Refugee Resettlement

"Ce va?" the man in the Hawaiian print shirt jovially blurts out as he enters the Refugee Community Center.

"Is that French?" a volunteer asks.

The man realizes his mistake and slaps his head. "How are you?" he laughs.

It's one of those days for Isaac Gapingi, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Already multilingual and on his way to mastering English, it's easy to understand how one would get confused every once in awhile.

Isaac and a few other refugees who have recently resettled in Des Moines have gathered at the Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) Refugee Community Center for their regular English lessons. From the enthusiastic greetings filling the room before the commencement of class, you would never guess what these men and women have endured.

Four years ago, Isaac owned a gas station and lived with his family in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When violence broke out in the surrounding villages, Isaac and his family sought shelter in a refugee camp across the border in Burundi. One night, soldiers invaded the camp. Isaac and his wife held their children as the soldiers began a shooting rampage. Isaac was shot in the arm and leg. When he regained consciousness, his wife had been shot and his three children stabbed. He lost his entire family.

After three months convalescing in the hospital and another two years filling out paperwork and attending interviews, Isaac finally made the trip to the United States. He arrived in Des Moines in May 2007. Because of the injuries to his left side, he continues to search for a job while his peers land positions around the community.

Today, Isaac is not focused on the blows he has been dealt. Isaac is determined to learn English, and today's topic is money.

"I want you to show me $2.16," says Debbie Sheehy, LSI English instructor, as she weaves her way through the classroom. "$2.16."

Some students hesitate as they try to remember whether the bills or the coins are dollars. Many refugees have lived their entire lives in camps; they have never handled any sort of currency before, much less American money. The students who understand give hints to their neighbors.

"Good," Sheehy exclaims as she sees $2.16 in the open hand of a student. "Two dollars and sixteen cents."

Isaac knows there are other ways to make $2.16. He eagerly calls Sheehy over to check his work.

"Good," Sheehy repeats. "Isaac has a different $2.16," she explains as she shows the class.

By the end of the two-hour session, the class has improved dramatically. They can quickly find the requested monetary amount, and submitting $25 instead of 25 cents would be absurd.

"When something clicks, you can tell they're so excited," Sheehy said. "It's such a relief for them to understand. It makes this all so fun."

The students know that learning English is their ticket to becoming independent contributors to the community. The Refugee Community Center also offers classes for American culture and workplace skills to help these refugees adjust to their new lives and gain self-sufficiency.

Despite all that he has endured and his continued struggles in the United States, Isaac embraces every day.

"No problems," he said, when asked about his life in Iowa. "It's fine. I like English."