Italian food helps Asian refugees

Nine-year-old Karen refugee Ehraysa smiles shyly and nods when asked if she enjoys her new school in Prince Albert.

About three months ago, Ehraysa was living in a refugee camp in Thailand for the Karen people, an ethnic minority. Karen people were expelled from Myanmar (previously called Burma) when British rule ended more than 50 years ago.

Some have been living in camps all their lives.

Ehraysa and her mother Roselee Alee, father Henay Htoo, and siblings Ehplahset, 7, Shellda, 5, and Justefy, 7 months, came to Prince Albert on Nov. 22.

The Wesley United Church sponsored the family and has supported them for their first three months in Prince Albert, said Ken Torbert, co-chairman for the refugee committee at the church.

"They have done extremely well," said Torbert. "They are surprisingly independent."

But now the family is required to pay back the Canadian government for their airfare from Thailand to Canada.

To that end, the church is organizing a supper fundraiser this Saturday to help raise funds for the airfare. Torbert believes they will need about $5,000.

Most Karen are not allowed to work in refugee camps and they rely on aid support. Henay was one of the few Karen allowed to work as a hand on a riverboat. Nevertheless, the family have little resources after living in the camp most of their lives.

"They (the Htoo family) have left a very difficult situation - the sad part is it goes back 50 years."

Henay came to the camp in 1991 but the rest of the family has spent their entire lives in the camp.

The Htoo family is one of four families sponsored by four churches in Prince Albert. The Alliance, Calvary United and Parkview Baptist churches also sponsored families through Global Neighbors director Dave Heppner, who has long been involved in the Karen refugee cause. There are now 27 Karen refugees living in Prince Albert.

Torbert said the sponsorship has been a great experience for the church.

"The church has been really excited about the sponsorship. It has been a fun, enlightening time."

The church has provided food, clothing, housing and furniture for the first three months the family has been in Prince Albert.

The Htoo family attends church and the children join the Sunday school. Torbert said the vast majority of Karen people are Christian.

Henay and Roselee started English classes at the Prince Albert Multicultural Centre when they arrived. They struggle to communicate but Henay said he likes Prince Albert.

The one thing he clearly doesn't like is all the snow and cold weather.

Ehraysa and Ehplahset attend Princess Margaret School.

The fundraiser, an Italian Night Pasta Supper, will be Saturday at 6 p.m. at Wesley United Church at 65 11th St. E.

Only 175 tickets will be sold. Tickets are available at the church, call 763-5493, at Amy's on Second.

klongwell@paherald.sk.ca