All in a days work

This past week I got a chance to travel for work to a city located about 2 hours from Bangkok. We had several refugees we planned to meet there to interview and begin gathering their information. Normally I don't go on these trips as we have plenty of very capable staff who are far better than me at interviewing and completing the necessary paperwork but I volunteered to go as an effort to improve these skills that I don't get to use very often stuck behind the desk reading over files, compiling and sending reports, and ensuring the work in the field is progressing.

The original plan was for me and one coworker to go with 2 interpreters. We had 4 families to interview, one family of 7, one of 2 and 2 single individuals. My coworker volunteered to take the family of 7 since they typically take longer (bless him). I was to take the family of 2 and one of the singles. Two days before our trip it became apparent that we would need to take a side trip to a nearby location to take fingerprints of 2 individuals who had already had their interview. It was already going to take us all day just to conduct the interviews we had originally planned and I didn't know how we would also have time to make this side trip so I recruited another coworker to come with us who had fingerprinting expertise. I figured we could send her to the second location while 2 of us were conducting interviews. Then she could return to our location to do the fingerprinting and take photos of those we were interviewing there. With her help we were sure to be done by 4.

The day before our trip another file landed on my desk of a family in the same area. We made contact with the family and they were told to meet us at our interviewing location. We now had 5 families to interview! It was going to make for a long day. And, as if that weren't enough, when we arrived we found that one of the "singles" was actually married and had 2 children! Our long day just got longer! I had a feeling that not only would I not have time to wander the city to see the monkeys that run wild in the streets and along the roof tops, I was also not going to be back in Bangkok for the plans I had made. I was right.

I sat down with the first family. The questions began. I gathered all the biographical information, dates and places of birth for each person, family tree information, work history, education, etc. Then came the hard part, gathering the information about why they left their country of origin and why they are unable to return. It often feels like cruel and unusual punishment to ask individuals to relive their horrific experiences. But we must capture these stories if they are to be considered for resettlement to the US. Hearing the stories of various individuals has been difficult for me at times. I've spoken to a woman who was gang raped several times, a man who was forced to porter for a military he did not support. I've read of a girl whose father was killed as he saved his 16 year old daughter from being raped by soldiers, and the stories continue. This particular day I heard stories of people who fled into the jungle to hide from the military. The military sprayed chemicals into the jungle which caused their bellies to swell and killed many. Another lost her parents as they were too old to flee and fell into the hands of the military. She was informed by cousins and neighbors that her parents had been killed. You can see why this part of the interview is so difficult.

Well, we finished up our interviews by 6 pm and I got home about 9 pm. Now, lest you be left reading this entry with heavy heart let me lift you spirits with the outcome of one family.

The church I attend is also attended by many families who are fleeing persecution in their countries of origin and have fled to Thailand to seek safety. A few weeks ago I was introduced to a family from Sri Lanka who had finally been approved to resettle in the US. They were being sent to none other than Salt Lake City! You can imagine my excitement for them. I did my best to prep them for what life might be like for them. I told them about the cold, the current economic situation and of course about the wonderful folks in Salt Lake who would assist them through their resettlement experience. They left for the US this week only to get delayed in California due to the snow in Salt Lake. They skyped me from California to let me know of their delay and mentioned how cold it was in California. You think California's cold...oh boy!

I suspect they have made it to Utah by now. My heart is full of many emotions for them. I'm excited and nervous just as I suppose they are feeling as well. Will they be welcomed by their neighbors and school mates? Will the adults be able to secure jobs in a hurting economy? Will they have enough warm clothing and blankets to survive their first winter?

At this point all I can do is pray. I know they are headed into good hands. Hands of well trained individuals who are professional in their ability to help refugee families through the initial stage of resettlement. I tried to forewarn the family that the process they were about to undertake was not an end of their struggles but I fear they didn't understand...afterall, they are going to America!

Please keep your eye out for those who are in need of a little of your support today. A little extra support today will mean a more productive tomorrow, for all of us!