"You were our connection to God," said one woman, who had once been held virtual prisoner in an El Monte sweatshop, to representatives of the Diocese of Los Angeles.

The woman, Pataraporn, was one of 72 refugees from Thailand recruited by U.S. sweatshop operators. She was among 24 of the refugees who were clothed, housed and fed by the Diocese of Los Angeles following their release.

Seven sweatshop operators pleaded guilty in February to violating federal civil rights laws for keeping the 72 seamstresses imprisoned in a clandestine garment factory ringed with razor wire.

The refugees met again in late February at the diocesan center to tell their story to members of a youth group from the World Council of Churches visiting in Los Angeles.

The workers from Thailand, who had been promised good-paying jobs in the U.S., were made to work as many as 20 hours a day - averaging 17 hours a day - seven days a week for a monthly salary of $500.

"We couldn't see outside. We work hard. Work hard," one of the women said. Their plight was discovered when one of them escaped and told police.

The need to provide housing for them brought a phone call to the Ven. Carmen Guerrero, diocesan archdeacon for multicultural ministry. She arranged for 24 of the Thai refugees to reside at what had been Church of the Ascension in Tujunga. The facility, which includes a parish hall with kitchen, had been vacant for three years.

A seminarian, Juan Barragan, and his wife, Petra, had been working to remodel the church. Their children were, in a sense, "adopted" by the Thai women, many of whom had children of their own still in Thailand. They all became friends.

Archdeacon Guerrero said there was an outpouring of clothing and food for the refugees.

She asked the diocesan bookkeeper, Nancy Arn, who formerly had lived in Thailand, to communicate with the refugees. She served as translator for many of them with the WCC youth group.

After providing food, clothing and shelter, Archdeacon Guerrero said she realized that "I had showed them everything except what is the most important factor in my life, my faith."

Through Ms. Arn, she explained about her belief in Jesus. She provided the refugees with Bibles translated into Thai.

She said she made clear that she was not trying to force her faith on them, most of whom were Buddhist, but trying to explain why her belief in Jesus led her to be involved with the refugees.

"We often talk about the gospel, but we don't live it out," the archdeacon told the WCC representatives.

"How could the people (the national firms which bought the sweatshop-produced clothing) not have known about these conditions?"

She noted that if the refugees are returned to Thailand, they will return to the poverty in the rural areas of that country. "These are the issues that that we need to deal with," she said.

One of the women, Lampang, said that in the sweatshop, they prayed "every day, but never know. And we cry every day."

Ms. Arn, after talking with the refugees, said, "There was too much suffering, too much need. Now they feel the freedom and know what this country means."

The refugees have all found legitimate employment, most in the garment industry. They remain in the U.S. until resolution of federal and state civil claims for back wages. All indicated they would like to remain in the U.S.

When asked how they feel now, one woman said "happy." All the others started nodding their heads, smiled and said "happy."

"I am struck by your courage, your spirit, your openness," said Peter Brock of the WCC groups.