INTERFAITH REFUGEE MINSTRY

Transcription

1 INTERFAITH REFUGEE MINSTRY Why Should You Care? Shouldn t we worry about our neighbor before some stranger on the other side of the planet, or American racism, hunger, shelter, inequality gaps in healthcare and education? The correct answer is (D) All of the above. The Diocese of East Carolina has many ministries which are not prioritized on a checklist, but rather equal parts to the whole, limbs of the body of Christ. All must be tended to in order to carry out God s good work.

2 Diocesan House staff had the pleasure of attending the Interfaith Refugee Ministry Fundraiser dinner on Saturday evening. We were greeted by a welcoming line of youth volunteers at the door of the Harrison Center in New Bern. The evening s program announced a night of international cuisine and performances by a Congolese Music Group, Karenni singers, Kachin dancer, Mon dancer, and Chin singers. Executive Director Susan S. Husson began the night with a short round of announcements and an introduction of the Chef Mark Krcmar. Mark walked out of the kitchen, broad shouldered, in a polo shirt, with a booming voice that seemed accustomed to speaking over the noise of a boat engine. He welcomed the room and said that he was not a chef but was the son of refugees. Both his mother and father were refugees. His mother and her family were thrown out of Indonesia during the civil war in the mid-fifties. His grandmother was from The Netherlands so they were forcibly ejected from the country along with many other families who were not fully Indonesian. His father escaped from Czechoslovakia in the 1950s after the Soviets took control. He cut through a barbed wire fence that separated Czechoslovakia from Austria and fled into Austria. His Mom and Dad met in New Jersey where his father was an engineer and his mother worked at the same company as a translator. Mark is now compelled to give back by not only cooking for wall to wall crowds but also by teaching at the Epiphany School of Global Studies. Countries in conflict shift with each decade from Europe to Africa, to Asia. The refugee groups represented Saturday night were from Myanmar (Burma) and the Congo. Myanmar is located between India and China on the northern border of Thailand. The country has been torn apart by civil war, military regimes, and internal conflict between minority groups. In the 2012 Karen Conflict, the pro-christian Independent army clashed with the government while the Rohingya Muslims also took on the government; the Shan, Lahu, and Karen minority groups fought among themselves. The Muslim conflict caught the attention of Al-Qaeda who proclaimed that they would rescue their Muslim brothers. Myanmar has not been a safe place. The Chin minority group in Myanmar is heavily persecuted by the government. It is estimated that 60,000 Chin refugees have been pushed out by parents in the effort to save the children from being forced to walk in front of troops as human mine sweepers. The ongoing Karen conflict persists to maintain and advance autonomy as an independent state within Myanmar. This side bar conflict began in 1949 and has killed an estimated 100,000 Karen people. African Christianity has been accepted and proliferated by the ruling class of Kongo people since the start of the 16 th century. Complex conflict began with the 1996 invasion of the Democratic Republic of Congo by Rwanda in search of those who took part in the 1994 genocide. Years of war continued. A peace accord was signed in However unrest remains and armed groups fight among themselves and the central government for control of the region s resources. According to a 2012 US Department of State report, the Congo armed groups have committed numerous and serious abuses including unlawful killings, mass rape, and torture. The Congo is one of the most dangerous places for women.

3 PEOPLE NEED TO ESCAPE, WHO PAYS? Uncle Sam is a major player in both funding the refugee program and setting the ceiling for how many can enter the country. The Trump campaign rallied on Build the Wall. That current

4

5 ideology has found its way into all aspects of immigration. Here are the basics. Refugees need a

6 plane ticket, a place to live, furniture, transportation solution, help with adapting to cultural differences, language, and job placement. In order to supply these needs there must be paid support staff. Staff cost is one place where the US government kicks in. However if the people quota is lowered, so is the aid budget. When the aid budget drops below staff sustainability, we ll have a problem. Susan Hussan says this about the current federal climate, The administration s order regarding refugees has had local impact because there have been no arrivals for the IRM office since June. In addition, the budget had been set last year in consultation with the State Refugee Office and Episcopal Migration Ministries for a total of 210 people for Fiscal Year We had 86. That meant that there was less money for administrative costs which in turn meant that 3 part-time staff were let go; all staff had hours reduced by 20%; one staff person is working half time and one full-time staff person was let go. Office in other areas of the country have been closed which means that staff with many years of accumulated service have been lost. Our Wilmington office has been closed for arrivals but remains to serve refugees already there. The cost in human suffering is beyond count as properly and extensively vetted refugees overseas with and wonder if they will ever be reunited with husbands, wives, and children. The average wait in a refugee camp is 17 years. Some overseas refugees who were ready to depart were not able to do so because of the ban and will now have to begin the vetting and medical exam process all over. Interfaith proposed number for Fiscal 2018 is 85 with few to none expected in the first or second quarter. We continue to serve those here and are always looking for volunteers. We have ESL and Cultural Orientation classes on site and an evening class at Dayspring Church. We are beginning a citizenship class this evening. There is still much to do and refugees to serve. I asked about the plane tickets and she said that the refugees are given a no interest loan which must be paid off in three years which helps to build a credit history. Susan continued with, We have funding to rent housing for up to six months. We solicit donations for as many items for furnishing a home as possible. There are many Federal guidelines for what we do, and many requirements and reports. Refugees are expected to become self-sufficient through employment within 4-6 months of arrival. They work in manufacturing, hotels, restaurants, poultry farms and many other industries. The Rev. Phil Glick and Jan DeBlieu of St. Andrews have helped with the furniture piece of the equation. Jan says, St. Andrews furniture drive on behalf of Interfaith Refugee Ministry grew from a desire among parishioners to help refugees in our region, although none are likely to be settled on the Outer Banks. Periodically we send congregants a notice that we re looking for gently used furniture and household goods that can be taken to IRM s offices for use by refugee families. A committee from the church collects the furniture and stores it in a parishioner s garage until there s enough to take a pickup truckload or two to New Bern. In May we helped provide furnishings for an incoming family from Myanmar. Other items have been put in storage by IRM for future use Interfaith Refugee Ministry helps in a multitude of other ways too, like a personal favorite, bicycle drives for work transportation. The ministry like the many other ministries throughout the diocese is a necessary spoke in the wheel of God s love. If you would like to get involved contact Susan at Ben Harper

7