Refugees see different angle of the Christmas story

At 5 years old, Dieudonne “DD” Hirwa doesn’t remember Christmas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He does know about Christmas in the United States, where he has lived for more than two years. He knows how Santa Claus brings presents wrapped by elves, how everyone else has a Christmas tree.

He talks almost nonstop about Santa, who visited him at school. He also asked his mother why their apartment doesn’t have decorations like other homes.

So the week before Christmas, DD’s mother Emelyne Kamikazi took him to Walmart, where they picked out their first Christmas tree: About 4 feet tall, covered in bright, colorful lights. It’s not as tall as the Christmas tree in their church, but DD is pleased.

For refugees like Kamikazi and DD, the Christmas story itself has a different level of meaning, said the Rev. Anthony Macari, pastor of Breakthrough Community Church, where the family attends.

The biblical book of Matthew tells of Jesus and his family fleeing to Egypt after his birth to escape the murderous King Herod.

“That is something that can have a lot of teaching, a lot of encouragement, knowing that our own Savior, at one point, he was homeless,” Macari said. “He was not living in his country, but he still remained our Savior, he’s still a significant person. You can still fulfill your God-given calling even when it does not seem so from the beginning.”

Steve Karorero, Kamikazi’s brother, agreed that the Christmas story shows refugees they can still fulfill their calling even if they’ve been displaced.

“When you move, a person goes to another place because of some reasons, you don’t have to give up about your life,” Karorero said. “You keep faith in the future, that everything will be all right.”

The life he and his family live in the United States is not the same as their life in Africa, he says, but God’s purpose for them hasn’t changed.

A different life

While shopping, Kamikazi wasn’t sure what decorations were needed. Christmas in the Congo is largely a religious holiday, without the secular aspects that have developed around the world.

DD, who is in kindergarten, knew just what they needed. They needed a star for the top of the tree, he told his mother. They need an Elf on a Shelf, gold garland and, most of all, lots of presents.

Karorero arrived in Wichita from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2014. Kamikazi and DD joined him in August 2015.

The Congo has spent decades amid violent conflict and economic unrest. The International Rescue Committee, which helped Kamikazi and Karorero find a new home, has estimated that 5.4 million “excess deaths” occurred between 1998 and 2007, largely due to preventable conditions such as infectious diseases, malnutrition and pregnancy-related conditions. About half of those deaths were children.

Karorero says they left the Congo because of the war, a war they say “will never end.” It was partly fear of being killed that caused the family to leave, first going to a refugee camp in Rwanda. Even if he goes back to Africa, it will not be to the Congo, Karorero says.

Now, they live quiet lives in Wichita. Kamikazi works at a hotel, while Karorero works the night shift at a manufacturing plant.

New and old homes

Both have fond memories of the holidays in their home country.

The New Year is the larger celebration, complete with parties, gatherings of multiple families, food and drink.

Christmas Eve usually consists of an evening worship service that lasts until the morning hours of Christmas Day. There are Christmas songs, prayers for the New Year and sometimes nativity plays. After church ends, some will go home and sleep only to return to the church at around 9 a.m., Karorero says. Some will join several other families to cook together.

Kamikazi misses the Christmas songs in her home language, she says.

Their Christmas Eve church service in the United States won’t be quite as long as the services in the Congo, Karorero says. There are two services scheduled at his church, one from the usual 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and another from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Karorero expects the evening service to include Christmas songs like “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night.”

Breakthrough Community Church includes some reminders of home: It’s made up of people from across Africa, including the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and more. About half are refugees.

Kansas received 1,053 refugees in 2016, up from 610 the year before. More than half of those refugees settled in Wichita. Most of the refugees came from countries in Africa, including 304 who came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Macari, the pastor, said the church started receiving an influx in refugees around 2013.

For Kamikazi, Karorero and DD, Christmas Day itself will be quiet. Karorero might take DD to the park. Kamikazi plans to cook Congolese food.

As for DD, he wonders if they should leave carrots out for the reindeer and how Santa will make it into their apartment when they don’t have a chimney.

Ultimately, he’s not worried, DD says. He’s sure Santa will figure something out.

This story was originally published December 24, 2017 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Refugees see different angle of the Christmas story."