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Cambodian Refugees Arrive in West Virginia

Diocesan Press Service. July 28, 1975 [75259]

Carolyne Aniba, Diocese of Washington

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- Two Episcopal priests in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia decided to answer the call for help for Southeast Asian refugees.

In a few short weeks they were meeting their nineth refugee at Dulles International Airport and their efforts grew to include over ten churches and civic and government support.

The Rev. Charlie McNutt, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Martinsburg, exclaimed, "Response is positive, willing -- this is the best American tradition and the best way to express love and concern in a practical way to people who need it. "

The people are a Cambodian man and his expectant wife and six children, ages 1 to 18, and a 22-year-old bachelor. Both of the men had been electricians in the American Embassy in Pnom Phen.

"The only negative response we've had is about our unemployment (10 percent in the area) but I say to them that several jobs won't alter the situation, " explained the Rev. Roger Henshaw, rector of Zion Episcopal Church, Charles Town, W.Va., who was active in southern Florida resettling Cuban refugees in the 1960's.

The task force is now concentrating on establishing a business for the Cambodians in small appliance repair.

Community assistance has come in the form of a 13-room house owned and loaned by the Christ Evangelical and Reformed Church. Pastor Bobby Bonds and Henshaw each drove their station wagons June 17 to Dulles International Airport to meet the Huor Lay family.

The churches collected $1,300 and four physicians have volunteered free care including delivery of Mrs. Huor's seventh child due in three months. It was the Martinsburg City Council members themselves who took a Saturday to clean the large house that had been vacant four years. The near-by firestation sent men to clean the gutters and repair the roof. Complete furnishings from flatware to a TV were gathered by citizens. Several attorneys are standing by for legal help. Employment and language problems are being solved by state and local government.

The three-county task force hopes to resettle eventually several refugee families in the area. Meantime, other communities are calling on Henshaw and McNutt to counsel them on refugee sponsorship.

Church World Service through the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief arranged the resettlement.

Speaking before the Conference of Province III at Hood College, Henshaw testified how positive the response in the area had been. "It's not only the well-to-do but also the blacks and less fortunate who have really responded to the needs of the newcomers in the community -- even though they are minority.

" Everyone is pleased to have the refugees with us and the morale remains high. The appliance repair shop is being set up in a garage behind their house. We call it 'Cambodian Appliance Repair ' and the people are coming with their fans, dryers, can openers and whatever from near and far, " enthused Henshaw.