|
|
 |
|
FAQs
- Who are the
Hmong?
The Hmong are a people who love freedom and
would fight for it as necessary. Their original homeland was
in the heart of China. However, as you trace their history,
you would find that they are a people without a homeland since the
early 1800s. They were driven southward after they were
defeated by the Chinese during the Opium War. They settled in
North Vietnam, Laos, Burma, and later in Thailand.
- Why are they in
America?
The Hmong were US
allies in the fight for freedom in South East Asia during the
Vietnam War. They were recruited by the US CIA to fight
against Communist North Vietnam to deter the Ho Chi Minh Trail from
North Vietnam to South Vietnam. When Vietnam, Laos, and
Cambodia fell to Communist control in 1975, the Hmong were targeted
for extermination by the Lao Communist regime. The Hmong had
no choice but to flee. Since then the Hmong have scattered all
over the world: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, New
Zealand, Thailand, and the United States while leaving families and
relatives behind in Laos.
- How many
Hmong are here in America and how many are in the greater Twin
Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul?
The current estimate is between 250,000 and 300,000 people living in
America. The number of people living in the Twin Cities area is
between 65,000 and 85,000 with an additional 5,000 new immigrants
are expected before the end of 2004.
-
 What are
their needs?
As with any immigrant group, the Hmong's needs
are assimilation and enculturation and at the same time maintaining
their family values in the midst of transition and change.
However, their needs are much greater and deeper than most
others. The Hmong came from a war-torn environment with no
technological advancement except war planes and weapons. Come
to think about it, the Hmong as a people have jumped a 200 years
civilization in 25 years. Prior to 1975, there was only one
Hmong educator with a Ph. D. Now there are over 500 such
educators, scholars, MDs, Lawyers, etc. In the midst of these
successes, though, many are falling through the cracks.
Families are disintegrating, children continue to join gangs,
spouses deserted each other for strangers, domestic violence, and
the like. They need guidance. They need to be assured
that they are not alone. They need to know that there are
people who understand their challenges and willing to listen and
walk them through this transition...to lead them to a brighter
future...here in America... and ultimately to their new
home--Heaven.
- How can I
help?
There are many ways you can help lead the Hmong family to a brighter future. Here are some of the ways:
- Pray.
Pray with and for the FYASI staff that they will have the wisdom
and ability to meet the Hmong family's physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual needs. Pray also that people who
receive guidance and support from FYASI will be awakened to the
truth of Scripture and that they will turn to Jesus for
fulfillment--spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Please also for financial provision to be made so that FYASI can
be equipped to serve and share as Scripture says that the cattle
in a thousand hills belong to the Lord (Psalm 50:10).
Please pray that he will provide the needed resources to enable
the FYASI staff to increase and expand our capacity to meet the
needs of the Hmong family. Click here
for an updated Prayer Request to help you to
better pray for the families and children we serve.
- Give.
We know that money is one of the resources needed to serve and
impact people's lives. Without financial resources, the
staff will not be able to serve as they would have liked.
Your giving is a critically important part of fulfilling our
call. Because FYASI is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit
organization, your gift is Tax-deductible to the fullest extend
under current law. So your generous gift will meet a
critical need FYASI has while giving you a tax advantage.
Would you prayerfully consider giving toward this cutting edge
ministry? You can donate online fast, easy, and safe with
PayPal.com. Just
click here and you will be
directed as to how to go about it. Thank you and God
bless.
- Volunteer.
Another opportunity to get involve with FYASI is volunteering
your time and talents. We would love to have you on board, to
share the love of Christ to our students and their
families. What a great way to make a difference in someone
else's life! For more information, you can contact us by
E-mail at
info@hmongfamily.org,
or telephone at 651.774.5567. We will be happy to share
with you further about our volunteer opportunities here at FYASI.
Some Facts on Hmong Students in
St. Paul
Following are some interesting facts about the Hmong students in the St.
Paul School District:
- Hmong population in Minnesota
increased 143% from 1990 to 2000.
- More than 80% of Minnesota Hmong
lives in the Twin Cities and the majority of them live in St.
Paul.
- 25% of St. Paul School District
students are Hmong (2005)
- 10,717, or 24.5% of St. Paul
School District students speak Hmong at home (2005)
- Hmong High School students studied
an average of 21 hours per week compare to their non-Hmong peers
who only studied 2.77 hours per week (Cura reporter, Spring
2003)
This
information has been abstracted from the St. Paul School District's
"Facts About Our Diverse, Multicultural SPPS District, August
2005.
|
