Group wants to grow understanding between refugees, Iowans

At age 14, Esaie Toingar was a child soldier. Today, the refugee from Chad and his wife Brigitte live in Cedar Rapids.

Their five children, ages 2 to 12, are growing up in a radically different environment than their parents did.

The Toingars have felt welcomed by their adopted community of Cedar Rapids, and they want to give back. That's why Esaie Toingar, 46, started two organizations, Journey to Forgiveness and Peace and Wake Up For Your Rights!

'The way Iowans treat us, we want to give back to help others. Iowans did their best to help us,” he said. ''We are blessed to be here, and the only thing we can do is to use our blessings for others.”

Journey to Forgiveness and Peace works locally to connect refugees with information and resources and encourage reconciliation and healing for refugees and immigrants living in Eastern Iowa. More recently, the Toingars expanded their vision with Wake Up for Your Rights!, which aims to leverage the skills and connections of refugees in America to help their home communities.

Toingar, who works at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, also wants both organizations to help facilitate cross-cultural communication and understanding between refugees and immigrants and residents of their host communities in Iowa.

That's the goal of an upcoming event Wake Up For Your Rights! is hosting at Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center in Hiawatha.

'People can learn about the immigrants and the refugees that are among them here,” he said. 'Some people that don't know why they are here. By talking a little bit about the wars and situations we want to open minds to understand some of the struggles that brought us here.”

The event, 'I Fled My Country and I Need You,” will include discussions on a variety of topics, including child soldiers, human rights and the challenges of adjusting to life in a new country.

There also will be a meal of African food and a chance for conversations between refugees and other attendees.

'I don't know a lot about how you become a refugee or what that entails. I'm hoping I'll come away with a better understanding of the laws and what refugees go through,” said Prairiewoods Eco-Spirituality Coordinator Emelia Sautter, who helped organize the event. 'I just hope people will walk away more educated.”

Toingar said Wake Up For Your Rights! can also work with schools, teachers or others who want to learn more about African cultures and history.

'Through our networking, we'll find the right person to go and speak,” he said.

Toingar said Iowans may not understand the struggles refugees face, which can include language barriers and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as basic cultural integration challenges.

'Many people are war-traumatized. Now they have the opportunity to be in the United States. They're in a peaceful country, but they're still thinking about the war,” he said.

He said helping bridge gaps in understanding is one way to help Cedar Rapids grow.

'We want to belong to our new community. To be productive in our new community we should help people understand a little bit about us, and we need to understand a little bit about them,” he said.

If you go:

- What: 'I Fled My Country and I Need You” conference

- When: May 10, 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

- Where: Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center, 120 E. Boyson Road, Hiawatha

- Cost: Freewill offering

- Register at http://prairiewoods.org/

l Comments: (319) 398-8434; alison.gowans@sourcemedia.net