6
COMMUNITY
February 6, 2018 | The Valley Catholic
From left, Claire Collins, Kelsey Coplin (both work for the Catholic Charities Refugee Foster Care
Program), Charles Ryu (refugee from North Korea), and Father Jon Pedigo.
Catholic Charities Observes Migration Week
“Many Journeys, One Family” was
the theme for National Migration Week
2018. Pope Francis reminds us that
regardless of where we are and where
we came from, we remain part of the
human family and are called to live in
solidarity with one another.
On January 7, in observance of Migra-
tion Week, Father Jon Pedigo and Grupo
Solidaridad were honored to host Charles
Ryu, a young man who escaped North
Korea and settled in the Bay Area with
assistance from the Catholic Charities
Refugee Foster Care Program. Charles
was only 15 years old when he was sent
to a labor camp as punishment for his
fi rst attempt to fl ee North Korea. While
there he worked 16 hour days, seven
days a week, was only given 150 kernels
of corn a day to eat and suff ered brutal
beatings from the guards at the camp.
Charles grew so weak and desperate
from starvation that one