Stories of Home

Paul

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mary: So are you comfortable sharing a little bit of your journey to Missoula with us

Paul: Yeah, yeah I can say that. Before when we was in Kigali as an urban refugee, we didn’t think that we could come to Missoula. I didn’t know anything about Missoula, Montana. And when the UNHCR asked us to choose a place we could come in the U.S..I didn’t have many people I know in the USA. One of my friends live in Arizona and one is a pastor for our church also living in Kentucky. And, and I choose two place. I choose Arizona. If they missed Arizona, they can send me to Kentucky. And we, we was waiting to come. But by checking my email one day, and I read the message that your, your case is scheduled to travel to Missoula, Montana. What is Missoula, Montana? As I am good in the computer, then I go to Google to check what can be Missoula like. The first things I saw is the mountain M and the University of Montana. That’s the first things, which I attracted me. So we have an old university in USA, that is the one of the oldest university in USA, the University of Montana. As a Christian, I was praying to God. Okay, I want to you to give me a place to go. And for me, I didn’t choose Missoula, but that’s going to be now the choice of God, okay. And when we arrive at the airport, I remember, I was received by Kambale and Jesse. At the airport, Jesse told us, we didn’t look for a house for you, because they told us we are going to travel to Kentucky. And I ask is this Missoula in America? She said yes. Now I can’t leave here. I came to Missoula in my mind, and if that’s Missoula I will stay.

Mary: What do you want people in Missoula to know about you and your life here?

Paul: The thing that I kinda want people to know is it like they can’t tell, take us like some people who come just to like it, tourists. We came, we already choose America to be part of Americans. Yeah. I want Missoulians to take us as a part of them.

Mary: What do you miss most about your original home and what do you want to bring of your home here to Missoula?

Paul: Yeah, the only thing I can say I miss is living in our community. In our community we didn’t have to visit someone with an appointment. We feel free to come to, to see someone, even if I miss him, no matter. And being home, that is a big things we miss, as we have a friends, family. But to feel like

Photos by Helen Rolston Clemmer