Florida Catholic | American Dream Challenges

American dream comes with challenges

JOHN A. TORRES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 10.19.07

Bla “Blue” Blut and Je “Jimmy” Mee, along with their children, recently settled in Ocala with the help of Catholic Charities of Central Florida Inc. and Blessed Trinity Parish of Ocala. Their family is one of two that came from Burma (Myanmar) in Southeast Asia. In the front row, left to right, are Rebecca Mee, 7, Ser Nay Kaw “Kau Too” Htoo, 10, and June “John” Four, 12. Back row, left to right, are Bla Blut, Gay Doh “Do Too” Htoo, 6, and Je “Jimmy” Mee.
JANNET WALSH | FC

OCALA | Life in the United States is a dream come true for two Burmese families who escaped Myanmar years ago before the latest military crackdown against a democratic movement led by Buddhist monks. But their American dream has not come without difficulties.

"The hardest adjustment is that we need to learn English," said La Jo Paw, speaking through an interpreter. "We have never spoken or heard English, and it is hard to comprehend what is going on around us."

La Jo Paw is here with her husband, Nain Kyaw, a son and two other relatives.

The lack of communication skills also makes traveling virtually impossible without a guide.

Both families, recently relocated by Catholic Charities, spent the last several years living in refugee camps in Thailand. One family was settled in Ocala in August and the other just last month. They live in apartments directly across from each other.

"It was very hard living in the camp, our houses were made with bamboos and many houses have only two rooms — living area, and the bedroom," said La Jo Paw. "We did not have mattresses or blankets. Sometimes we had to use whatever to make ourselves warm."

The camps had no running water or electricity. And while there was enough food, a school and medical clinic, refugees were not allowed out of the fenced-in camps to go find jobs and earn money.

Je Mee, patriarch of the second family, and Than Thai, cousin of Nain Kyaw, said they have Internet access in Ocala and have been following the situation in Myanmar closely through the Burmese language online newspapers. The others have been watching the developments unfold on television.

"We saw that monks and public demonstrators have been beaten," said La Jo Paw. "We do not understand English, so we do not know the detail news."

And even though the families are Buddhist and Baptist respectively, they have been welcomed as family by the Catholic community at Blessed Trinity Parish in Ocala.

"We cannot thank them enough," La Jo Paw said. "Words cannot describe how grateful we are. The kindness and love we feel here is incredible. If you ask me, we are more than comfortable. We have never dreamed that we would live here in U.S.A. We are so blessed. We thank you."

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