The First Karen Baptist Church of Indianapolis serves a flourishing congregation of around 80+ families on the westside of Indianapolis. The Karen people are refugees who began fleeing the country of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) due to religious and political persecution under a harsh dictatorship.
In an ongoing partnership with this church that began in 2021, Migros Aid has helped support many refugee families in the church through the donation of furniture, clothing, and household items. The Migros Aid team has also spoken at the church and to the youth. We are grateful for the partnership with this local church as they serve the Karen community in thc city.
To date, over 2 million people have fled Burma, many settling in United Nations refugee camps in Thailand while they await resettlement.
In 2021, the Burmese American population (of many ethnic groups) stood at 233,347. Indiana has both the largest Burmese community and highest percentage of Burmese of any state. Indianapolis, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and Fort Wayne are home to the largest Burmese American populations from numerous ethnic groups.
Currently, 30,000 make their home in Indianapolis (from numerous ethnic groups). The Chin ethnic group of these refugees lives primarily on the southside of the city and the Karenni people live primarily in Nora and the west side. Meanwhile, the Karen ethnic group in Indianapolis numbers about 1000+ people.
The Karen people have lived in Myanmar for over 2000 years. Though the majority of Karen people are Buddhist, most who live in the U.S. are Christians who fled their home due to religious persecution due to their faith, as well as ethnic persecution in an ongoing conflict.
If you would like to learn more about Burmese refugees, HERE is a story about one refugee’s journey to safety in Indianapolis.
Migros Aid looks forward to a continued relationship with the First Karen Baptist Church of Indianapolis and other refugee churches around the city.
