It’s about a Burmese refugee named Paw Dow, a Waukesha Literacy Council student, and his tutor, Ed Boss, reading to 2- to 5- year-old children at a day care in Waukesha.  The part that makes this really neat to me is that Paw Dow is a member of one of the families that we helped resettle.

I remember when he and his family arrived a few years ago.  Paw Dow often smiled, but he didn’t speak much.  He didn’t know enough English to hold a conversation.  And, now, here he is reading to children! 

It’s moments like this, when you see the progress made–the adaptation, the learning, the adjusting, the fitting in–from refugee to self-sufficiency that helps you realize how worthwhile refugee resettlement is.  Well, at least that’s true for me.  I see how worthwhile it is and I hope you do too.

Thailand could have one more family still living in a refugee camp, dependent upon others for survival.  Or the United States can have a family who works, and contributes, and gives back to the community.  The latter is the step in the right direction.  Just one single resettlement and the world becomes a better place.

Hmm.  There’s so much that can be said about refugee resettlement.  How do you make an impression in just 5 minutes?

Certainly it’s good to know the audience.  In this case the group is studying the Bible, so they’re a Christian group.  That’s good, because the way I see it, refugee resettlement is a way to fulfill our God-given mission to help the less fortunate.

Sometimes we may question whether or not someone is less fortunate.  Are they really a victim?  Is the poorly dressed guy begging on the corner homeless because of choice or bad decisions?  Or is he doing just fine because he’s turned begging into a career?  If not in real life, we’ve probably all at least seen these scenarios on TV.  And that can make you wonder who really needs your help.

But refugees are clearly victims of circumstances beyond their control.  They are forced to leave their homes fearing for their lives.  They flee to a country that probably doesn’t want them.  And they’re stuck for an undetermined amount of time, unproductive, waiting, wondering, wishing for a change that may or may not come.

So, yes, these are the less fortunate, especially by our own standards.

The Reasons to do Nothing

In college I took a philosophy class.  I don’t remember much from it, but there was one side comment that stands out for me.  “Knowledge IS responsibility.”  Once you are aware of something, once you know it, the next step is your responsibility.  What are you going to do with that information?  What action will you take?

The main reason people do nothing to help refugees is that they have no idea that the possibility exists.  Until someone first told me that we could help a refugee family by supporting them in our own city, I had no idea.  But when I knew, there was the knowledge.  What was the responsibility?  For me it was to help.

But that brought me to the next problem, the second big reason to do nothing.  I really had no idea what to do or where to begin.  You need to know the first step to take.  In our case we guessed, and everywhere we got stuck, we guessed again.  We took our best shot at coming up with the best answer we could think of.  And we went with it.

But Now You Know, So You Are Responsible

You don’t have to start out by guessing.  I wrote 10 Million To 1 so that you would have the steps, the checklists, everything you need to do to get started.  The book solves the problem of where to begin.  It covers everything an interested person must know to get started and be successful in the resettlement process.

Part of the problem has been the addition of another blog.  As an author I was set up with a blog at jeffreykirk.authorsxpress.com.  Nothing wrong with that concept.  The reality is that my efforts went into that site instead of this one.  Yet it’s this one that I really want to continue to add value to the refugee resettlement conversation.

Therefore I am reorganizing this site.  (You probably already see some changes compared to your last visit.  And more are coming.)  The “author” site will continue to exist, but going forward the updates will be here.  This will allow me to better integrate the resettlement info and training.  After-all, this site is for resettlement support, so it all belongs here.

Once I get this site organized properly then I will again try to add more content to keep it interesting and educational.

I am in the midst of a nationwide publicity campaign.  A surge in book sales can be used to help get more positive media attention on refugees and refugee resettlement.  Greater awareness means more potential volunteers to help refugees.  More volunteers means more refugees can transition to self-sufficiency faster.

And, by “self-sufficiency” I mean that they are contributing members of society.  They get jobs, become productive, buy products and services from local businesses, pay taxes.  They fit in.  And then, one day, they become citizens of this great land.

While there are 11 agencies in the U.S. that are officially designated to help refugees, I believe the volunteers can make a HUGE difference.  We’re the people on ground, helping with the day-to-day transition from refugee camp to normal life.

You make a difference!

When you buy a book on November 29 from Amazon you will receive additional bonuses; useful in resettlement, business, and life.  Visit www.10millionto1.com for details.  The “Get Bonuses” button will only be visible for a limited time so take a look now.

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Just a reminder.  If you’d like to pick up a copy of the book, you can visit www.10millionto1.com or just click the book cover the right.

Humanitarian situation improving in Ethiopia, continued challenges in Somalia
Together with our partners, UNHCR has been making progress in delivering health and nutrition services to Somali refugees in the Dollo Ado camps in Ethiopia. The measles vaccination campaign, completed…
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency

East and Horn of Africa Update: Somali Displacement Crisis at a Glance, 21 September 2011
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency

Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, UNHCR has deployed an emergency team to the Gode area, some 250 kilometres north of the refugee camps at Dollo Ado. In coordination with the Ethiopian authorities,…
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency

Life-saving efforts in Ethiopia continue, growing shelter needs in Djibouti
Mass distribution of UNHCR emergency aid is continuing in southern and central Somalia reaching some 30,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) this week alone. Since early July UNHCR teams have assisted…
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency

UNHCR distributes aid to 30,000 displaced Somalis in past week
Since early July, UNHCR has helped 180,000 people displaced by drought, famine or fighting. It plans to reach another 180,000 by the end of August.
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency

UNHCR launches shared web portal for Horn of Africa emergency
Nairobi, 19 August 2011
UNHCR today launched a new website providing detailed and regularly updated information from the agency and its operational partners on the refugee and displacement emergency in…
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency

First families settle into new Kenya refugee camp
Meanwhile as East Africa suffered its worst drought in 60 years, the Dadaab area in northeastern Kenya, where the camp stood empty found itself hosting about 400000 Somali refugees. And with other refugee camps in the area overflowing, more than 50000 …
Read more on SOS Children

Ain al-Hilweh not content with Abbas’ call to give up arms
By Mohammed Zaatari SIDON, Lebanon: Residents of the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp reacted to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ agreement to hand over arms in the country’s refugee camps to the Lebanese authorities with disbelief and defiance Wednesday …
Read more on The Daily Star

Danny Westneat Garage sale to help Iraqi refugees in Seattle becomes a battlefield
Zawaideh, whose travel company has offices in Jordan, Syria and Seattle, has become a sort of den mother for the Iraqi Refugee Resettlement Program in the Northwest. She collects donated furniture and household items through the Arab American Community …
Read more on The Seattle Times

In a Pageant, a Borough’s New Face
The Clifton neighborhood, the heart of the African community on Staten Island, has long been an enclave for Liberians, who first arrived through a refugee resettlement program for those fleeing the country’s civil strife. Over the past 10 years, …
Read more on New York Times

UNHCR addresses “alarming” level of child mortality in Ethiopian camp

About 10 children under five have been dying every day in Kobe camp since June. Malnutrition is the main cause, but measles compounds the problem.
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency

Hundreds of new arrivals in Italy from Libya and Tunisia

Almost 2,000 people arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa over the weekend from Libya and Tunisia. The majority, some 1,800, set sail from Janzour, 12 kilometers west of Tripoli, Libya, where they…
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency

UNHCR helps secure health insurance for all registered refugees in Iran

Under an agreement between UNHCR, the government and a local company, refugees in Iran will be able to receive insurance for major medical care.
UNHCR | The UN Refugee Agency