Name
Jaji, Peter M.

Birthplace
Sydney, Australia

Lives
Sydney, Australia

Your organisation/community Western Suburbs Touch Football Representative Club

Profile

I was born early morning on Australia Day 1959. I have a brother and six sisters. My father (now deceased) and mother came from Lebanon in the late 1940s. I am a Maronite Catholic, though baptised in a Roman Catholic church. My parents raised their family by teaching us love and affection for each other. We remain a bonded family to this day. My family name is an adopted one from a nickname extending from Dad's birthplace. Dad kept it when he came to Australia. The rest of my family in Lebanon kept their traditional name.

I lived and grew up in a cul de sac. Across the road was a large park, this remains the family home. Saturday sport was predominant in the park. I spent many a weekend playing and mixing with all kinds of people and children.

Growing up was not easy but remained enjoyable. I was in a minority ethnic group. We ate different foods and spoke a different laguage at home. Mum would bake traditional bread every few weeks. Our local community were friendly and we shared many meals together. Mum's bread became known as Newspaper bread. I called it "Jaji Telegraph".

At nine I took up soccer playing a few years then finally joined a league team when nineteen – The West Ryde Denistone Stones" then later I joined "Ryde Devils". I also played in the Sydney Buisness comp held at the Domain park in Sydney. I stopped due to injury. In 1979 I joined a Touch football team and have been playing at Wests Touch Every year since. I am now also a level 2 referee. I enjoy mosts facets of my involvement with Touch Football. I now play weekly with my nephew Michael.

I am a proud father of a boy of 14 and a girl of 16. Unfortunately I am no longer married. I have learned from my children as much as I have taught them. Sharing the love of my family is very important to me. I now teach my children the same love and affection I was taught by my parents.

Living alone can at times be so empty, my life is only truly full when my children stay with me. I try to stay close with my brother and sisters and their own families.

I always look foreard to sharing special times with my whole family:-children, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephew, great nieces and great nephews. Someday I hope gradchildren.

I hope my legacy, like my Dad, is one of family love and affection. I hope also all people find in their hearts that we are all the family of God's children.