$20 AND A SEIKO con't. next column $20 AND A SEIKO con't. next column $20 AND A SEIKO continued $20 AND A SEIKO continued $20 AND A SEIKO con't from FRONT PAGE $20 AND A SEIKO con't. p. 10 We pause to order some coffee and settle on the outdoor patio at Java Bean. I’ve just met Souphy Douangdara for the first time, although we share a mutual lifelong friend in David McDaniel, a local businessman who arranged the privilege. Tis a timely story of a refugee who sought freedom, worked hard, and supported his family—of one who has lived the American dream. The story continues. The Communist who patrolled the river would shoot them if they swam across, so riding across in the river merchant’s boat was their only option. Rather than cross under the cover of darkness, Souphy and Paybon traveled in daylight as was normal operating hours for the merchant who transported goods across the river from Laos to Thailand and back again. Their trust soon turned into fear as they were arrested immediately upon arrival in Thailand. Fluent in both Laotian and Thai, Souphy’s attempts to blend in were futile as there is enough differences between the languages, that the officials knew and sent them straight to jail. For two weeks, the friends were held in jail while those in charge tried to extort money from the families back home. Souphy explains, “We went to jail, and they demanded, ‘Call your parents, write your family, and ask for some money to get you out.’” Remembering back to his childhood days of growing up in Vientiane, the capital and largest city in Laos of the continent of Asia, Souphy was born in 1957. Coming from a big family, Souphy was the middle, number three son, of 5 sons. The home was happy, full of love and provision as both parents were educated. Souphy’s dad served in the military, in the Navy. Although the Vietnam War affected the region through 1975, Laos was home until the communist invaded. Souphy explains, “The Laotian military was friendly to the United States during the Vietnam War, so the USA had a presence in Laos. When I left in 1980, the Communists had already taken over South Vietnam.” When South Vietnam fell, it was just a domino effect for Cambodia, Laos, and neighboring countries. During this time, Souphy’s dad, with high hopes for his son, urged him to seek freedom. As time passed away in jail with no money received, Souphy smiles, “If you don’t have anything, then they’re going to let you go.” Soon enough, Souphy and Paybon were sent to a refugee camp in Thailand. The camp was full of interesting people as connections were being made, and embassies from various nations helped to re-locate refugees. Souphy remembers the interviews, “The representative from the embassy would ask all kinds of questions about where you come from, where you have worked— they want to know everything.” Souphy’s response was, “I’m working; I’m a student.” Having attended college for one year back in Laos, Souphy had been working for a power company doing utility work before conditions started to worsen. In applying for help, the refugees could choose any embassy to pursue. Souphy explains, “The United States, Canada, France and other nations were represented. My brother went to France, but I decided to go to America; United States—number one in the world!” During the entire process Souphy and Paybon were able to stay together, and they lived in this refugee camp for about four months. Once Ronald Reagan became President, they were moved to another camp in the Philippines for seven months. Upon arriving at the Filipino camp, Souphy met a certain Som Siharat and his family including 6 children—Pon, Chantachone, Dean, Poet, Oi, and Susa. Little did Souphy know that Som, in time, would become his father-in-law. With the American naval base nearby and U.S. Embassy presence, conditions in the camp were good. As the embassies worked to get the refugees placed, many churches in the U.S. were sponsoring refugees to come and live with them. As host families opened their homes, Souphy was welcomed by a Mennonite family in Farmville, VA. David Benson sponsored him. Som and his family moved to Rockingham, NC, where a family in a Baptist church sponsored them. And Paybon ended up in Chicago. Souphy encourages, “We keep in touch. I talk to him all the time.” Normally when a refugee comes to the States, they don’t have their original birth certificate. Upon recommendations to appear younger in order to get more schooling, Souphy’s U.S. birth certificate reads 1960. More schooling wasn’t a viable option anyway as the language barrier offered great challenges. Learning the language came slowly but surely. Each night, Souphy would open the dictionary trying to figure out the English words. Souphy tells, “The host family didn’t have a TV to help me learn the language, but my sponsor David Benson tried talking to me every day.” With a desire to work, Souphy told his sponsor, “I don’t have a job. I can’t go to school. I need a job.” Soon enough the men in the Mennonite church offered work as some built houses, some painted, others were electricians, etc. There was plenty of work to keep Souphy busy at $2.75 an hour. Souphy explains, “I did everything—paint, lay shingles, anything anyone needed.” The year was 1981, when Souphy came home to America, and the overwhelming challenges of coming to a new country, learning a new language, and understanding a new culture all by himself led Souphy to make connections with other refugees. Finding friendships with other Laotians who had settled in the States offered comfort in this new world. After six months with David Benson, Souphy earned enough money for a greyhound bus ticket and went to San Diego, California. “I had a lot of friends from Laos who lived in California,” Souphy begins, “I went to San Diego for six months, but there was no work.” David fills in, “He could have applied for government assistance, but he didn’t want to do that.” Souphy continues, “I think about it. I could sit and beg for money. No, I don’t want to do that. I wanted to work. So I called David Benson and said, ‘Daddy, I want to come back home.’” It didn’t take long before Souphy was back in Virginia as David Benson gave $85.00, and Sam Kennedy gave $85.00 for a bus ride home. Souphy remembers, “When I came back to Farmville, I lived with a friend. One day we decided to go to the big city and have fun. Just the two of us. We leave work and head to Richmond, VA, but we can’t read the map or even the street signs. We ended up going down one way streets with people honking at us. Finally, we went in a gas station and asked how to get back to Farmville. The gas station man told us to find 85 south. We had $100 and spent all of our money on gas. We were so confused the entire trip, but Souphy Douangdara, from Laos. p.8 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 124
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