The Bhutanese Christian Community of Georgia (BCCG) organized first-of-its-kind ‘Bhutanese Christian Summit 2011 in GA’ from July 1-3, 2011. The Summit, as reported, was successful to gather hundreds of Christian followers, especially resettled Bhutanese, from across the USA. Santosh Ramdam, the secretary of BCCG talked about the Summit and other contemporary issues the Community is facing with TP Mishra of Bhutan News Service. Excerpts:
Tell us in detail about the Summit including the objectives
This historic event was held at the First Lilburn Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. It was
purely faith-based event in the name of Almighty God. In our three-day program, the local church choir groups sang the hymns and led the worship.
The Pastors and leaders from different states expressed their experiences of initiating the fellowship in their respective States and shared words of God to the participants. Cultural shows were other attractions of the Summit. Prayers by all participants for healing of sick and needy people was yet supplementary attraction. There were an estimated 600 participants from the host State, other States and abroad. Initially, an estimated 300 participants were expected to participate in the Summit from outside GA.
The main objective was to worship God together, generate ideas of encouraging Bhutanese Christian communities in America to come together. This is to explore different means and resources and put them to better-organized form and extend support spiritually and materialistically to the Bhutanese communities in general.
Is it true that the freshly arrived Bhutanese refugees in the USA are intimidated—both by Bhutanese and non-Bhutanese Christianity preachers—in some forms to convert their religion?
I consider this as a baseless statement. I am a Bhutanese Christian leader in one of the Churches in Atlanta. I have never experienced such things ever. I have never intended to intimidate and force anyone to convert his or her religion. I can’t even imagine friends in other States/local churches doing such activities. However, we continue to disseminate the messages of God to the people anytime, anywhere and this is the greatest commandment quoted in the holy Bible.
Bhutanese Christian society was suppressed, at some point—both in Bhutan and in refugee camps in Nepal. Now that most of you are in the USA, where right to religion is well guaranteed, how do you feel?
Interestingly, this is true to some extent. The Bhutan government’s coercion on Christian followers might have been done intentionally, which is a sad thing. I, however, never think that my Bhutanese folks in refugee camps intended to suppress Christian population for I personally never experienced that situation ever.
We lived harmonious life, which in some cases in the refugee settlements around the world might be otherwise. Our fight is a common fight, which in particular also includes our call for the guarantee of right to religion in Bhutan. If there was any discrimination in whatever forms/nature, it was ignorance and I consider social set-up as a backdrop, not the people.
What are the main challenges for Bhutanese Christian, in the Diaspora, especially in the USA?
We came across a lot of difficult situations in the past. May be because of these bitter experiences that we now actually do not feel any noticeable challenges. In terms of being organized, there is a need of forming national level Bhutanese Christian society and was discussed about it during the summit and agreed to follow up very shortly.
Interestingly, our next National Bhutanese Christian Summit (2012) has roughly been scheduled in Arizona next year and I am hoping that we will be able to figure out something well.
Where do u see Christian Bhutanese communities in ten years time from now?
Bhutanese Christians will be one of the organized faith-based entities in the Bhutanese diaspora. We would be able to help our own Bhutanese communities in the extended manner, including our Bhutanese brothers and sisters inside Bhutan. We would be bridging between larger American Christian society and Bhutanese communities in America for different services and resources, which can be made available to Bhutanese communities.
