Refugee Journal

Honoring those who serve on the 10th Anniversary of 9-11

2011-09-05T13:34:00.002-04:00

This year will mark the 10th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001. As we quickly approach this momentous anniversary, people across the country will honor this day by serving in their community. Most of us can remember where we were and what we were doing on that day. As an army reservist, I immediately knew that this event would change my life forever. It’s hard to believe that 10 years has gone by since that horrific event. For me, these past 10 years included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Ft. Dix and the Pentagon. Since 911, only 1% of the U.S. population has served in the military, and for us, these 10 years have been an incredible burden on our employers and our families. Some have paid the ultimate price. Others bear the scars of visible and invisible wounds. We all have unique skills that can help ease the burden for these veterans, service men and women, and their families. Here are some ideas for you to consider:
1. Join the Give an Hour network as a provider (www.giveanhour.org) - or any other pro bono effort in your community.
2. Commit to give a talk in your community (church, school, civic group, etc.) to raise awareness about the issues affecting military members and their families.
3. Ask your church to provide free office space to a licensed clinician or licensed pastoral counselor willing to volunteer pro bono counseling for service members, veterans and their families.
4. Host an appreciation potluck for those who serve (veterans, first responders, military and families) and invite the local community to your event.
5. Volunteer at and support your local homeless shelter. Many homeless men and women are veterans.
6. Visit wounded warriors at your local hospital, Warrior Transition Unit, community clinic or military installation.
7. Help your church college and career group plan fun activities geared towards young service members and veterans. Integrate young vets into your church’s college/career group.
8. Plan a military spouses day out and offer free child care/babysitting for families of deployed service members (great opportunity for teens and grandparents to volunteer).
9. Adopt a deployed unit. Send care packages and letters.
10. Post your act of service as a tribute on www.911day.org.
Together, we can turn a tragic event meant for evil into something good.

Eric Rogers

Eric is the Executive Director for Give an Hour, a non-profit providing free mental health counseling for post 911 service members, veterans and their families. He still serves in the army reserves. For more information about Give an Hour and the National Day of Service, visit www.giveanhour.org and www.911day.org.

Mullen speaks at Community Blueprint National Launch

2011-07-03T19:13:00.001-04:00

Mullen Calls Veteran Support Initiative ‘Terrific Beginning’

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 14, 2011 – The nation’s top military officer spoke here today at a press conference announcing the “Community Blueprint,” a resource designed to help local leaders focus support to veterans and their families.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks to conference attendees at Give An Hour, a conference addressing the needs of military families, at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Washington, D.C., June 14, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife, Deborah, attended the event held at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial.
“It’s an honor for both Deborah and I to be here … and to speak with so many people who obviously care passionately about the cause that we have felt strongly about, certainly over the course of these wars,” Mullen said during his keynote address.
In its 10th year of conflict, the country is still just beginning to recognize how long and how deeply war can affect the military population, the chairman said.
The Mullens have traveled the country periodically since April, talking with community members and leaders about mobilizing local resources aimed at helping veterans and their families find education, work, health care and counseling.
Today marks “a terrific beginning,” the admiral said.
“There are so many people now, both in government and out of government, in the public and the private sector, who recognize the challenge that’s there, and recognize there isn’t anybody who can do it alone,” he said.
The only way to marshal the support needed across the country for hundreds of thousands of military members, veterans and their families, Mullen said, is for the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments to work together with communities throughout the nation.
“Through a little investment in their future, in education and health and employment … we will reap the benefits of these young people for decades to come,” he said.
In initiatives such as the Community Blueprint, Mullen said, “I’ve seen organizations and individuals and leaders step up in ways that a few years ago I couldn’t have imagined.”
The military has changed rapidly in recent years to better support families, develop cutting-edge medical treatments, counter suicide risk and effectively treat traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress, the admiral said, but those needs still are increasing.
“We are living in a time where change just continues to accelerate,” he said, “so none of this is going to be easy.”
Stress issues associated with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan occur among the entire military and family member population, Mullen said.
“When we use the term ‘invisible,’ we typically focus on the wounds,” he said. “[But] I think a lot of what we’ve been through is invisible to our nation.”
Communities simply don’t know the stresses military members and their families have borne, Mullen noted, during a deployment cycle that still deploys troops away from their families, often in tough combat situations, as often as they are at home.
“The country knows we’re at war, knows we’re losing people, but doesn’t have any kind of in-depth understanding of what that means,” he said.
When his wife visits military families, she sees post-traumatic stress symptoms in military spouses and children, the admiral said.
“This is an enormously complex problem that … continues to change and grow,” he said, noting the solution to such a problem set can’t be created solely in Washington.
Communities must not only be aware and prepared to meet military families’ needs, Mullen said, but also must hold themselves to a high standard of service.
“There are tens of thousands of people who want to make a difference, whose hearts are good,” he said. “But what organizations are actually making a difference? We should be very mindful of that as we look at our investments, how we spend our time, and we should share best practices.”
The idea of the Community Blueprint, Mullen said, is to make those best practices available in the places where they’re needed.
“You can customize this locally, which is what I think absolutely has to be done,” the chairman said.
Leaders across the country, local and national, must work collaboratively “so we can all move this together,” Mullen said, adding, “That, to me, is the formula … to succeeding in addressing the challenges that are there.”
“There is a way ahead here, but it’s got to be led,” the chairman said.
Barbara Van Dahlen, a clinical psychologist here and founder of Give an Hour, a national network of mental health professionals who provide free care to service members, veterans and their loved ones, explained the Community Blueprint was developed through the efforts of 15 nonprofit organizations.
About a year and a half ago, she said, a number of nonprofit and government leaders got together to discuss the need for a guide to help communities organize and direct resources toward helping service members and their families.
That gathering led to the Community Blueprint, she said, which is designed to help community leaders focus military family support efforts in areas from behavioral health and education to family strength, legal problems and homelessness.
Noting many of those involved in creating the blueprint attended today’s event, Van Dahlen said, “We are all here because we care very deeply about helping those who serve.”
A two-year, $2 million grant from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation will fund Community Blueprint demonstration projects in Fayetteville, N.C., and Norfolk, Va., she said, while Wal-Mart Foundation will contribute $144,000 to a total of 16 local service organizations in those communities.

Give an Hour™ Provides Free and Confidential Mental Health Care

2011-05-20T17:00:00.001-04:00

“Nearly 2 million troops have been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan thus far and all of them will return with some level of trauma from what they experienced,” says Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, president and founder of Give an Hour™. “It’s estimated that their experience will also affect at least ten people within their social networks — spouses and significant others, children, mothers, fathers, and friends — which means some 20 million people right now could potentially benefit from access to mental health services.”

Accessing these services is another story. Cost is always an issue, as well as the traditional reluctance of the military culture to embrace the need for mental health services. It’s changing, but not at a pace that (at least so far) has kept up with the level of need.

Give an Hour™, founded in 2005, has created a network of volunteer mental health professionals pledging an hour a week of their services, free of charge, to members of the military—including active duty, reserve, and guard—veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq, their families, and their communities. Their services range from one-on-one counseling to substance abuse treatment, addressing the many needs of the individuals and families of the armed services. The approximately 5,500 licensed mental health professionals working with Give an Hour™ have contributed over 37,000 hours as of March 2011 to support our troops and their families. These volunteers include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, pastoral counselors, and other mental health professionals. Providers are located across the country—in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Some of the men and women returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan have visible wounds, but more commonly those directly affected endure invisible wounds, including traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress. Suicide, domestic issues, and divorce have been prevalent among veterans, and their children have statistically higher reported rates of behavioral problems.

Give an Hour™ provides resources to overcome the many obstacles service men and women and their families face upon return from deployment as they seek to recover and reintegrate into their civilian lives.

As Dr. Van Dahlen observed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan unfolding, she feared our country faced the possibility of creating another generation of veterans, like those who served in the Vietnam War, returning with unresolved trauma that makes it difficult to recover their lives. A clinical psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area, she decided then and there to create a nonprofit, with the support of other mental health professionals, to help address this issue.

“I started hearing stories about men and women coming home and losing jobs, losing families, living out of their car," Dr. Van Dahlen said. "I thought, ‘we’re in trouble here’ because we’re not getting in front of this issue and there are going to be a lot of people affected.”

While her professional expertise showed her that trauma from combat has immense repercussions on veterans and their families, she also experienced it firsthand. Her father was a World War II veteran and never shared his experiences in combat. She felt that there was a message silently understood in her family, and common in the country as a whole, that “you don’t ask about those things.” Since that time, notes Dr. Van Dahlen, the attitude toward trauma after combat has changed, as evidenced by the growing demand for mental health services that has surpassed the government-offered services available to returning troops.

The Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs are doing more than ever, according to Dr. Van Dahlen. Give an Hour™ provides another option for care, more methods to help those who have sacrificed so much for their country, particularly for those who are otherwise reluctant to seek or who do not have access to help.

According to Dr. Van Dahlen, veterans need the opportunity and a place to process their experiences, whether in person or over the telephone, with someone who understands their issues. Mental health professionals thus need to be available to treat those who have developed post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and any of the various issues resulting from traumatic exposure in combat.

Their Web site, www.giveanhour.org, allows veterans and families seeking support to enter their zip code and search for available providers in their area; even if there aren’t mental health professionals volunteering in that region, there are services available by telephone. The Web site also makes it easy for mental health professionals to join the network and provides materials, links to articles, and resources on mental health and the military.

Give an Hour™ has formed valuable multisector partnerships, including those with the major mental health professional associations and veterans’ organizations, as well as with local, state, and federal agencies.

Sadly, the need continues to grow, and education and understanding are lacking in many communities across the nation. “We need to find ways to bridge the gap between the civilian and the military cultures,” Dr. Van Dahlen says. “It’s important for everyone to understand these issues, not just those who are counseling or directly affected, because everyone is affected by the shadow of war.”

And it’s not just mental health professionals who can give an hour. Anyone who wants to get involved is welcome. Volunteers are able to help coordinate local efforts, distribute materials, and reach out to the military, mental health professionals, and their communities, among other volunteer opportunities.

Who could be more deserving of care than the men and women who serve and protect our nation. Dr. Van Dahlen adds, “We can start by expressing our gratitude and acknowledging the incredible sacrifices our service members and their families make—their bravery and courage and what they tolerate is so amazing that what we, as a country, need to do in response is say, ‘Thank you for your service. When you come home, we’ve got you covered.’"

Rogers update

2009-06-17T15:06:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

I wanted to give you all an update and let you know what an honor it has been to get to know you. Pittsburgh by far has been the nicest place we ever lived in because of warm generous people like you. Because of economic necessity, I went back on active military status in December and Christie accepted a federal position with the National Institute of Health this month. As a result, we sold our house in Cranberry and relocated back to the DC area this week.

If you're ever in the area, please don't hesitate to look us up. You're always welcome here.

Love,
Eric, Christie and Eric Jr.

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.
-John Quincy Adams

Redefining Christmas

2008-11-19T18:55:00.002-05:00

I was feeling a bit anxious about the current recession when the leaders of Discovery sent this link. http://www.globalrichlist.com/ It gives you your financial standing in the world and believe me, despite our economic woes, most of us are still quite rich by the world's standards. It really helps put things in perspective.

Then, a few days ago, I heard about this website on NPR. http://www.redefinechristmas.org/#moreAbout It's about redefining gift giving during Christmas, and it really articulated what I've been thinking for years. I have to say, it was wonderful giving gifts to those who really need it as opposed to those who already have everything. Unfortunately, my military obligations preclude me from leading a gift drive this year for our Burmese friends. Though my family still intends to redefine Christmas and give gifts to those who really need it. I encourage you to do the same. Catholic Charities, JF&CS, Discovery Church, Grace Lutheran Church and Emanuel's Lutheran Church are all on the front lines in working with refugees. Please consider giving a gift to someone truly in need on behalf of a loved one.

Conference on Refugee Warehousing

2008-10-09T18:49:00.002-04:00

ANNOUNCING THE 2008 CONFERENCE ON REFUGEE WAREHOUSINGPresented by FORGE (Facilitating Opportunities for Refugee Growth and Empowerment) and the Global Studies Program at the University ofPittsburgh October 10th-12th, 2008 (Special note: PRC Executive Director, KhadraMohammed will speak on the morning of the 11th) University of Pittsburgh Keynote Speakers:Dr. Barbara Harrell-Bond OBE (The American University in Cairo)Merrill Smith(U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants) The situation of refugees stuck in 'temporary' shelters with thedenial of basic human rights is unacceptable. However, findingalternatives to the situation requires consideration of complexissues. The 2008 Conference on Refugee Warehousing will offer a forumto consider the issues and strengthen the movement against refugeewarehousing. Participants and speakers include: Khadra Mohammed (Executive Directorof the Pittsburgh Refugee Center), Judy Wakahiu (Executive Director ofthe Refugee Consortium in Kenya), and Abraham A. Awolich (Co-Directorand Co-Founder of New Sudan Education Initiative). For more information, visit http://www.refugeeconference.org/or contact Ellie Ott: warehousing08@refugeeconference.org

Beer Does Help People!

2008-09-15T17:28:00.004-04:00

Thanks Everyone! We had a great time hanging out and helping people at the same time!

Drink Beer, Help People

2008-09-03T17:15:00.000-04:00

Join us for a beer tasting event at the home of Eric and Christie Rogers. We will have food and a variety of craft and international beers to sample.

What: A Beer Tasting Event
When: Saturday, September 13
Time: 5:30 pm to 8 pm
Where: 140 Windsor Court, Cranberry Township
Questions: (724) 452-4695 or ericcole1@juno.com or rogers.christie@gmail.com

Please bring items from the Wish List (see below)

Last year we furnished two apartments with items that were donated. Thank you for making this possible! This fall more than 80 Burmese refugees are relocating to Pittsburgh with only the clothes on their backs and a few belongings. Once again we are collecting household, personal and toiletry items to help with the set up of their new homes.
Wish List
Household Goods:
Rice cooker (Asian style plug in type, the larger the better), rice, cups, plates, bowls, silverware, chopsticks, pots and pans, teapot, dry and canned foods, can opener, paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, laundry baskets or laundry bags, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, household cleaners, buckets, mops, brooms, dishtowels, bath towels, washcloths, shower curtain & rings, twin bed sheets, blankets, pillows, bedding, folding or plastic chairs, desk lamps, garbage can, garbage bags, alarm clocks, light bulbs

Toiletry and Personal Items:
Shampoo, lotion, bar soap, pain relievers, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrushes, umbrellas, feminine products, hair dryers

Gift Certificates:Wal-Mart or Giant Eagle

2008-08-26T22:21:00.002-04:00

San Kyi asked me to post this. That brings up the total number to 49 living on Troy Hill.

Dear Eric, This picture is Pay Paw arrived to Pittsburgh bus station on Sunday morning 3:15 AM,who is transfared from Roanoke VA.Now he live in his brother Lay Moo Apt at Troyhill.He came from Thailand border refugee camp last week.One of the our sponsor Mr Loyd help to pick up from bus station to Troyhill at early morning on Sunday.
San Kyi

Pirates Game a Blast!

2008-08-15T12:30:00.002-04:00

Thank you everyone who purchased Pirates tickets for the Burmese refugees! We had 41 tickets, which turned out to be more than enough to cover those on Troy Hill. In fact, we were able to bring some refugees from Tanzania and students from China as well. They all had a great time and like most of us, enjoyed the fireworks and REO Speedwagon more than the game itself. You guys are awesome!

Rockin Pool Party

2008-08-14T15:11:00.000-04:00

Thanks Bob and Beth for helping us drive. We had 17 takers on the Rockin Pool party. Temps were in the 50s and wet but some of us still summoned the nerve to jump in the pool and sample some Ritas. Maybe next year, it'll be warmer. :)

Bicycles as transportation

2008-08-13T12:07:00.000-04:00

For the past few months, I've been thinking about raising funds for used bicycles to help new arrivals get around town easier. Right now, they have to rely on their 2 feet and the bus system. Having bikes would improve their quality of life in so many ways. Plus in Asia, bicycles are a normal part of transportation. Then, this interesting article in the Post Gazette came out.

Bicycle czar will try to tame city streets

Mayor creates post to improve cycling

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Stephen Patchan prefers urban cycling to pedaling through the countryside because it's "more exciting, for obvious reasons."



		What do you think? Share your comments on the city's plan to make Pittsburgh friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists in our new Forums area.

The new Pittsburgh bike-pedestrian coordinator's job, though, is to make pedaling or walking the city's 89 neighborhoods, car-choked pinch-points and steep slopes a little less of a thrill ride.

Mr. Patchan, 32, of the South Side Flats, started work Aug. 4 and yesterday he got his marching orders from Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Councilman Patrick Dowd and cycling enthusiasts who crowded Enrico's Tazza D'Oro, a Highland Park coffee shop.

There he heard cyclists talk about buses that steam past them only to jerk to a stop, tensions between cars and two-wheeled travelers, and gaps in the city's network of bike trails and lanes. Address that, they said, and Pittsburgh could join cities that are using their bike cultures to boost quality of life and lure development.

"I've always been a bike rider and have always had my ears and eyes on cycling concerns in the city," said Mr. Patchan. He added that he'll "do everything in my power to make this city as bikeable as it can be."

"It's such a great day for cycling in Pittsburgh," said Scott Bricker, executive director of Bike Pittsburgh.

PG VIDEO

Pittsburgh to become a bicycle and pedestrian friendly city

Mr. Ravenstahl noted that when it comes to cycling, "we're no Amsterdam," referring to the city in the Netherlands where bikes zoom down well-marked lanes along nearly every street.

Over the next two years, though, Mr. Ravenstahl and Mr. Dowd want to see tax credits and zoning preferences for businesses that accommodate cyclists, better bike route signs, more bike racks, local and national pedal-power events, and volunteer bike registration, among other things. They'd like to find money to repair city steps, with Mr. Dowd suggesting that the focus be on staircases that lead to transit.

"Twenty years ago, this would have been a laughable effort," said David Hoffman, founder of Bike Pittsburgh, who is now director of planning for the Marin County [Calif.] Bicycling Coalition and was not at yesterday's meeting.

"Pittsburgh has a long way to go, but we're making good progress," he said of the improving network of trails and lanes.

The mayor and councilman said they'll improve tracking of car-on-bike and car-on-pedestrian accidents, and make police more aware of cyclists' rights.

"There's clearly some work we need to do in our Police Bureau" to better enforce laws that protect cyclists using bike lanes along streets, said Mr. Ravenstahl.

Car-versus-bike hostilities are a problem here, said Mr. Hoffman, who got to know cyclists in many cities when he headed a national coalition of advocacy groups.

He said it's "easy to get aggressive" on Pittsburgh's narrow streets.

"Although attitudes are changing in Pittsburgh, it's still not as friendly as it could be," he said.

He said cyclists could do themselves a favor by respecting traffic laws.

Mr. Patchan's $45,000-a-year salary will be paid for the first two years by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and then will become part of the city budget.

A Connellsville native and California University of Pennsylvania graduate, Mr. Patchan boomeranged back to the area after a stint as an urban planner in Tulare County, Calif. Once back in Pittsburgh, he worked for Downtown-based Environmental Planning and Design, a landscape architecture firm, developing greenways plans for Fayette and Indiana counties, among other projects.

Rides to Rockin Pool Party August 10

2008-07-22T15:54:00.000-04:00

Our church is hosting a free event and it'd be great if we could get all of the children there. If you're willing to help with transportation, e-mail me: ericcole1@juno.com

"Rockin' Pool PartySunday, August 10th - 9 - 11 PMAre you ready to Rock'n Swim?! Join us on Sunday , August 10th at the Cranberry Waterpark at North Boundary Park. Admission is FREE and the entertainment will be spectacular! We will have a live band, belly-flop contest, and a Dive-In Movie! Rita's Italian Ice, which is also free, will be there too! The Cranberry Waterpark has a Children's Pool, Sand Play area, Spray Play area, and two water slides. There is also plenty to do if you don't like to get wet. There is something for everyone in the family! Don't forget to invite your friends! If you have questions or need more information, contact Kristen Gratton."

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds Thursday, August 14th

2008-07-19T22:22:00.002-04:00

This was taken from Discovery's e-update: Please consider buying a ticket or two.

"We have purchased a block of tickets for the Pirates game on Thursday, August 14th. It is also a SkyBlast Night featuring REO Speedwagon in concert. This event is for everyone and would be a great way to introduce all your friends and family to Discovery. We are also asking you to consider sponsoring a Burmese refugee by purchasing an extra ticket so they can join us at the game. We might even get to see Bryan run around the field with the pierogies... I'll bring the bat!!! Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at the resource table on Sunday. If you have any questions, contact Bryan Gratton."

Furniture donations

2008-07-03T20:18:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it's been a year since we first began preparations for our Karen and Burmese friends. As refugees continue to resettle in Pittsburgh, there are always items that the local refugee services can use. Several months ago, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul agreed to handle all furniture donations and furnish the apartments of new arrivals. This is helpful as coordinating donated furniture from point A to B was a logistical challenge for both us and Catholic Charities. Saint Vincent de Paul's contact information is below. Thank you for your continued support:
http://www.svdppitt.org/
Saint Vincent de Paul
Council of Pittsburgh Administrative Office
1243 North Franklin Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
Phone: (412) 321-1071 Ext. 501
Fax: (412) 321-9131
Gwendolyn Payne
Donation Coordinator Ext. 202
mailto:gwenpayne@svdppitt.org?subject=Contact

Update from Myanmar

2008-05-28T11:42:00.000-04:00

This came from Joshua. Myanmar is the official name of Burma.

This is a brief trip to Myawng Mya where we visited to help cyclonevictims. We took a trip to Myawng Mya on May 26 and I took SimonTaung, David Fish, and other five young men whom they could help melifting up rice and other things which I brought for victims,blankets, mosquito nets, soaps, sandals, potatoes, onions, salt andedible oil. I learned that all victims who lost the whole villageshad been organized by the authorities systematically keeping them inpublic schools, monestries, Christian schools and churches. I had achance to visit to three cyclone refugee camps in Myawng Mya out offour. One place was called Jude Mill camp keeping them in the publicschool but this center was under control of Jude Mill. There were 393cyclone refugees, the leader of this camp asked us to feed thesevictims meats because they had enough rice contributed by local donorsand denominational churches and I planned to give them, first beef andwe bought a cow and killed and cooked for them. They ate rice welldeliciously with the meat. Then in the evening of May 2 after givingbeef, we gave them fish. I took some pictures and these were sent toyou by Esther Leme in this morning. And tomorrow, on May 29,thesegroup will be fed by my brother in law and his wife another kind ofmeat prepared by them because I gave them money. And they receivedthree times of meats from us. On the same day of May 27, we visitedto another cyclone refugee center called it Ton 250. I contributedmoney and rice to this camp. In this camp there were 3903 refugeeswho lost their houses, lands and properties. They were kept by localauthorities in the warehouse used by authorities as rice store hallsbefore. This camp was very poor, they had one time meal only a day.We learned that four persons died with snake because of desolation ofstore in the field. We found one young man in this camp who attendedto my church with his parents and sisters. And we took him away fromcamp and we brought him to our place. He will join school in verysoon. He told us, three houses remained without destroying in hisvillage and all the rest houses had been destroyed by the water fromocean. He said, he was fishing in the sea and then he and his friendssaw big waves along with strong wind and then they ran toward the hillnear their place. And he and his friends stranded on the hill threedays without food. Then some boat came to their area from his placeand they were safe.On May 26, we visited to one camp where there were 700 victims refugedin the Baptist school. In every camp there were non Christians andChristians stayed together. I gave them money and rice, blankets, andother things brought by me from Yangon. This contribution isdangerous for us too. Because some authorities don't like thesecontributions. They said, that this is government's responsibility tocare them. But Buddhists are helping the needs, Muslims are helpingtheir people to supply. In the delta area, there were manyChristians, Buddhists, and Muslims. So these three religious leadersare going out to help them. We Christians are helping them strongly.Some mission policy said, don't give away the money to the needs butwithout money to be received by them, they can not eat rice only. Andthey need money along with material things. Tomorrow, I will go toanother place taking with me water purification systems. Then I willstop doing this job. I am too tire to do this job. When I sawvictims, I was not happy to see them their suffering. They arehomeless and landless. They lost all animals depended on them forplowing fields but we were happy to see water buffaloes on the armytrucks loading them and taking them to area where people suffered lostof animals.Today, I drove to EBI (school) and had a faculty meeting. We expectedstudents to be 190 students and one hundred students arrived backschool and hope that more will arrive soon. Foreigners are restrictedby authorities to go outside of the city. Even to EBI, no foreignersare allowed to pass on toll gate but to Mandalay and other cities, noproblem to visit just to delta area only where storm hit. -- Joshua and Khin Htaik Leme

Burmese Church Service

2008-05-20T09:05:00.006-04:00

Our second church service in Troy Hill had almost 100 attendees at Grace Lutheran Church. Discovery Christian Church bussed in families from Green Tree and Prospect Park to listen to Joshua and Khin Htaik share the gospel. It was an amazing, cross-cultural event. The service was given in English, Burmese and the Karen dialect.We also shared a meal together.

Local press from WTAE channel 4

2008-05-19T16:49:00.000-04:00

With the cyclone, our friends in Troy Hill have had quite a bit of press.
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/16303494/index.html

A worried man, far from home

2008-05-19T16:28:00.001-04:00

This was one of friends who was interviewed in the Post Gazette after the cyclone.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08139/882833-82.stm
A worried man, far from home
It's the not knowing that's worst for refugee from Burma
Sunday, May 18, 2008
By Jerome L. Sherman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Andy Starnes/Post-Gazette
San Kyi trims prosciutto at Parma Sausage Products, Inc. in the Strip District.
On Monday, May 5, San Kyi followed the daily routine of his new life in Pittsburgh.
He awoke early, left his Troy Hill apartment and rode his bike to the Strip District's Parma Sausage, an Italian meat shop where he patiently trims lard from hefty slabs of prosciutto for $8 an hour.
The work had much greater value that day. It was a distraction from the unrelenting stream of horrific news coming from Myanmar, his homeland.
Two days before, Cyclone Nargis had ravaged the Southeast Asian country also known as Burma, striking some of its major population centers, including Yangon, a city of more than 5 million people. Among them were Mr. Kyi's wife and 8-year-old son.
He tracked news reports as the death toll continued to grow throughout the weekend, reaching the hundreds, then the thousands, then the tens of thousands.
But good information was scarce, with the ruling military junta blocking journalists and most aid workers from entering the country.
Mr. Kyi hadn't seen his family since 2002, when he fled after authorities discovered an underground newspaper in his microbus. He had faced imprisonment, or death.
Now he couldn't reach his wife on the phone. He was terrified.
At Emanuel's Lutheran Church in Bellevue, he asked the congregation to pray for him and his family. At Parma, he put on his white coat, tried to smile and concentrated on his cutting knife.
"He showed up to work as he always does," said Darren Schumacher, whose wife's family owns the business. "I've never seen him not focused."
Even before the cyclone, Myanmar was a nation of tragedies. The military junta strictly limits contact with the outside world and brutally suppresses dissent. More than 200,000 Burmese refugees are living in Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh and India, according to the U.S. State Department. They make up the largest refugee group in East Asia.
In recent years, the U.S. government has resettled thousands in American towns and cities. About 17,000 Burmese are on track to come to the United States between October of 2007 and September.
Pittsburgh received its first batch in 2004, with the help of Jewish Family & Children's Service. The organization has helped about 175 Burmese settle here.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the region's only other refugee resettlement agency, found homes for 80 Burmese last year and will bring about 40 in 2008. Some are Karen, an ethnic group that has warred with the military junta.
Mr. Kyi, a slight man with graying hair and tired eyes, arrived on Sept. 26, 2007. One of only a few fluent English speakers among the refugees, he soon became a linguistic bridge between Catholic Charities' caseworkers and Troy Hill's Burmese population, now nearly 40. He helped both sides navigate a list of needs: food, clothing, housing, transportation, school for children, language classes for adults.
On Monday nights, the community gathers at Troy Hill's Grace Lutheran Church, where children can play pool and table tennis and their parents can share concerns about life in their new city with officials from Catholic Charities and volunteers from other local churches.
At last Monday's meeting, a line of people waited to talk to the 45-year-old Mr. Kyi.
"He's one of the most humble people I've ever met," said Lloyd White, of Ross, a volunteer who works with the refugees. "He never asks for anything for himself."
From a young age, Mr. Kyi had opportunities that many Burmese never had. His father worked for the government and earned a decent salary. His mother's family owned a restaurant.
He attended university in Yangon, then the country's capital, studying English and history. And he found a job as a clerk at the same government agency that employed his father.
Student protest
But Burma was undergoing rapid changes. In 1988, four decades after the country won independence from Britain, tens of thousands of students took to the streets and demanded a move toward democracy.
The government struck back violently, with soldiers shooting and killing demonstrators.
"A lot of people died in front of my eyes," Mr. Kyi said.
He and several friends wanted to retaliate. They started an underground newspaper, "Morning Shine," documenting the regime's crimes and the work of pro-democracy activists.
Using an aging mimeograph machine at Mr. Kyi's government office, they printed only about 50 to 100 copies at a time.
Yet it was enough for the authorities to notice. In September 1988, Mr. Kyi was arrested. (To this day, he suspects that his supervisor betrayed him.)
Police held him for two weeks. They beat him. But he never admitted to knowing anything about the newspaper.
He was forced to sign a document saying he would not participate in politics. He was then freed. But he still lost his job.
Two years later, the country held a national election, and the National League for Democracy -- headed by Aung San Suu Kyi, who would later receive the Nobel Peace Prize -- won a solid majority. But the military junta never recognized the results, and it placed Mrs. San Suu Kyi under house arrest.
For the next decade, Mr. Kyi kept a low profile. He earned a living driving a microbus and working at the family restaurant. In 1999, he married. His son was born the next year.
One day, two years later, he received a phone call from an employee. A soldier had discovered an underground newspaper in Mr. Kyi's bus. The authorities were looking for him.
Mr. Kyi knew immediately he would have to flee the country without seeing his family. He called his wife and said goodbye.
For the next several years, Mr. Kyi worked at construction sites in Thailand and Malaysia. His anger at the government never waned. He was arrested during a protest in front of the country's embassy in Malaysia, and spent 20 months in prison there.
When he was released, the United Nations registered him as a refugee, allowing him to go to the United States.
In Pittsburgh, Mr. Kyi has been able to adjust to life faster than other Burmese refugees, many of whom speak little English.
During his time in prison, Mr. Kyi converted from Buddhism to Christianity. He now regularly attends Sunday services at Emanuel's Lutheran Church in Bellevue.
A parishioner at Discovery Christian Church in Cranberry, which is helping refugees settle here, donated a bike to Mr. Kyi. He uses it to ride to his job every day.
But Pittsburgh can't fill the absence of his family. That absence became overpowering when news of the cyclone reached him.
In the days that followed, he monitored developments from Burma over the Internet. He found a picture of a dead boy floating in a river.
"If this boy is my son ..." he said, as he placed his hand over his mouth.
But it wasn't his son. Almost a week after the storm, he reached his wife on the phone. They spoke for three minutes, and then the connection failed.
It was enough time to get the most important details: the cyclone shattered his house's windows and tore away the roof. But his wife and son escaped without injury. They are staying at a friend's home.
As Mr. Kyi continues to build a life in the United States, he wonders when he will be reunited with his family. During an interview last week, he shook his head as pondered the future.
He can't go home. And they can't leave.
"They are my life," he said. But, "if I go back to Burma, I go to die only."
Jerome L. Sherman can be reached at jsherman@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1183.
First published on May 18, 2008 at 12:00 am

Troy Hill Families in the Tribune Review!

2008-03-06T15:41:00.001-05:00

Here's a link a recent article that ran. It's nice that there's greater awareness to what's going on in Troy Hill.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_555148.html

Volunteers and Warm Clothes Needed

2008-02-27T16:05:00.006-05:00

A volunteer group now meets every Monday night at Grace Lutheran Church in Troy Hill, starting at 7 pm. Volunteers are needed and welcome to attend. We need people that would be willing to help teach adults literacy skills and help the children with homework. Of course there is a lot of fun too, with the addition of a ping pong table and board games.

Also needed are those that would be able to teach a basic budgeting class, or any materials to do so. One of the men learned last week how to write a check and deposit his paycheck for the first time. A rudimentary class to teach about budgeting would benefit the entire Burmese and Karen community now calling Troy Hill their home.

Also, as the temperatures remain at below freezing, we are in need of warm clothes for new arrivals. In the coming few weeks, we expect quite a few new arrivals, at least two families with children and quite a few single men and women. Of urgent need is men's pants. One of the families that is arriving has five children, ranging from 12 to 2. Please consider donating any used clothing you may have in your closet. We can accept donations at Discovery Christian Church this Sunday, March 2, or contact Eric (ericcole1@juno.com) or Christie (rogers.christie@gmail.com) to arrange for a drop off.

Thank you considering the basic needs of our new Burmese friends.

Special Thanks

2008-02-26T21:55:00.003-05:00

Dear Friends,

I've been meaning to do this and have procrastinated too long. As we prepare for another wave of new arrivals, I really need to thank those who have helped us over the past several months.

Special thanks to the generosity of Barber Dan (he gives great haircuts), members of Discovery Christian Church, the staff at Commonwealth Adoptions, members of the 2-312 Training Support Battalion in Oakdale, and the neighbors in our housing plan.

Thank you all for your kindness and generosity!

Warm Regards,
Eric

Learning to Cook Burmese

2007-12-29T22:41:00.000-05:00

The weekend after Christmas, we took the rest of the donated clothes to the Burmese people. We received so many donations! While visiting, the same family that had prepared the Burmese feast for us before Christmas invited us in to enjoy a meal and learn the traditional cooking of Karen people. The photo is of Christie, watching how food is prepared for a traditional recipe of eggplant and rice. Much of the food had been prepared. It was a nice surprise and greatly appreciated.

Being The Church

2007-12-24T22:23:00.000-05:00

Christmas came early for our new Burmese friends. After weeks of collecting gifts and donations, we separated out the gifts for five different households, about 30 people in total. Many thanks to Discovery Christian Church and our friends and neighbors who generously gave. On Sunday, December 23 we took two vans full of people and presents to play Santa Claus, but more importantly to be the church and show Christian love to people in need.

After arriving in Troy Hill, one of the families surprised us with a special Burmese feast. Even though they have very little, they freely gave of their hospitality. While there are so many pictures that we could post we want to show you the massive amounts we were able to give to our Burmese friends. Thank you all for your generous hearts and may God Bless You!

Meet at our house 10:30am Dec 23

2007-12-20T22:35:00.000-05:00

We're going to meet at the Rogers house at 10:30am and head down to Troy Hill via caravan to hand out gifts. We'll probably leave around 10:45. If you need directions to our place, e-mail me at ericcole1@juno.com. You can also meet us at Troy Hill. See you Sunday morning!

New Pictures uploaded

2007-12-18T21:03:00.000-05:00

Tonight's my catch up night, so I uploaded some pics throughout some of the previous posts. Enjoy!

Lunch at the Chinese Buffet

2007-12-16T19:50:00.000-05:00

Since Discovery was handing out $10 to every adult who showed up on Sunday, one of my friends (I'll leave this person's name anonymous) came up with a great idea to bring the Karens to Cranberry this week. Why not, that's an extra Christmas present or essential item , so four cars and 17 people later, we made it to the late service. Afterwards, Bob generously treated all of us to Chinese buffet. We all had a great time. Back in Troy Hill, Christie and Eric Jr. were hijacked and dressed up as traditional Kar'ens. I managed to escape to prepare for the wrapping party. With snow coming down hard by this time, we only had one family show up to help, but they worked so hard, we knocked out 2 days of worth of wrapping. The generosity of this community never ceases to amaze me.

First Thanksgiving in America

2007-12-13T20:49:00.000-05:00

I'm finally catching up with some posts. Here's some pics I took with my camera phone at Emanuel's Lutheran church in Bellevue. They hosted a cross cultural Thanksgiving with traditional American food and Burmese cuisine. This was mid November. Emanuel's is sponsoring a Burmese Muslim family who lived in the same refugee camp as the Kar'ens. With a grant in cooperation with Grace Lutheran, they were able to include the Kar'ens from Troy Hill and a few from Prospect Park as well. Thank you Pastor Martin and Emanuel's for your warm hospitality!

Wrapping Party 4pm Dec 16 and deliver gifts Dec 23!

2007-12-12T23:05:00.000-05:00

First of all, thank you everyone who attended the open house and for your generous gifts! After the Steelers game, we're going to have a wrapping party at our house Sunday, Dec 16 at 4pm. You're welcome to attend. We'll also have some pizza and other snacks.

Does anyone have a Santa outfit? Our plan for Dec 23 is to deliver the gifts and sing Christmas carols at each apartment. Though I'd love to have someone dressed as Santa along with us to hand out the presents. If you don't have a specific plan in mind on how to spend your $10, then join us on the 23rd. We'll post the details soon. Take care.

Eric and Christie

Save the Date December 8!

2007-11-26T22:31:00.000-05:00

Open Your Heart
As We Open Our Home

Join us for an open house to celebrate the Spirit of the Holidays. The refugee families that we have adopted are adjusting to their new life in Pittsburgh. We have been able to provide for most of their basic needs, and as the holiday comes near we want to provide presents for their first Christmas in the U.S.

What: A Holiday Open House
When: Saturday, December 8
Time: 4 pm to 7 pm
Where: 140 Windsor Court, Cranberry Township
Please bring unwrapped gifts from the Wish List
Questions: (724) 452-4695 or ericcole1@juno.com

We will provide tasty holiday treats and spirits. Children are welcome.

We will be giving out presents and stockings to our families and other refugees on Sunday, December 23. If you are interested in joining us, please contact us. There are also opportunities available if you can’t attend either event, but would like to help.

Wish List for Refugee Ministry:
Gifts
Electric Teapot
Electric Heater
Warm Clothes—Pants and long sleeves
• Boys sizes 10-16
• Girls sizes 10-16
• Women’s Sizes small and medium
• Men’s Sizes small and medium
Umbrellas
Microwave Oven
DVD Player
DVD’s- PG 13 or below
Vacuum Cleaner
Electric Razor
Colored Pencils
Markers
Drawing Tablets
Activity Books
Hello Kitty Items
Board Games
Disposable Cameras
Scrapbooks/Photo Albums
Wallets
Purses

Stocking Stuffers:
Yo-yos
Make Up
Chap Stick
Scented lotions
Packets of Hot Cocoa, Hot Cider, Green Tea
Candy Canes
Wrapped Christmas Candies

Other Needs:
Wrapping Paper
Gift Bags
Christmas Stockings
Gift certificates to Walmart, Giant Eagle or Target
Quarters for Laundry

Coat Drive a Success!

2007-11-17T17:20:00.000-05:00

Discovery Christian Church has been a huge blessing to our refugee families in Troy Hill. We were able to provide warm coats for more than 20 people living in Troy Hill and donated the rest to Catholic Charities to pass to the other refugees living in Pittsburgh. The temperatures have really dropped, so the coats are a much needed item.

I went down to visit our sponsored families, taking my vacuum cleaner to show them how to use it. It was a new word they learned and most had never seen one since they lived in bamboo shelters with dirt floors. All the children had an opportunity to use it and they picked up a lot of dirt!

I also had an opportunity to visit with the father of the family we are sponsoring and he requested more warm clothes and warm blankets. He also requested umbrellas. This is not surprising since Pittsburgh has about 153 days of rain, and only 58 days of sunshine. Also, one of the girls requested boots, since they only have flip flops and sneakers. The children are learning English very well, and the oldest girl is really picking up the language fast.

After meeting with the families, I met with an ESL teacher who attends Grace Lutheran Church. She has offered to teach an English class for the adults with a Christian curicullum, and will get it started so that we can then keep it going. I was very excited about this opportunity and hope that we will have more to report about the progress we will be making.

Eric and I have decided that we will have an open house to gather items for the families and other refugees for Christmas. We will be opening up our home on December 8 for those who would be interested in donating an item from a wish list. We hope to have a couple of the refugees there that speak English so that those who would to meet and speak with them can do so. As we get closer to Christmass, we will then have a party to pass out the items for the refugees, and hopefully have a Santa Claus! (Any volunteers with a Santa suit?) More details will be posted soon, so please check back in the next day or two.

Nov 8: First coat drop off & Dinner w/Pastor Ann

2007-11-13T23:21:00.000-05:00

I'm playing catch up so this is actually a November 8, 2007 post. Thanks everyone at Discovery who donated coats! I had the pleasure of taking the first bin down and distributing them to those in need. We managed to outfit 8 people with gloves and provide 5 coats. The remaining items were for very small children so were donated to Catholic Charities for them to distribute to other refugees. We still need more coats, hats, gloves and scarves so keep up the generosity. It's getting cold out there!

After dropping off the coats, I picked up Pastor Ann and had her over for dinner. Christie made a nice Asian dinner and we truly enjoyed getting to know this really kind lady.

Lastly, thanks everyone for the Christmas gift ideas. I'll post those in the near future as well.

Gift Ideas for Christmas?

2007-11-04T21:48:00.000-05:00

Christie and I are planning a get together December 8 in order to collect Christmas gifts for refugees living in Pittsburgh. Through your generosity, their basic material needs are met. The winter clothes drive will fill the remaining gap.

So, for Christmas, I thought it would be nice to collect gifts considered luxuries for them. So any ideas?

Our first service at Grace Lutheran

2007-11-04T20:38:00.000-05:00

Even after telephoning and reminding them to move their clocks back one hour, something got lost in translation. I also sent some of the kids back into their apartments to put on warmer clothes. This really is their first autumn in a cold climate so learning how to dress in 35F weather is an acquired skill. Anyway, we recovered and soon a collective wave converged on Grace Lutheran Church. It happens to be the only protestant church within walking distance of their apartments. Christie stayed in Cranberry to kick off Discovery's winter clothes drive. (If you're reading this, we particularly need mens winter coats.)

Despite leaving a message on the church answering machine, we still managed to surprise the pastor and lay leaders. Having never stepped foot in a Lutheran church myself, and also not being a native Pittsburgher, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would an ethnic German congregation accept a sizable wave of newcomers from Asia with limited English language ability?

Well all fears quickly dissipated as we were warmly welcomed and an impromptu Sunday school was held for the children while Pastor Ann spent time with the adults over tea. We fumbled through the liturgy during the worship service and afterwards, we hung around talking to some of the members. We were urged by several people to come back. As an older congregation with few children, the Sunday school teachers expressed how happy they were to see large numbers of children again. Children have a way of infusing life into a place.

I'll continue to attend Grace Lutheran for a little while in order to bridge the cultural gap. The desired end state is that the Ka'ren Christians are plugged into a local church they can call home, thus adding another vital link to the community they find themselves in.

In partnership with another Lutheran church, (Emmanuel's Lutheran Church 10 N. Fremont Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15202) they will host a Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, November 10th at 5pm for a Muslim Burmese family they sponsoring . All are welcome, so with the congregations' help, I hope to transport the other families to the Thanksgiving Dinner as well.

Though the people at Grace Lutheran are rich in love, material resources appear somewhat scarce. As Troy Hill has aged and lost population, so has the church. Average attendance hovers slightly above 20 (though the Ka'rens will double that if they choose to attend regularly) down from over 100 two decades ago. There was no heat in the building (broken boiler) and the offering would barely cover the salary of a part time secretary, let alone maintenance, repairs or other necessities.

With that said, those of us financially blessed (anyone in suburbia is financially blessed, trust me on this) should help out in any way that we can. One way is to contribute to the Thanksgiving dinner. The second way is to help them fix their boiler. I'm happy to be the conduit for this if you wish. Or you could mail donations directly to Grace Lutheran Church, 1701 Hatteras St. Pittsburgh, PA 15212. (412) 231-0506. Lastly, we can continue to provide direct material assistance to the refugees while the local congregation provides emotional assistance.

A church closer to their home

2007-11-03T22:21:00.000-04:00

As many of you are aware, the majority of the Ka'ren/Burmese refugees in Troy Hill are of the Christian faith. It was initially surprising to me since Burma is a majority Buddhist country. Volunteers at Discovery tried to bring them to church, but with such large families, and no passenger van our our disposal, it turned into a fairly unsustainable project over the long haul. Especially as new families continued to arrive who also professed the Christian faith. So, I'm going to walk with them to Grace Lutheran tomorrow for the 9am service. I looked up the church so I could give the pastor a heads up that 18 Burmese most of whom speak limited English are about to converge on his probably very elderly church. I left a message with no return call. They don't have a website, but I did find these statistics on their Synod's site. http://www.elca.org/ScriptLib/RE/Trendnet/cdsTrendNet.asp?Id=A5A3A2AF92

Yikes! We might double their average attendance! It'll be interesting. Thinking out loud, declining places like this (and old ethnic enclaves in general) have their best chance of survival through recent arrivals like the Ka'rens. Who knows, maybe there will a Burmese church as part of a greater Burmese neighborhood in Pittsburgh someday.

Halloween night

2007-10-31T21:57:00.000-04:00

After work, I went to Party City and picked up 15 masks, a huge bag of candy and 14 pumpkin baskets. As promised, I arrived to deliver the goods in all my glory (those muscles are real, btw). Once the kids were all set and a couple practice rounds of saying "trick or treat," I headed back home with two of the singles for a family dinner. Christie made an awesome Korean style dinner, and we watched one of those cheesy Halloween sequels. Once again, I was privileged to watch them as they marveled at the mundane (by western standards). This time, it was neatly trimmed lawns and the fall colors by day and street lights at night. It's really cool to see them experience different aspects of America for the first time. That joy and wonder rubs off on me as well. This experience continues to confirm in me the difference one can make in people's lives. You don't need to be super rich to make an impact. I know for a fact that all of the time and donations spent for the past 2 months have vastly improved their quality of life. So, thanks everyone at Discovery Christian church, our neighbors in Cranberry and co-workers at Commonwealth for everything you've done so far.

Their first Halloween!

2007-10-28T20:40:00.000-04:00

On Sunday October 28, 2007 I visited the 5 households on Troy Hill. This was the first time I visited them without bringing any donated items. It was nice to just sit, talk, and enjoy their hospitality. Some of them were learning how to do laundry at the local laundramat. It's amazing how something as mundane as doing laundry can be so fascinating to those who have washed their clothes by hand their entire lives. Once they figured out how to use the machines, they marveled at how easy it is to wash clothes in America. The children thought the commercial washers were magic.

Later on, (with the help of a translater), I explained the tradition of Halloween and once receiving permission from the parents, promised to come back in a few days with costumes. We practiced a new English phrase together: "Trick or treat."