National Adult Literacy Database

September 6, 1999

Abe is a learner from the Learners Speakers Bureau in Manitoba.

 

Play an audio version of this story

Abe Friesen's Story

by Abe Friesen

My name is Abe Friesen. I was born in Mexico and raised in a family of four brothers and three sisters in a Mennonite village. My dad was working in a cheese factory. A few years later he became a teacher. When I was five, I started going to school. I was very unhappy because I was always picked on and pushed around. At age twelve, I went to work for a couple of years. At age fourteen, we moved to Ontario. It was exciting for a little while. My dad was always very abusive, but he became really terrible in Ontario. My brothers and sisters and I went to work in the fields and within two years or so we had over $40,000.00 in the bank. I ran away from home, my mother called and asked me to come home because she could not handle dad any more. I packed up my mother and the children and moved everyone to Manitoba.

In 1985, I met my wife and we were married in August of 1987. We have two beautiful daughters. At age 33, I am now getting my education. The reason for the schooling is that I had a chance to become a police officer for the town but I couldn't because I had no education. My daughter came home one day with a Grade 1 book and asked me to help her read it, but I couldn't read it. She said it was okay she would ask mom. My wife has her Grade 12 education. I am now attending Pembina Valley Learning Centre. I am the Manitoba Provincial Learner Representative and I am very happy now.