By David Wallace
C & G Staff Writer

WEST BLOOMFIELD — The Chaldean American Ladies of Charity hosted an evening to honor refugees new to the United States July 30 at Shenandoah Country Club, and the event included strong appeals to help improve the refugees’ lives.

Many of the refugees leaving Iraq are Chaldeans, members of the country’s Christian minority. Their beliefs put them at risk.

Refugee Sabah A. Lafi talked about life in Iraq and in the United States. His child, a doctor in Iraq, apparently could not save the life of a Muslim patient, according to a translation of his comments. People blamed the doctor for the death simply because the doctor is a Christian. Not until a Muslim doctor confirmed what happened to the patient did the people believe Lafi’s child.

Lafi said America feels like a second home, but he faces many challenges. He wants to work — working is honorable — but he cannot find work. He would like people who are educated professionals in Iraq to be able to be certified here, and he said that the refugees should get the opportunity to pay back the people helping them so that they can help the next refugee. Refugees also have the responsibility to assist future refugees, he said, according to the translation.

Refugee Maan Dalli had a store in Iraq and was threatened a number of times, including a threat against him or his family if he did not pay $50,000. His shop was bombed, rebuilt and bombed again. He fled one night and ended up in Lebanon.

According to a translation of his remarks, Dalli’s three kids and wife are here, but his mother is in Syria. He asked people for help so that his mother could come here.

“This stuff shouldn’t be happening in the 21st century,” said Al Zara, one of the executive producers of a short documentary, screened at the event, about some of the refugees.

“You’re being persecuted strictly for being Christian,” said Zara. “Absolutely, these events (like tonight) are very, very crucial, and I think all communities should stick together.”

“I think now more than ever it’s needed to see what’s going on, especially after interviewing the refugees and seeing a firsthand account, you really see their lives and where they came from and the horror that they went through, and you realize how great America really is. You just want to spread that American dream to everybody,” said Paul Jonna, who executive produced the film with Zara.

Locally, Chaldeans and others are working on initiatives to help refugees better their lives.

“When the Iraqi refugees first started to arrive, Chaldean American Ladies of Charity knew there was going to be much preparation needed,” said Sally Najor, CALC president.

Clair Konja of CALC told those in attendance about that preparation and effort.

“It has become very overwhelming, but in the long run, it is very fulfilling for what we’re doing. It makes all of our troubles seem like nothing,” said Konja.

The evening included a big push for retailers attending the event to promote the Johnny Walker, Hennessy and Belvedere liquor brands, because National Wine & Spirits ran an initiative last year that raised approximately $67,000 for refugees, thanks to sales of those brands. The distributor is trying to raise $75,000 this year.

“We donate anywhere from $1-$3, depending on the brand (per case sold),” said Michael Housey, vice president and general manager of the classic brands division at NWS.

Housey heard about the atrocities in Iraq last year through a piece with Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim on Catholic radio. He asked how his company could get involved, and the initiative began.

Another effort is the Adopt-A-Refugee-Family program through the Chaldean Federation of America. The program, which began about a year ago, asks families here to make a contribution to help defray some expenses for a refugee family overseas. The program works with Jesuits in the Middle East to identify the refugees and make sure that 100 percent of the donations reaches the refugees.

People are able to contact their adopted refugee family directly through mail, e-mail or phone to follow up on their donations. Program co-founder and chairman Basil Bacall said that transparency is key to making a successful program.

“We are always asking for more support. One family can sponsor one family, or two or three families can sponsor a family,” said Bacall.

“As citizens of this country, we are so blessed, and the least we can do is share those blessings with people who are less fortunate than we are,” said Bacall. “It’s a small world, and if we can spread and sow the seeds of love, it comes back to so many people.”

People with questions about the Adopt-A-Refugee-Family program can call the Chaldean Federation at (248) 851-3023.               

You can reach Staff Writer David Wallace at dwallace@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1053.