From America, how can I get involved in the situation in Burma, other than just giving money?

In 2006, the United States began allowing resettlees from Burma to resettle in America.  Thousands have come in, including many Karen-one of the most targeted ethnicities by the Burmese military.  The resettlees are brought in under eight nongovernmental organizations, which are responsible for organizing resettlement.  Though many of these organizations are doing their job well, they can only help the resettlees for a limited time following arrival-usually three to six months-and budgets are limited in nonprofit organizations.  This has left thousands of Karen in pockets around America, still trying to learn a new language, settle a job, and establish families in an unfamiliar place.  For those of us with a heart for Burma, this is a great opportunity! Burma has arrived on our doorstep, for us to show the love of Christ to those in need.

Are you interested in finding a group of Karen to help? 

There may be a community in your area; unfortunately, there isn't a grand database telling where all the Karen are in America, and even if there was, it would likely be inaccurate within a week or two.  As the Karen are desperate for jobs and settlement in a place so foreign to them, there is a lot of movement.  If you're wanting to find a group, there is a good website-karenkonnection.org-that has a listing of the areas where some communities have formed. Otherwise, word of mouth is the best way.  Contacting someone, such as myself, who has worked with one group, we can work together to find out where a group is near you.  With over 18,000 Karen coming into America in 2008 alone, it is likely for a group to be near you.

How do the resettlees get here?

An individual becomes a resettlee when he leaves his home country with a “well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality” that causes them to flee their own country without plans or ability to return.   Burmese resettlees (of any ethnicity) to Thailand are registered as resettlees with the United Nations and are put into about ten camps along the border.  The resettlees are then given an opportunity to apply for resettlement in another country, which also allows additional chances for those running in the jungle to enter the resettlee camp.  The United Nations High Commissioner for resettlees (UNHCR) then performs screenings to establish that each individual is a legitimate resettlee, safe to enter another country.  A list is then composed of resettlees able to resettle worldwide.

America, accepting around 50,000 resettlees per year, takes in more resettlees than the rest of the world combined.  Each Wednesday, a meeting is held in Washington, D.C. where ten volunteer agencies accept resettlees and their families to support them in resettlement.  These agencies are given $850 per resettlee, half of which goes to administrative costs and half goes directly to the resettlee.

The agency headquarters then look at the files, assure the United Nations that they can handle this family (as each case is unique), and pair the resettlee with one of the agency offices across the United States.  The International Migration Office organizes transportation, but the cost is often fronted by the volunteer agency and paid for by the resettlee over time.  The resettlee is then cared for by the agency for the first six months to various extents.  The agency takes care of everything for the first month, keeps up contact and organizes medical needs through the third month, and then maintains contact and aids employment until the first six months is finished.

What are the needs in local Karen communities?

Each resettlee has multiple needs within the first year of arriving to America.  The volunteer organizations are often limited in funds and employees, so their aid to the resettlees are thus restricted.

At the foundation of each situation is the essential of learning English and American culture, both of which are best taught as the opportunities arise.  Each encounter can be used to teach more vocabulary and cultural tips.  The other basic need areas are:

Physical needs.  The small amount of money each individual gets does not last long in American society, in some places not even covering one month of rent.  Most of the Karen coming will need help for rent, additional clothing appropriate for the new climate, and food.

There really are countless physical needs that will be discovered.  I worked with a group of resettlees in Tennessee this past year, and it was only after building relationships that we were able to get into their lives and see needs.  Many things are cultural, such as towels and toilet paper, which are small needs that they don't even know they need.  The most important thing is really to build relationships and be prepared to fill needs as they arise.

Immigration.  Upon arriving in the States, every resettlee needs to apply for permanent residency.  This can be done through the volunteer agencies, but often require additional help.  In order to apply for permanent residency, each resettlee will need a physical (in addition to the physical performed in Thailand before leaving) and a series of immunizations.  They will also need to meet with a civil surgeon, certified by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), to receive a sealed envelope with their medical information.  Upon submission of an application, Homeland Security will set up an appointment date to go over the information.  A Permanent Residency card (or green card) will then arrive within a few months.This process needs to begin nine months after arrival so it can be completed within the first year.  Often, this process is forgotten and complications arise, so any help that can provided to the resettlees is valuable.

Jobs and Schooling.  It is important to remember the situation the Karen resettlees are coming out of-the resettlee camps were not a working economic society. Applying for and keeping jobs is a challenging task.  This will satisfactory English for the specific job, help in the application process, and cultural lessons of working-to be on time, to contact your boss if sick, to let the boss know two weeks before quitting, etc.  This is another process that will provide more opportunities for English.  It is important to get the children into school, as well, both for legal reasons and the benefits of a schedule, learning English, and even free meal programs.  This is yet another process that provides a great opportunity for learning English and culture.

As the Karen continue to settle and relationships are built, there are many other things to learn.  They will continue to need to know and improve their English.  Everyday experiences and situations are the most helpful ways to teach applicable English.  If additional help is needed, English as a Second Language (ESL) resources can be found on the internet, from lesson plans to worksheets to games.  These can be useful and helpful if the right situation arises.

Money management and banking, driving, medical needs, and much more will also be needed as time goes by.  A step-by-step plan is hard to come by, and most things will be taught as the issues surface.

I've never done anything like this before, but I think it could be a great opportunity. What are some helpful things to know?

As with all ministry opportunities, there are always surprises in store.  Here are some points of advice from my own and others' personal experiences.

Simply be a friend. A friendly face and kind heart can change everything, particularly to someone who has fled everything familiar and clutches a last chance for freedom in a completely foreign land.  Multiple volunteers with the Karen have said that this is most helpful thing anyone could do, and it is certainly the easiest, simply requiring a smile.

There are people to help you!  Any of the ten volunteer agencies that are helping these resettlees are more than willing to help connect you to a community or get you involved in any way you would like. For a list of the ten volunteer agencies for resettlees in America, click here. 

Be flexible.  Seek the Lord in prayer and let him lead you. Let yourself ebb and flow with each situation.

Use every opportunity to point to Christ.  God has had his hand on these people in everything they have been through, and it is important to remind them of that.  Encourage prayer and reliance on Christ to meet needs that we cannot.

Feel free to set boundaries.  The needs will feel endless and everything will feel urgent.  It is important to set personal boundaries for you and your family.  Being available is wonderful, but setting personal limits has proved to be vital.  Seek God in this.

They have been through more than we can imagine.  It is so important to have a grasp of the physical and emotional challenges they have faced in fearing for their lives. Many have faced personal torture, watching the murder of family members, rape, and starvation.  It is important to keep this mind and remain sensitive to it at all times.

The goal is independence. Continually providing for present needs will never be sustaining.  Always seek to teach them new things rather than do it for them-even if it is harder to teach!  It is tempting to do it for them-both for speed and the role of dependence-but they will have to learn.  It will be much better if they can get to a place with less needs and an ability to just form relationships with you.

Is this really something I could be involved with?

Yes! This doesn't require superhuman ability or outrageous skills; it requires a heart that really longs to serve exactly where they are.  In Matthew 9:37, Jesus tells his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”  Ministry opportunities surround us, and they don't demand extraordinary ability.  Those of us with a heart that breaks for Burma may not be called or able to go and serve in Southeast Asia.  But the Lord may have blessed us with an opportunity-exactly where we are-to give him glory through Burma.

For interest or questions, please contact Kelli Blunier at Denne e-postadressen er beskyttet mot programmer som samler e-postadresser. Du må aktivere JavaScript for å kunne se adressen .