Making a new life in Lansing as a refugee

They come from all over -- Bosnia, Liberia, Somalia and Vietnam, to name but a few. They speak a myriad of different languages, hold to many differing beliefs. But one thing they all have in common -- they came here because they weren't safe in their homelands, and they were hoping for a place to start anew.

But for all the tragedy that often precipitates their arrival, this is an opportunity to make a new life. To have the chance at simple pleasures that we so often take for granted. To pursue dreams and ambitions. To thrive.

It is quite common for a refugee to arrive in their new hometown with nothing but the clothes on their back. Without so much as a spare shirt to wear or a pot to cook in, they are in need of all sorts of assistance in getting settled and on the road toward self-sufficiency. And this is where refugee resettlement organizations step in.

Refugee Services

St Vincent Catholic Charities, a federally funded program located in Lansing, provides a wide array of services to refugees just arriving in mid-Michigan for the first time. They locate affordable housing, provide initial household basics and a representative from St Vincent's will meet the newcomers at the airport, welcoming them to their new home.

Another local organization to provide a much needed helping hand is Lutheran Social Services of Michigan. As Michigan's largest private refugee resettlement organization, they are also equipped to provide legal services, translation services and sponsorship to refugees, in addition to helping meet their daily needs until they are settled in.

One of the greatest of those needs is language.  Only a very small number of refugees arrive here able to speak any English, and so they are faced with a very unique set of challenges right off the bat.

Thang Sut Mung is a refugee from Myanmar (Burma). He arrived here in Lansing four years ago with his parents and seven siblings. They came because his family was persecuted for their faith, and they desperately wanted a safe place to live and worship. "In my country, every day you are thinking about how to survive tomorrow. Here in America, every day you are thinking about how to improve tomorrow."

"When we came here, I could only speak a little English, but I took classes at the RDC and learned English. It was a big help," says Mung. He now attends LCC, taking classes to pursue a degree as a Digital Media Specialist.

Christina Kaufmann, an English Second Language, or ESL, teacher  at Lutheran Social Services of Michigan says she loves teaching English to adult refugees. "When you can't speak the language, you can't advocate for yourself or exert any control over your environment. You have no idea what's going on around you! By teaching English to these amazing people, I am empowering them to take control of their lives."

Manirakiza, a refugee from Burundi, lived for many years in a refugee camp in Tanzania before finally being offered the chance to move to Lansing with his wife and children. "I had only one bag for our clothes, nothing else" he says of his arrival in Lansing. "They took us to an apartment with couches and beds and a dining table! It was so clean."

"I like to live here." he says of Lansing. "In Tanzania there was no security, no one was safe. But here no one hurts us and you can call 911 if you need help. I have a good job now too. When I first came here, it didn't feel like home, but after some months...this is my home now." then he laughs and says,  "My children never want to go back!"

It takes a phenomenal amount of courage and tenacity to create a life for yourself and your family, when you are starting from scratch in a completely foreign place. And while Lansing seems the epitome of normalcy for most of us living here, for the average refugee just arriving for the first time from Afghanistan or Cambodia, it may as well be a different planet.

But different and foreign as it may seem upon first inspection, Lansing is a great place to settle as a refugee. It's a very diverse community, with people living here from all corners of the world. One is almost certain to find others who speak your language, share your culture, and will extend a hand in friendship.

"A number of years ago Lansing was designated a preferred community for refugees."  says Shirin Timms, executive director at the Refugee Development Center. "It's considered a town that welcomes them, where they've been able to settle and make new homes. Also, it doesn't have the high cost of living associated with some other immigrant hubs."

The Refugee Development Center, where Timms works, provides educational support like ESL classes and after school programs for refugee children. The main task force at the RDC are volunteers. People from all over Lansing who generously give of their time and abilities to  create a safe environment in which refugees have the opportunity to adjust, settle and flourish.

"The RDC is a hope-filled, welcoming place that provides newcomers to the Lansing area with the education, support, and language skills they need to succeed here." says Timms. "They each arrive with tremendous assets, and powerful stories of survival and triumph."

But regardless of where they came from, they are now an integral part of the ever-changing and cosmopolitan landscape of Lansing. Woven into the diverse fabric of this city, they offer unique perspectives, and display great strength of character and self-reliance in their daily lives. As Timms so eloquently puts it, "We salute them in their journey, onward and upward!"

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Sarah Hilman is afreelance writer for Capital Gains.

Photos © Dave Trumpie
 
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of Trumpie Photography.