Most refugees arrive in the United States with broken lives. They have few possessions and may have escaped war or prison. Many do not speak English.
World Relief helps them put the pieces back together.
“Our goal is to help refugees and immigrants adjust to a new life in America,” said John Barcanic, executive director of World Relief DuPage in Wheaton.
The agency does this through a continuum of services, from welcoming new arrivals at the airport to guiding them through the citizenship maze five years later. In between, staff and volunteers link clients with housing, employment, education, public services, health care and more.
One client, Sanja Mrkajic, 28, was a teenager when she fled her native Bosnia and the war that was tearing up the country.
“You could walk on the street and be killed,” she said.
She moved to Serbia, where she met and married Mihajlo Mrkajic. Five years ago they were permitted to immigrate to the United States as refugees. Since then they bought a house in Carol Stream, where they live with their two children and Mihajlo’s father. Sanja recently earned her real estate broker’s license and has applied to become a citizen.
“World Relief was very helpful,” said Sanja, who did not know any English when she arrived here. “They did a lot of little things. If you didn’t know where the hospital was, they would take you. You don’t have a way to find out [answers to questions] if you don’t speak the language. I couldn’t ask my neighbor.”
World Relief is a faith-based service organization–a division of the National Association of Evangelicals–that administers humanitarian aid throughout the world. Based in Baltimore, it was founded in 1944 to help rebuild Europe after World War II. The Wheaton office is one of 26 in the United States.
Although all clients are immigrants, not all immigrants are refugees, explained Barcanic.
The key is persecution. Refugees, as defined by international law as well as various governments and relief agencies, can demonstrate well-founded fear of persecution should they return home.
“Refugees flee their home countries, often with very little,” said Barcanic. “A family of four or five may have one or two suitcases. That’s all they could grab. They were told to `be gone in two hours or we’ll come back and shoot you.'”
Immigrants do not have that element of persecution in their lives, he said. They are not necessarily on the run. They often choose to change countries and may have prepared for years to make the move.
The distinction is important: Refugees qualify for more and different agency services. Immigrants, for example, do not qualify for free housing and usually don’t need mental health counseling.
Language classes are popular with all who want to improve their language skills. The agency offers classes at seven sites throughout the county. Depending upon the class, transportation and child care may be available.
Where clients come from
This year, the agency expects to serve about 120 refugees and about 4,200 immigrants, said Barcanic.
In recent years, the majority of non-refugee immigrants are from Latin America and the majority of refugees are from the former Yugoslavia. Smaller numbers of refugees are African, Asian and Eastern European.
Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the influx of refugees has slowed dramatically. Before that date, the country took in 70,000 refugees per year; in the nearly two years since the attacks, the country has permitted entry to 20,000.
“But there are 14 million to 15 million people waiting for somewhere to go,” said Barcanic. “The conditions in the camps are deplorable. There are children who have known only refugee camps, who have never been in school.”
Adjusting is hard
For refugees who do make it over, the adjustment process can be difficult even for those eager to resettle. Sevdije Sulejmani understands that well. She and her family members are former refugees who left Kosovo in 1999. She is now a caseworker at the Wheaton agency.
“The first week they are happy they are here,” she said. “Then they start having culture shock. Everything is different. Everything is so big and so separated. Back where they came from, they could walk to town and walk to the office. Here everything is driving. They fear they will not learn how to drive or remember the street names or which is east and west. They also worry about jobs and finances.”
“Meeting new people is hard,” said Barcanic. “Americans hide behind their fences, garages and dog. If you want to visit someone, you call and set up an appointment. Refugees don’t always understand why they can’t just go to a neighbor’s house to meet them. Loneliness sets in.”
Sulejmani enjoys helping others make the transition.
“I’m a refugee, too, so I know what to do,” she said. “It’s nice to see my clients grow and become self-sufficient. It makes you feel good. But sometimes I wish I had more time to help the families.”
The volunteer connection
The agency’s staff (the equivalent of 40 full-timer workers) is augmented by the efforts of several hundred volunteers.
They perform such tasks as hosting new refugees in their homes for a few days, donating household furnishings, setting up fully equipped apartments and driving clients to appointments. Some help with translations; among the staff and volunteers, 19 languages are spoken.
Some volunteers serve as Friendship Partners, a program in which they are matched with refugees to help them with daily activities such as navigating a grocery store, practicing language skills or understanding a piece of mail.
“Friendship Partners do things that are more cultural and that help with overall adjustment to and understanding of the area,” said volunteer coordinator Susan Sperry. “They provide a lot of relationship support and emotional support. It makes a huge impact. We try to connect every refugee who comes in with a volunteer but sometimes we have a lot of refugees and not a lot of volunteers.
“Those who have volunteers tend to feel more stable and secure and they adjust much more quickly.”
As a resettlement location, DuPage County has its pros and cons, said Barcanic. On the one hand, the pace is fast, public transportation is negligible, and the cost of housing is among the highest in the nation. On the other hand, even in the present uncertain economy, jobs are more plentiful here than in many other parts of the country, he said.
“Also in DuPage County is a certain understanding of diversity,” he added. “It is not unusual to see someone of color or dressed differently from you. And the churches are very responsive. Many sponsor families or agree to pay a number of months’ rent or help with employment. That kind of support is key to everything we do.”
“It’s a better life” here
Sulejmani returned to Kosovo last September to see family and friends. She enjoyed her visit but was glad to return to the United States.
“It’s a better life, for sure,” she said. “Here, I achieve something. I work a good job. I have opportunities. As you spend time here, you become attached.”
Sanja Mrkajic agrees. “Here, I can plan something,” she said. “I can plan a future for my kids.”
Barcanic said that the agency will work with clients for up to five years, but most are self-sufficient long before that. About 80 percent of adult refugees are employed within six months. After 18 months or so clients begin to drift away but then return at the five-year point, when they are eligible to apply for citizenship.
“We know they’re doing well because they buy nicer cars and nicer houses” than the staff does, he said with a chuckle.
———-
For more information on World Relief DuPage, 1825 College Ave., Wheaton, call 630-462-7566.
