They are a happy family, even in face of the challenging task of learning a new language, learning new technology, learning a new culture, learning many many things new. Perhaps most importantly, they are safe – without fear of rebels or soldiers coming to rape the women and girls or kill the father or force the boys to be soldiers or something. Everything else – home, job, food, etc. is icing on the cake. How much we take for granted in America!
Yesterday evening I stopped by the Kasongo’s. In true “recently arrived in the US and have limited English ability fashion”, one of the letters they received said their food stamp benefits were stopping at the end of May, in 8 days. They were supposed to complete some long application to verify the need for benefits and renew them. So, I started working with Papa Kasongo to figure out how to do that. We got an online account set up and then discovered it took a good 1.5 hours to complete all the paperwork online (with occasional interruptions from kids and with slow going at times to communicate in slowly in English). It was a long, slow process, but eventually, got the application sent in, at which point we discovered that they needed to send in two records – a copy of social security card for one of the kids, and a verification that Papa Kasongo was no longer working at his last job (temporary agency) but instead had a new job. I was able to call the staffing agency and get a verification emailed to me, thankfully the email came through within an hour and I was able to fax in the paperwork. Now the big question comes whether they will experience a lapse in benefits because the review can take up to 14 days, but we turned it in 8 days before the due date. Hopefully they don’t experience a lapse in benefits – because they certainly need the help to feed their family of 9 people, especially with the low wages they earn. It’s another example of the daunting task of a refugee family, resettling to a new 1st world country coming from a world where there entire life they presumably didn’t need to deal with this much paperwork, much less in a foreign language.
By the time we finished, the bus to take me to the train was running infrequently because rush hour was long since past. So, I walked to Trax. Papa Kasongo decided to walk the 1.2 miles with me. We talked on the way, which was nice. It’s so apparent that he is so tremendously appreciative of the assistance the mentor volunteers provide. And it’s so apparent that he is recognizes the extreme blessing of being resettled to America. It’s truly a life-changing opportunity for him and for his children and their future posterity.
He wants to work hard ( and in fact is, with a job now getting paid $12/hr that he works at a meat packaging plant). His shift is Monday – Saturday 6 am to 2:30 pm except sometimes they get held later to 3:30pm. Mama Kasongo works at the same factory Monday to Friday from 3:30 pm to 11:30 pm. They are a happy family, even in face of the challenging task of learning a new language, learning new technology, learning a new culture, learning many many things new. Perhaps most importantly, they are safe – without fear of rebels or soldiers coming to rape the women and girls or kill the father or force the boys to be soldiers or something. Everything else – home, job, food, etc. is icing on the cake. How much we take for granted in America!