March 4, 2008

A refugee from Eritrea, brought to this country by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown will be reunited with the wife and child he left behind and hasn't seen in ten years.

Frezghi Abraham was arrested by Ethiopian government in 1998 during the Eritrean/Ethopian border conflict. It was the last time he would see his wife and two month-old son. He was held as a political prisoner without charges until 2002 when he was released to a refugee camp. He remained in the camp with its ongoing shortages of food, water and medical care until coming to America in 2005.

Since arriving in America, where he was sponsored by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown, it's been Frezghi's mission to bring his wife and child here.
Working two jobs, Frezghi was able to save enough money to make his dream come true. He paid $9,000 to get his wife and child out of Eritrea and $2,000 to the government of Sudan.

Frezghi's wife Lemlem and his now 10 year-old son Teklom are to arrive at Lehigh Valley International Airport at 6 PM tonight.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown has agreed to be their sponsors. Three years ago Catholic Charities facilitated the first phone call between Frezghi and his wife in Africa and has since helped him negotiate the process of reuniting his family.

Frezghi now lives in North Whitehall and is employed by an Emmaus company where he's being trained as a welder.

Copyright 2003 The Catholic Diocese of Allentown
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