Nearly 45 years ago MayKao Fredericks came to U.S. as a child, having fled the civil war in Laos with her family.
Fleeing genocide, we were the lucky ones who escaped on the first fleet of planes to America,” said MayKao.
They left their homeland quickly, with no idea what life would be like in America. Her mother packed two spoons in case there were no spoons in which to feed her children.
In their early days in the U.S., they were extended welcomed by a church community.
“We were embraced with unwavering love and compassion from the church,” she says. “No matter where we went, the church was there to shower us with kindness.”
Practically, volunteers provided her mother with rides to adult English classes, leading to her mom’s ability to get her driver’s license and apply for citizenship.
“With these two tools, my family was able to latch on the tailwind of the American dream,” she said.
Now decades later, married and with a large family of her own, MayKao was introduced to Arrive Ministries’ adult English tutoring program, and became a financial supporter to fulfill a promise she made at a young age.
I vowed that upon my first paycheck I would commit to donating a portion of my check for the rest of my life to replenish the well that gave so generously to me and my family,” said MayKao.
Arrive Ministries is grateful to partner with donors like MayKao and her family in extending welcome to newly arriving refugees and restoring a hope for the future.
