14 Dec Christmas with Our Burmese Friends

Our Burmese family prepares to serve us a meal. Bob and Kathy Bruce are seated on the right.

Over the past few months, Charlene and I have been part of a “Circle of Friends” helping a refugee Burmese family in Fort Wayne, Ind. This family came to the US after 18 years in a Thai camp. Fort Wayne has about 5000 immigrants from Burma, the largest Burmese refugee population in the United States. The majority of them are Muslims who carry with them many of their own traditions and customs.

However, this family is not completely united. The husband and father of six passed away just a year before they gained the opportunity to start their lives over again in a new homeland. The cause of death remains a mystery, but it seems he may have died from a brain hemorrhage. The eldest son, who would logically fulfill the role of primary wage earner, is stuck in Malaysia due to a bureaucratic oversight.

This past week our circle, which includes Bob and Kathy Bruce of Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, took a number of Burmese families out to see Christmas lights around the city. We borrowed a bus from Emmanuel and filled it with children and their parents. They were fascinated by the Christmas lights around town.

Later, the family we help support provided a delicious Burmese meal in their home. They seemed thrilled to do something in return for the help they’ve received, and we were pleased to see our friendship move one step deeper.