Page 87 - Abilene Living

icture yourself walking. Walking for days, probably weeks, carrying everything you own and trying to feed and protect your family until you can reach a place of safety. That picture may give you a small snapshot of the experience of millions of people who are forced to leave their homes in order to save their lives due to issues of race, religion, nationality and political persecution. One by one, family by family, some of those millions fnd a home in Abilene thanks to the work of the International Rescue Committee’s local staff and volunteers.

The frst annual Harm to Home Walk, held in June of 2010, celebrated the accomplishments of IRC in settling refugees here in Abilene with homes, jobs and support networks. A walk format for the event seemed appropriate because so many refugees walk so many miles to reach a place of safety. Both refugees and Abilene community members participated. The Walk began in the First Baptist Church parking lot where participants had the opportunity to make a donation and received a bottle of water and a map of the activities. Stations included traditional dance as well as music and art from around the world. Love and Care Ministries hosted ethnic foods provided by local caterers and restaurants. Abilene residents from Bhutan demonstrated their national dances at Vera Minter Memorial Park. Cockerell Gallery displayed Faces of Refugees, an exhibit of photographic portraits by Greg Kendall Ball. Refugees also told their stories at the First Baptist Church, many surrounded by Abilene church members and volunteers there to offer support.

Santa Kami told his story that day. “There was revolution in Bhutan,” he says, “between the government of Bhutan and the Nepalese origin people. The government did not allow the

OPPOSITE PAGE Hansal Monger, grandson of B.B.Rai. Also Bhutanese. Parents and adult children are sometimes sent to different countries because not all can be accommodated but this family was able to stay together. TOP Asha Monger, Hansal’s mother & B.B.’s daughter. TOP RIGHT Japhet Sinzumusi & Christine Nitwibuke, Burundian couple from Tanzania. They met and married after arriving in Abilene.