Updated Friday, Nov 30, 2007

N.C. Baptists help refugees settle in North Carolina

By Dianna L. Cagle

BR Asst. Managing Editor

Working with refugees can change your outlook on life.

"I feel like I get so much more out of it than they do," said Sharon Richardson. "I've learned from them."

Richardson, a member of First Baptist Church in Hillsborough, has helped the Htoo family since they arrived in North Carolina in October 2006.

Originally scheduled to live in Carrboro in September 2006, a coup in Thailand interrupted the Htoos' trek to America. The apartment in Carrboro was leased and other housing couldn't be arranged, so the Htoos' first stop was in Raleigh.

Krit Hey Htoo, along with his wife, Say Ray, and three daughters, Tee See, 18, Dah Eh, 15, and Gay Doh, 12, lived in a refugee camp for nine years. Richardson said she saw pictures from a United Nations refugee camp. More than 9,000 people were living on 16 acres of land.

Richardson's Sunday School class collected furniture and other supplies to help the family furnish their apartment.

"They're so eager to succeed," she said. "They just need a little guidance."

The third day after they arrived at their apartment, Richardson said she came to check on them and found them with no heat.

"They didn't know how to turn on power," she said.

When Richardson was helping them move from Raleigh to Carrboro in July 2007, she found the family had stockpiled 19 bags of rice.

"They don't quite understand that there will always be food here ... that they won't be hungry here," she said.

Once they arrived in Carr-boro, they came to Richardson's church every Sunday.

The family took the prayer list home to pray for the needs of the church and its members.

Because of Baptist history in Burma (see related story, page 7), now known as Myanmar, Richardson said it seemed like "they were very familiar with our service."

And when the offering plate was passed, "they put money in," even though they don't have a lot.

The family was fully supported for three months through donations from churches and individuals. Lutheran Family Services worked with them to help find a job for Krit Heh and Say Ray.

Krit Heh got a full-time job in February but changed jobs when he moved to Carrboro in July.

The new job was an adjustment. The business held his paycheck for a month, and the family wasn't sure how to pay their bills. They asked the church for advice.

Richardson's Sunday School class took up a love offering to get them through that month.

Htoo bikes to work, at the overnight shift.

Say Ray injured her shoulder and had to quit her last job because of repetitive motion. Through therapy, she is gaining her range back and is looking for work.

"They are very eager to work," Richardson said. "His goal is to buy a house large enough for his whole family."

The family has gotten involved with an outreach ministry at the church.

"They give so much," Richardson said.

On the second Thursday of each month, Richardson's class gathers to make food for the homeless. The Htoos joined them recently to help.

"They were amazed we were giving food to people who are hungry," she said.

A sponsorship generally lasts from three to six months. Richardson said once it got past the six-month period, the relationship "moved into friendship phase."

Recently Richardson showed them how to get to the post office so they can buy their own stamps, something she had been doing for them.

She said they had no idea that when the Htoos came that they were Christians. When moving them, church members came across a hymnal as well as an illustrated Bible story book in their language.

Within three weeks of arrival, Say Ray had looked up church in the dictionary and asked about going.

The youngest is in seventh grade and the two oldest are in ninth grade.

"The school system is just phenomenal," said Richardson.

The school split the English as a Second Language class up because "they realized the Hispanics and Karen were on different levels," she said.

The Karen people are an ethnic group in Southeast Asia enduring an ethnic cleansing in Burma. Between 500,000 and one million Karen live in hiding within their country, but many others live in nine refugee camps along the Thailand border.

More than 15 Karen are in the ESL class.

"Every week or so a new family moves in," Richardson said. Working with refugees has "opened eyes" to waste.

"I've never been hungry," Richardson said. "Other than food they don't buy anything."

Richardson still receives one or two calls a week with people who have furniture to donate.

Dah Eh learned English quickly. Richardson called her the "welcome ambassador" for new arrivals. She contacts Richardson to see if the church can supply needs for the new families.

"They just help each other so much," Richardson said.

At Christmas last year, the Sunday School class got the family things they wouldn't get for themselves: musical instruments including a keyboard and guitar, and a sewing machine for mom. A lot of fabric was also donated.

When the family makes their own clothes, you see the blend of American and Karen cultures.

"It's a great thing," she said.

Other refugees

in North Carolina

Karen people are currently staying in seven cities around North Carolina: New Bern (262); Carrboro (143); High Point (136); Raleigh (132); Greensboro (129); Chapel Hill (55); and Durham (8). There's about 13,000 Karen refugees across the United States.

According to Lutheran Family Services (LFS), Karen families began arriving in North Carolina in August 2006.

Brianne Casey of LFS said other refugees are arriving as well, from Somalia and Burundi. LFS is seeking sponsors for the families. Casey said many of the Karen who are coming have been living in refugee camps for as many as 10 years.

"I see time and time again the difference co-sponsorship makes to the arriving refugee and to the church family," she said.

Since 1979, more than 9,000 individuals have been resettled in North and South Carolina as a result of LFS refugee resettlement initiative.

LFS defines a refugee as a person who has a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or afraid to return to their country.

Resettlement Program

Through Richardson's work with the Karen, she learned they don't like to be called Burmese. A web site set up by a missionary has helped her better understand the Karen.

According to http://karenkonnection.org, the Karen being resettled come through the Federal Refugee Resettlement Program. Each year, the president establishes a quota representing the maximum number of refugees to be admitted to the U.S.

Resettlement is voluntary

The Karen are being forced to flee their traditional homes due to what many call an ethnic cleansing program being carried out by the military government of Burma. Many Karen live in hiding for years within Burma, moving from place to place to keep ahead of army troops hunting them. When they run out of options, they flee into Thailand where some 155,000 are living in refugee camps.