permanent state of anxiety.”
For Eritrean residents, each day is filled with fear. The country has been compared to an African version of North Korea, with an absence of free press, ubiquity of violence, and a heavily controlled populace. In fact, in the 2015 Freedom House report, Eritrea was listed as one of the 12 “Worst of the Worst” countries in terms of civil liberties and political rights. With these horrific conditions, it’s no surprise it’s also one of the biggest producers of refugees.
After fleeing Eritrea and living in a Sudanese refugee camp, the family was delighted to finally be in Canada and ready to experience what the country had to offer.
Although snowfall isn’t anything exciting for most Canadians, for the refugee mother and her four children, it was something entirely new. So, when the snow started falling a few weeks ago, the family was in for a pleasant surprise. In an interview with CBC News, Davies said: “I looked up and there were big, fat snowflakes.”
“We talked the day before about weather in Canada. So I called them, and they all ran to the window.”
Davies wanted the capture the children’s reaction when they saw snow for the first time— and after being retweeted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the heartwarming video quickly went viral.
According to Davies, the children couldn’t wait to play in the cold powder. “They ran, opened the big patio doors themselves, which is a very hard and heavy door, and just ran out, and put their faces up to the sky and started twirling,” she said.
In the video, you see the two children in complete, unadulterated joy as they laugh and twirl beneath the falling flakes.
It’s touching to see them so excited and happy after everything they’ve gone through— especially over snow, something we take for granted every day. As mentioned, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau somehow caught wind of Davie’s video, retweeting it and writing:
“Amazing— now convince them that shoveling is fun and you’re all set. Thank you for everything you do, Rebecca. #WelcomeToCanada”
Since being uploaded, Rebecca’s video has been viewed over 4 million times.
Recently, refugees have been stigmatized in national policies and the media alike. “I’m hoping [this video] also makes others rethink their stance on the topic of newcomers and immigration,” Davis added in a comment.
On behalf of my fellow Canadians, I’d like to let the family know that we’re very happy to have them— and as Prime Minister Trudeau so quaintly tweeted, #WelcomeToCanada, eh.
Watch the heartwarming video below.
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