Norfolk, Neb. - Moses Jock and Ahmed Hashi have much in common. Both are African refugees. Jock is a native of Sudan; Hashi is from Somalia. Both are emerging leaders: Jock is the community-appointed spokesman for the Sudanese. Hashi's cafe is the only Somali-owned business in town. But Jock had never come face to face with a native of Somalia until he moved from his homeland. And despite being in the same Nebraska city for nearly a year, the two men hadn't met until a recent gathering with a reporter.

Jock and Hashi, who speak a half-dozen languages between them, represent Norfolk's increasingly diverse yet largely segregated communities. If local immigration patterns hold, the African networks will draw others. Ethnic businesses will multiply. The labor force will branch into jobs beyond meatpacking. Lourdes Gouveia, a sociologist and immigration expert at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said African refugees may find integration easier than at least a segment of Spanish-speaking immigrants who came before them. Some of the Latin American newcomers came here illegally, for economic betterment rather than because of civil war at home.

Sponsored by the U.S. State Department, the political refugees from Africa immediately are eligible for public benefits. Having that financial support and status likely means they will be able to move more quickly out of menial jobs, Gouveia said. How well any newcomer integrates depends, she said, on acceptance by community residents and local government. For Hashi and Jock, being fluent in English led to local business and college contacts that were key to their transition. Each man has become a magnet for other expatriates who need help reading mail, ironing out work concerns or handling emergencies.

Jock, a student aide at Northeast Community College, is studying full time for a bachelor's degree. Hashi, who co-owned a restaurant in Ohio, is preparing to expand his Ayan Cafe and Game Room to a full restaurant and a grocery. (Ayan translates to "Lucky.") "I consider myself lucky, and still I almost quit several times," Hashi said. "It will take time."

Source: Omaha World-Herald

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