Lucas Mayasi was born in the middle of war in southern Africa. The former child soldier's adaptation to Finland did not go smoothly – it took years to unravel the trauma encapsulated in his body. Now Mayasi wants to share how he found a new beginning and to give hope for those who are in the same situation as he was.
“I myself can’t quite fathom how well things now are, after everything that’s happened.”
– Lucas De Macks Mayasi
Lucas De Macks Mayasi answers his phone after he’s finished his shift. “I can’t believe it, I forgot this interview! The phone reminded me, but I knew I’d forget it!” Mayasi is bursting with rippling laughter and joyful energy. He says bye to his coworkers, jumps behind the wheel of his car and begins to recount the twists and turns of his past like he’s talking to an old friend. Along with his siblings, Mayasi arrived in Finland 20 years ago. “We were told that there is peace here. We knew nothing about Europe or Finland and had no idea where we were coming to.” His father, having fled the Angolan military, applied for asylum in Finland right before Mayasi was born. “The entire family was punished for that, and my pregnant mother was drafted into the army. As a child, I had no idea what normal life was like. All I knew was that this is how we all live, with guns in our hands already as children.” The trauma of a war-torn childhood caused Mayasi pain, shame, and rage for a long time after arriving in Finland. “I couldn’t imagine the world as a good, reliable, and safe place. Instead, I learned to always keep my wits about me and sense danger around me." Today, Mayasi is a father of two with a meaningful job. Integrating into Finnish culture and work has required persistence, bravery, and a supportive community. “I myself can’t quite fathom how well things now are, after everything that’s happened.” Read Lucas Mayasi’s career story through the three crossroads of his life:
1. The army left its mark – “Not everyone has a happy childhood”
“I didn’t have a safe home where I could be a child and play. My mother worked in the military since I was born, and that’s what my life revolved around. With the army, we moved a lot, and didn’t have our own address. That was normal for me at the time. We intimidated people and thought we had the right to enter a village and just take what we wanted. It brough a sense of control in the midst of chaos, although really we had no control over our life. I slept, ate, and drank when I had a permission to do so. There wasn't always food or water. I vividly remember how difficult it was to remain silent when I needed to cough; and I also remember the distress I felt when I was threatened with drowning for crying. My mind has stored memories of events as sounds, images, smells, and bodily experiences. It’s difficult to put into words the feelings that going through these memories brings about. Even I myself wouldn’t want to think about having lived a life like that. My childhood has left a permanent mark on me, and I don’t like to talk about it even to the people closest to me. Long-term therapy has helped me the most in dealing with the trauma. Despite the horror and inhumanity of everything that happened, I still think that my childhood has made me the person I am now. I’ve learned persistence in the face of adversity as well as to think that I don’t want to waste my life in bitterness.”
2. Adapting wasn’t easy – “Making friends was a crucial moment”
“We were told our mother had died. My brother and sister and I applied for asylum in Finland. Our father had already arrived, so we came to look for him. I was a teenager at the time. We went through the required DNA tests, and it turned out that our sister wasn’t our biological sibling. It was a shock; we had spent our entire childhood together. Our sister didn’t adapt to life in Finland and went back to Angola. My brother and I still keep in touch with her. Our father, too, has returned to Africa. We always though our mother had been killed. However, she had been found years earlier, and we managed to get in touch with her in 2012. Before that there was no one through whom the information could’ve passed. The first video call with my mother was a magical moment; we were just staring at each other in silence. Unfortunately, my mother passed before we could meet in person. The only memory of her we have is a picture I took during a video call. At first, I had huge difficulties living a balanced life in Finland. Due to my childhood trauma, I was unable to express my feelings or take responsibility on my own initiative. It seemed impossible to love or be loved. I changed jobs frequently, and I didn’t feel welcome anywhere. I was in financial distress and lost with my life. Then came the turning point I think saved my life. I was encouraged to apply for my current job in my older brother’s footsteps. From the very first moment I felt welcome and not alone. That really makes a huge difference – feeling like you are part of a group.”
3. A community that felt like home – “Committing to this work saved me”
“My older brother works at the logistics center in Vantaa and encouraged me to apply for a job here. My perception of working at Posti was completely wrong; I thought everyone delivered mail. My brother showed me a video of the Vantaa logistics center, full of people, machines, and hustle and bustle. I got excited. I started as a seasonal worker seven years ago, and now I have a permanent contract. I work as a sorting employee, and I also advise new employees in their work. I make sure newcomers get to join the team and learn the right ways of doing things. I also take part in job interviews. I’m a positive person, and I want to share joy and energy to others. I know my job like the back of my hand, and I enjoy meeting new people, so guiding others suits me well. I find it easy to work with people from different cultures even if we don’t have a strong common language. That’s definitely a strength in the role of a work advisor. I can also be strict and, for example, tell people to get off their phones, because this is a workplace, not a bus stop. My job at Posti brought me a sense of hope that everything will be alright – and it all worked out. Here I can be myself, and the community feels like home. Thanks to my job, I can provide two wonderful children a better start in life than I myself had. I can genuinely recommend Posti as a workplace. It might be the best in Finland. My goal is to continue to develop in my work, and I’m here for as long as my contribution is needed. I also dream of being able to visit my home country. I’d like to show my children how tall the mango trees their father once planted have grown.”
5 reasons why Lucas Mayasi enjoys his job at Posti
1. A caring environment: "People here treat each other well. The hierarchy is flat and informal, and superiors have respect for employees. We have zero tolerance for bullying and racism." 2. Wide-ranging opportunities: “I get to work as a sorting employee as well as an advisor. The tasks are varied, and days go by very quickly.” 3. A diverse community: “We have people of different ages, from various countries and backgrounds, and thinking in different ways. Everyone can be who they are. There are more than 80 nationalities working at Posti.” 4. Development opportunities: “Posti has vacancies that don’t require previous experience. With us, you get to learn new things and develop quickly. There are plenty of opportunities for career advancement within the company.” 5. An impactful job: “At the Vantaa logistics center, we sort a continuous flow of parcels, as more than a million packages go through the parcel services every week. Posti has an impact on everyone’s daily life.” Career story created in cooperation with Duunitori. Author: Janette Rosi. Photo: Katariina Salmi.