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In Burma, it is not acceptable to hug or kiss someone when you greet them. Even when meeting an old friend or family member, one only shakes hands.

So, when Angie DiBernardo, a volunteer from Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese, greeted the immigrating Laisak family at Albany International Airport with hugs and kisses, they both made a friend and experienced some culture shock.

The Laisaks arrived from Burma on Sept. 29, 2009. Since then, with the help of Ms. DiBernardo and Christ the King parish in Westmere, Albany, the family has slowly become accustomed to American culture.

The Laisaks no longer see themselves as a refugee family, but a family given a second chance.

Since that first meeting at the airport, the Laisaks and Ms. DiBernardo have spent almost every day together. "They're like my family; they really are," said Ms. Di Bernardo.

Van, 42, is a talkative, hospitable and smiling mother. Zalin, 59, is the quiet husband and father who, until just months ago, was legally blind from cataracts.

Lung, 18, is on the boys' soccer team at Shenendehowa High School and Saing, 16, is their quiet and studious daughter who hopes one day to be a nurse. Both teens are doing well at school and are praised by their teachers.

Settling in
But the Laisaks' first year in the U.S. had its difficulties: trying to find and keep jobs for both parents, trying to find the right apartment - and trying to get used to a new country and an entirely new way of life.

While the family once shared a bamboo hut without heat or refrigeration, they now live in an apartment in Clifton Park. Mr. and Mrs. Laisak now both work for the apartment complex.

Although most of their friends still live in Albany, Mrs. Laisak said she and her family enjoy their new town: "It's so quiet here, like a village. And, to our friends, we're rich people now."

In Burma, food was so expensive that only the rich could afford to eat regularly, so the family would share one pan of rice between them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"Here, everything is equal. Even if you're not rich, you can still buy cheese," Mrs. Laisak said with a smile.

She said that, while her children both prefer American food to Burmese recipes now, she's just starting to like it.

They have also been fortunate enough to find a faith community through their parish, the Open Bible Baptist Church in Rensselaer. There, they spend all of Sunday attending three worship services: a morning service English, an afternoon Burmese service and the evening service for Chin people, an ethnic group from western Burma.

Like family
For the Laisaks, this Chin community has become like family. Each month, they go to one another's home for a worship service and dinner. About 20 families gather for Scripture reading, singing and testimony about their gratitude.

Above all, Mr. Laisak said he's thankful that his family is happy and healthy. He has had much-needed eye surgeries; school is going well for Lung and Saing; and he is able to provide for his children and pay his bills.

"We can pay for things now; we can drive to church, see friends, go to our son's soccer games," his wife explained.

Mrs. Laisak said that she was initially afraid of being without her mother, who is back in Burma. "But now, I have a 'Ma' here. Angie is our Ma. I call her family and she helps us every day. I'm very happy to be here."

"God is very good," Mr. Laisak declared. "I say, 'Thank you Jesus for Angie and for Christ the King Church.'"

(Read a previous story about the Laisaks at http://www.evangelist.org/archive/htm10/0107burma.html.) [[In-content Ad]]

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