Homeowner Stories
The Kembe's Peaceful Refuge
By Alison Carrara
Margaret and Emmanuel Kembe have found a peaceful refuge in their new Habitat home located in Cary's Wickham Place subdivision. Emmanuel Kembe is a political refugee from the Sudan; he and his wife, Margaret, have been in the United States for four years. While the Kembes still miss their friends and family in the Sudan, they've made a new home, thanks to Habitat.
"It's a blessing to have a home," Emmanuel says. "We feel safe, and we are so happy. We love the people around us here, and I'm really happy to see my daughter playing cheerfully with lots of children."
In late April, the Kembes moved into their new home, sponsored by Saint Luke Episcopal Catholic Church and Community United Church of Christ. The couple heard about Habitat through their church, Saint Raphael Catholic Church.
Margaret, who is expecting the couple's second child, works in administration at WakeMed Hospital. She says her four-year-old daughter, Evelyn, is excited to have her own room to play in. "She is so happy, and that makes us happy," Margaret says.
Emmanuel escaped and fled the Sudan after being improsoned for 29 days for singing a song about the civil war in South Sudan.
After leaving the Sudan in 1994, Emmanuel met Margaret while she was studying at the university in Addis Ababa. After marrying, the couple lived as refugees for four years. "It was really bad," Margaret says of the experience.
"Then, we got the settlement program through the United Nations and the American Embassy in Assis Ababa to come to the United States," Emmanuel says. "We were sponsored by Lutheran Family Services and the Gateway Christian Fellowship in Raleigh. So that's how we came to the United States."
Both Emmanuel and Margaret agree that living in the U.S. is a big change. "It was really hard for the first time to experience life in America," he says. "I miss my family a lot. We talk on the phone often."
Another change, Margaret says, is the freedom to concentrate on her family's future. "It's so peaceful here in this country, and I can see into the future," she says. "It is hard to do that in my country with the war. You don't know what is going to happen; you're just focused on making it in the short-term."
Because of the civil ware in Sudan, Emmanuel cannot return home. "For me, I can't go back home. The war is still going on, and if I went home, I might be killed."
A professional musician, Emmanuel's songs focus on the despair and desparation of the people of southern Sudan and the religious, political, and social turmoil. He has recorded two CDs. His first CD is entitled "Shen Shen."
His music has received some national recognition. Recently, the Discovery channel used his music as the background for a documentary about the war in Sudan.
Both Emmanuel and Margaret say they are blessed to have worked with the people of Habitat for Humanity. "It's a great opportunity," Margaret says. "It has made a huge difference in our lives. It's like a dream I could never have expected, and I'm very happy."
"Habitat for Humanity is not just about building houses; they are about helping people and helping to bring people closer to God," Emmanuel said. "We are truly blessed because of Habitat."
