REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT AND FAMILY REUNIFICATION
In the last 40 years, Catholic Charities has been providing resettlement services to assist refugees and their families to assimilate and acculturate into their new surroundings. In the last fiscal year, Catholic Charities, Immigration and Refugee Services resettled 26 families. Out of the 26 families, 17 have been Burmese refugees from Burma.
Burma, also known as Myanmar, is ruled by an authoritarian military regime also known as the military junta. The country’s government suppresses all expression of opposition to its rule. The country is very underdeveloped and poor; even the medical facilities are inadequate for routine medical care. Fortunately, Catholic Charities was able to help resettle the families before Cyclone Nargis. The devastating cyclone killed tens of thousands and left many more homeless.
One of the refugees that the agency resettled was Mr. Nang Khai. He was 25 years old when he departed Burma. He stated that “the country’s condition was very bad” when he began to pursue a better life for him and his family. He and his pregnant wife decided it was best that he travel alone. Although his wife and their three year old daughter had to stay behind, they knew Nang had a tough journey ahead of him. He fled his country by crossing the Thailand border and entered into Malaysia. He was at a refugee camp for five years and had to miss the birth of his second child.
After five years at the camp, Mr. Khai finally received good news from the Department of State that he will soon resettle in the USA and join his uncle. Upon his arrival in September 27, 2007, Immigration & Refugee Services of Catholic Charities of NW Florida worked with his uncle, the anchor, in providing basic necessities, getting supplies, and going over resources that our refugee would need to survive.
Mr. Khai spoke very little English, but was able to get by because he was able to read it. With both the anchor and Catholic Charities assisting him, Mr. Khai was able to find employment to support himself and his family. Mr. Khai’s main focus was his work and his family and he was able to send money home to support them on a regular basis.
Three months after his arrival to the USA, he came back to our office seeking our assistance to reunite his family. Catholic Charities completed the necessary paperwork for his family and then had to wait. Six months later, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved all three applications and forwarded their cases to the Department of State. Finally, Mr. Khai was reunited with his family after six years of separation.
The family in now living in Savannah, GA and is doing well. When asked what their future goals are, Mr. Khai stated, “Buy a car, buy a house, get a good job for my wife and I, and I want my kids to go to a good school.” Mr. Khai and his family expressed their appreciation to Catholic Charities of NW Florida, Immigration & Refugee Services for assisting him with his resettlement and re-uniting his family. He said he will always remember Catholic Charities and the good work the organization does to help people in need.
