MS. Maria Bumeh
Faith, Resilience, and Teaching from the Heart
My name is Maria Bumeh.
I have been working at Church Childcare Plus for over five years, and I truly love every part of it. Becoming a teacher has always been my dream, a dream that started when I watched my father work as a kindergarten teacher in a refugee camp.
I was born in Kayah State, Burma, but because of the war, my family fled to Thailand. We lived in a refugee camp there for 15 years. Eventually, we were able to come to the United States in hopes of a better future.
When I arrived in America, I was a teenager and didn’t speak any English. Starting high school was very difficult for me, but I was blessed to have supportive ESL teachers who helped me through it all. They believed in me, guided me, and made sure I graduated. Although my GPA was low, I didn’t let that stop me. I kept learning, studying, and working hard toward my goal of becoming a teacher.
Now, I get to live that dream every day. I work with wonderful children, and I’m able to teach, guide, and share what I’ve learned with them. But it’s not just me teaching them; they teach me, too. Every day, I learn something new from my students. The staff I work with are also incredibly supportive, always there to help and guide me.
Three years ago, I had the chance to go back and visit the refugee camp in Thailand where I lived. It was emotional to see the place where I spent so many years of my life. Sadly, there is still a war going on in Burma, and many of my people continue to flee their homes, just as my family once did. New families and children are arriving at the camp, hoping for safety and a better future.
The most rewarding part of being a preschool teacher is seeing my students grow and graduate, moving on to the next step in their journey. That moment always reminds me why I chose this path. It fills me with pride and gives me hope for their future, just as I once had hope for mine.
