Fund Hosts Conference on Refugee Affairs
Episcopal News Service. February 5, 1981 [81041]
BUCKEYSTOWN, Md. -- The Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief brought more than 80 people together at the Diocese of Maryland's Claggett Conference Center here in mid-January for the first national Episcopal Church conference on refugee/migration affairs.
Participants included resettlement coordinators representing 25 dioceses, Fund and Church World Service staff members and other ecumenical project coordinators.
The conference opened with remarks and introduction of staff by the Rev. Samir J. Habiby, director of the Fund, and Mrs. Marion M. Dawson, assistant director for migration affairs. The Rev. William Fallowfield, director of the Claggett Center, welcomed the conference on behalf of the Rt. Rev. David Leighton, Bishop of Maryland.
During the four and one half days of the conference, the coordinators participated in several workshops led by the staff of the Presiding Bishop's Fund. The staff covered such topics as sponsorship procedures, social services, theological overview of refugee ministry, U. S. policy directions and diocesan structure and response. Other sessions were conducted by guest speakers including Jerome and Shirley McNally of the Diocese of the Rio Grande who presented a plenary workshop on their English-as-a-second-language program, "Let's Learn Language."
Bernard Haldane, an employment and career specialist from the Diocese of Olympia, demonstrated his technique by interviewing Zacarias Bermudez, a recent Cuban refugee now living in Gary, Ind. Haldane highlighted the special problems faced by the refugee seeking employment, and how sponsors can help by enabling the refugee to recognize and transfer basic skills.
Karen Codman from the Diocese of Los Angeles provided information on pre-arrival training for sponsors, drawing on her experience as sponsorship manager at St. Anselm's Indochinese Refugee Center in Garden Grove, Calif. Richard Wheeler, chairman of the Executive Committee of the Fund, spoke briefly to the assembly about the Church's current role in refugee ministry, stressing the importance of continuing that involvement.
A panel presentation was moderated by Mrs. Dawson, and composed of several recent refugees and earlier refugees now involved in resettlement. This was widely viewed as a conference highlight, as each person recounted the experiences of a refugee in flight and arriving in America. A variety of ethnic groups was represented, including Cambodian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cuban, Haitian and Romanian. The audience learned about cultural sensitivity from a refugee's perspective.
The conference heard presentations by the Rev. Winston Ching, staff officer for Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries, and Dr. David Crean, staff officer for hunger, both from National Mission in Church and Society at the Episcopal Church Center. Ching explained the role of ethnic ministries in bridging the cultural gap for refugees. Crean explored the relationship between hunger and refugees.
The group left the conference center for a one-day visit to Washington that included a forum on legislative issues chaired by Dr. William Weiler of the Episcopal Church Washington Office, conversations with legislators and worship at the National Cathedral.
The conference adjourned after reports from participants and evaluation of the several days of work and sharing. This first national conference is seen as a foundation stone of a developing network of diocesan refugee coordinators and volunteer task forces working closely with bishops and parishes throughout the Church. The conference should also enable the Presiding Bishop's Fund to work more closely with, and provide greater support for, diocesan refugee ministries.