Methodists Are Sponsors
U. S. Homes, Jobs Sought
For 18 Chinese Refugees
(date stamp:) Mon Jan 16 1956
The first two of 18 refugees
from China being sponsored by
the First Methodist Church are
expected to be in Ann Arbor near
the end of this month. They are Dr.
Pearl Liu Chen and her daughter,
Frances.
Dr. Chen, who will teach botany
at Albion College next semester,
expects to arrive Jan. 22 in San
Francisco from Singapore. She
left her native China to escape
the Communists.
Their settlement in the United
States under the Refugee Relief
Act of 1953 is made possible by
the sponsorship of the local
church. The church must guaran-
tee to pay transportation to Ann
Arbor from San Francisco, find
employment, secure housing and
promise that the refugees will
not become a public charge.
Activities of the sponsorship
are handled by the church’s social
and economic relations committee,
headed by Bruce Lawrason.
Lawrason said today the cornmit-
tee has been expecting for some
time the arrival of the mother
and daughter as well as 16 other
refugees, members of three fam-
ilies the committee is also spon-
soring for the church.
Still in the process of being
cleared by security and health of-
ficers are Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
Chen (no relation) and their six
children, Mr. and Mrs. Edward
Mao and daughter and Mr. and
Mrs. Paul Wan and daughter.
Chen and Wen have both been
promised custodial jobs at the
University Hospital until they can
find permanent positions in their
fields as highly trained tech-
nicians. Mao already has been
given a position with the State
Highway Department’s testing
laboratory here.
Lawrason and the nine mem-
bers of his committee now have
the job of finding funds to fi-
nance the work cut out for them.
Lawrason says the committee has
no budgeted funds from the
church, but can borrow funds
from the general treasury until
such time as they can be repaid
by the committee through dona-
tions.
Transportation, biggest item of
the sponsorship, will cost more
than $1,020, not including meals
enroute. In addition, the families
will have to be maintained until
they can begin supporting them-
selves.
