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Bosnian refugee family carves out a new life in Portland

Zorica Mesanovic's (pronounced Zoritza Messonovich) life erupted into uncertainty when war broke out in her country. People who had worked and lived together now were ripped apart by segregation and persecution among three religious groups in Bosnia: Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Muslims.

Mrs. Mesanovic, an Orthodox Christian, and her husband, a Muslim, followed an outpour of refugees hoping to escape the war. With a small baby to care for and protect, the family fled from their home in Bijeljina, Bosnia, to Vierheim, Germany, within a week of the war's beginning. "I don't like fighting. I don't like war," Mrs. Mesanovic said. "Anita was a small baby. Where would we get food? There was not eat for children."

Mrs. Mesanovic and her family resided in Germany for six years until Germany asked all refugees to leave. She had the chance to return to her home country, but her husband chose to move to the United States. Mrs. Mesanovic and her family packed up their home again and eventually found themselves in Portland, Ore., where they have lived for the past two years.

The United Nations and several embassies interviewed Mrs. Mesanovic and her husband before the U.S. Embassy allowed them admission, according to an article written by Nancy Bateman of "The Outlook," Gresham's local newspaper.

After U.S. Embassy acceptance, the Mesanovic family was sponsored by Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees, or SOAR. SOAR's brochure describes itself as " . . . a program of the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and an affiliate of Church World Service refugee resettlement network."

SOAR then contacted Shirley Johnson, mission committee chairwoman of Portland's Zion United Church of Christ, and asked if the church would sponsor a refugee family. With help from the United Methodist Church of Troutdale and the Eastrose Unitarian-Universalist Church of Gresham, Mrs. Johnson's church agreed to the 90-day commitment.

Mrs. Johnson said the church took on the responsibility for care of the family because they wanted to help meet people's needs. The church found housing for the family and gathered supplies such as furniture, food, pots and pans, clothing and "pretty much everything," Mrs. Johnson said. The Mesanovic family needed transportation when they arrived. Mrs. Johnson provided transportation for trips to the welfare office, the grocery store, the health clinic and the church three to four days a week.

Mrs. Mesanovic now lives in a light brown and teal-trimmed apartment complex with her two children, Dennis, 3, and Anita, 9. She and her husband are now separated. The 28-year-old mother looks young and slender, with short blond hair and ice-blue eyes. Her son Dennis wrapped himself in a Barney blanket and wrestled with his sister. The apartment's sliding glass door was opened wide, helping to cool the home of the summer heat.

Mrs. Mesanovic said of her experience in Oregon: "Here is different. Everything different here than in Europe. The language, jobs . . . things much slower here for answers for health insurance, green card. Germany same day. Not here. Too much rain here. No snow -- a lot of snow in Bosnia. There, summertime is sunny -- little rain."

Mrs. Mesanovic also said that living in Oregon held no difficulties, although the cost of living is high. She has not been able to take a vacation from her work in a vitamin packaging company. She needs to make enough money to provide for her family.

Mrs. Johnson said the family's most difficult adjustment to the culture was the language. The family knew no one who spoke their language. "I think they were lonely," she said.

Speaking of her first few months in Oregon, Mrs. Mesanovic said, "I look around and everyone talks so fast. In the store I don't know what to ask. Nobody understands me. I want to talk to the people so bad, but I didn't know how. People seem friendly. Very friendly. They are OK with wrong words. They don't laugh, they don't tell you."

Mrs. Mesanovic's daughter, Anita, speaks both English and the Bosnian language. Her son, Dennis, speaks English. He learned from his baby-sitter. Dennis, bored with playing with his blanket, sat in his mother's lap at the dining room table. A tablecloth peppered with pink and purple flowers covered the table. A picture of a deer hung on the wall. "For Dennis," Mrs. Mesanovic said. Anita proudly pointed to a corner by the television set. "That's mine," she said of a stuffed yellow monkey hanging from a ceiling hook.

Mrs. Mesanovic had grabbed a bag of pre-popped popcorn and allowed Dennis to help himself. After shoving a few fist fulls of the kernels in his mouth, he stuck his head into the bag and munched on them, smiling. Mrs. Mesanovic pulled his head out. "He likes popcorn," she said. "Slow down, Dennis."

Anita joined her family at the table, drinking from a juice pouch. She said living in Oregon is "OK. I get to go to juniors . . . Girl Scouts." On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Mrs. Mesanovic works 12-hour shifts. "I really like," she said. "It's my first job in America." She has worked for the vitamin packaging company for about 18 months. Having off the rest of the week allows Mrs. Mesanovich to spend time with her children. Mrs. Johnson said that Mrs. Mesanovic takes "wonderful care of the kids."

Mrs. Mesanovic attends the Zion United Church of Christ. "She wants to come to church all the time," Mrs. Johnson said. She said Mrs. Mesanovic takes part in everything the church does, from potlucks to evening activities. Anita attended a church camp and participates in Sunday school classes. "I like going to church," Mrs. Mesanovic said. "God is good for me and my children. They are never sick. He helped me for my job. He helped me for everything."

Mrs. Johnson and her church's commitment to the Mesanovic family has extended longer than the required 90 days. The church continues to help after two years. Mrs. Johnson said that they could not leave the family alone. "We can't just dump them," she said.

Mrs. Mesanovic says she is waiting to receive her green card. She has waited for nearly a year and said she feels frustrated about the wait. In the meantime, she continues to try and make Oregon her home. She recently received her driver's license and drove herself to church for the first time.

Mrs. Mesanovic has met two or three other families from Bosnia. She said that they meet sometimes and talk. But the visits are few. "We have families and work," she said. She said life is too busy.